Podcasts about cspi

O governador Tarcísio de Freitas acompanhou, nesta sexta-feira (11), no Palácio dos Bandeirantes, a formatura do Curso Superior de Polícia Integrado 2024 (CSPI). Os agentes se tornaram doutores em Ciências Policiais de Segurança e Ordem Pública, sendo capacitados para exercer os cargos mais altos nos comandos e chefias das Polícias Civil e Militar.

This week, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would ban the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food products like candy and cereals. The agency cited a study that found the chemical caused cancer in rats and affected hundreds of items.   The move comes ahead of President-elect Trump's inauguration. His nominee for Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has promised to "Make America Healthy Again” and remove chemicals and other additives from our food, which he believes are harming us.   Days after the news broke, Dr. Peter Lurie, President of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), joined host Lisa Brady on the Rundown to discuss the research that led to the decision to ban the dye and why the CSPI petitioned for the reform.   Dr. Lurie explained how this could impact food products in the country, and what chemicals might be next to go as the Trump administration takes over.   We often must cut interviews short during the week, but we thought you might like to hear the full interview.   Today on Fox News Rundown Extra, we will share our entire interview with Dr. Peter Lurie, allowing you to hear more about why he says many food additives and dyes are dangerous, and should be banned ed as well.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would ban the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food products like candy and cereals. The agency cited a study that found the chemical caused cancer in rats and affected hundreds of items.   The move comes ahead of President-elect Trump's inauguration. His nominee for Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has promised to "Make America Healthy Again” and remove chemicals and other additives from our food, which he believes are harming us.   Days after the news broke, Dr. Peter Lurie, President of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), joined host Lisa Brady on the Rundown to discuss the research that led to the decision to ban the dye and why the CSPI petitioned for the reform.   Dr. Lurie explained how this could impact food products in the country, and what chemicals might be next to go as the Trump administration takes over.   We often must cut interviews short during the week, but we thought you might like to hear the full interview.   Today on Fox News Rundown Extra, we will share our entire interview with Dr. Peter Lurie, allowing you to hear more about why he says many food additives and dyes are dangerous, and should be banned ed as well.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would ban the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food products like candy and cereals. The agency cited a study that found the chemical caused cancer in rats and affected hundreds of items.   The move comes ahead of President-elect Trump's inauguration. His nominee for Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has promised to "Make America Healthy Again” and remove chemicals and other additives from our food, which he believes are harming us.   Days after the news broke, Dr. Peter Lurie, President of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), joined host Lisa Brady on the Rundown to discuss the research that led to the decision to ban the dye and why the CSPI petitioned for the reform.   Dr. Lurie explained how this could impact food products in the country, and what chemicals might be next to go as the Trump administration takes over.   We often must cut interviews short during the week, but we thought you might like to hear the full interview.   Today on Fox News Rundown Extra, we will share our entire interview with Dr. Peter Lurie, allowing you to hear more about why he says many food additives and dyes are dangerous, and should be banned ed as well.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric Kaufmann is a research fellow at CSPI and a professor of politics at the University of Buckingham. He joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Taboo: How Making Race Sacred Produced a Cultural Revolution. Eric explains its thesis, which holds that the taboos around race that arose in the 1960s expanded into other areas of life and eventually led to modern wokeness. He and Richard debate the plausibility of this idea, its similarities and differences with those put forth in The Origins of Woke, and what kind of policy responses might be appropriate to stem and ultimately reverse undesirable cultural trends. The conversation ends with some discussion about free speech in academia, and why Eric decided to leave his old university and start teaching at the University of Buckingham. Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Romina Boccia is the director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, where she writes about government spending, the debt problem, and entitlement reform. She also has a Substack called the Debt Dispatch that you can subscribe to here. Romina joins the podcast to discuss available paths to deal with the coming entitlement crisis. One potential way to get politicians out of making tough choices is to create a debt commission that takes responsibility for unpopular reforms. Romina has written about using the model of the BRAC commission, which was relied on to close down military bases at the end of the Cold War.The conversation also touches on the politics of debt, how policymakers are thinking about these issues, Paul Ryan as an unappreciated hero of our time, and much more. Near the end, Romina reflects on her career as a DC policy-wonk, and why she is motivated to help ensure that America continues to be the land of opportunity. If we don't get entitlements under control, it could potentially degrade our entire way of life. For more discussion on this topic and the difficult choices our leaders will soon be facing, see the previous CSPI podcast with Brian Riedl. Listen to the podcast with Romina here or watch the video on YouTube. Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Brian Chau writes and hosts a podcast at the From the New World Substack, and recently established a new think tank, the Alliance for the Future.He joins the podcast to discuss why he's not worried about the alignment problem, where he disagrees with “doomers,” the accomplishments of ChatGPT versus DALL-E, the dangers of regulating AI until progress comes to a halt in the way it did with nuclear power, and more. With his background in computer science, Brian takes issue with many of those who write on this topic, arguing that they think in terms of flawed analogies and know little about the underlying technology. The conversation touches on a previous CSPI discussion with Leopold Aschenbrenner, and the value of continuing to work on alignment. Brian's view is that AI doomers are making people needlessly pessimistic. He believes that this technology has the potential to do great things for humanity, particularly when it comes to areas like software development and biotech. But the post-World War II era has seen many examples of government hindering progress, and AFF is dedicated to stopping that from happening with artificial intelligence. Listen to the conversation here, or watch the video here. LinksDonate to AFFAFF manifestoBrian on diminishing returns to machine learning, and discussing AI with Marc AndreessenVaswani et al. on transformersLimits of current machine learning techniques Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Dollar stores are the fastest growing food retailer in the United States, both by sheer number of stores and consumer food purchases. Just two corporations, Dollar General and Dollar Tree, which also owns Family Dollar, operate more than 35,000 stores across the country. However, a growing body of research reveals that dollar stores offer limited healthy food options. Dollar stores shape the food environments of communities, especially in the South and Midwest regions and communities in rural areas with substantial shares of Black and Latin people and households with limited financial resources. What do we know about the impact dollar stores have on these communities and the overall wellbeing of community members? The Center for Science in the Public Interest conducted a national survey to understand how people perceive and actually use dollar stores. Today we will talk with lead author of this study, Senior Policy Scientist Sara John. Interview Summary My first question is what do we know about dollar stores and healthy food access? There are more than 35,000-dollar stores across the country. So, to put that large number into context for people like me who have trouble processing them, that's more dollar stores than McDonald's, Starbucks and Walmarts combined. As you also mentioned, just two companies, Dollar General and Dollar Tree, control nearly all of them. Dollar stores really play a large role in food acquisitions for households. They can be especially important for households with limited incomes and those living in rural communities. These smaller store formats are much smaller than your typical grocery store or supermarket and tend to stock fewer fresh and healthy items. So, the body of evidence is still growing and we're still trying to figure out really how dollar stores interact with the food environment, whether or not they're driving out existing or potential new grocery stores or whether they're filling important food gaps in communities that otherwise lack food access. I am really blown away by the number. I must admit I did not appreciate that they have 35,000 stores across the US. I know that there is a growing body of literature, as you suggested. One of our colleagues, Sean Cash at Tufts has been working in this space along with others in various disciplines have been thinking about the role of dollar stores. I'm interested to understand why CSPI conducted a national survey of those or perceptions, and what were some of the key findings? As I mentioned, there's a lot of outstanding questions we still don't know. There have been more than 50 communities across the country that have already passed policies at the local level to ban or improve new dollar stores in their communities. But we don't understand community perceptions, usage and just I guess more plainly what people want from dollar stores. So, CSPI really wanted to take a stance to make policy, corporate, and research recommendations on this very quickly and growing retail format. But before doing so, we wanted to really make sure that we're centering our recommendations around what community members really want from dollar stores. We decided to conduct a national survey. We ended up having over 750 respondents from across the country of people with limited financial resources that lived near a dollar store. I have to say we were pretty surprised by our findings, especially given this popular sentiment that we have seen in the news media and with a lot of the local policy action. I would say that we found overall positive dollar store perceptions that people really are relying on dollar stores for food. But I would say just as many people want them to make healthy foods more available, affordable, and accessible. Could you help me understand how did people find them beneficial? What were some of the things that you discovered, in terms of the benefits? But I'd like to also hear what were the points of contention? Where did they want some difference? Community members had overall positive perceptions. I think there was about 82% of the survey respondents said that dollar stores helped their community rather than harmed it. And a lot of the key things that came up in the qualitative responses in our survey and the focus groups that we used to inform the survey was this overarching multifaceted concept of convenience. People said things like the store proximity, that they didn't have to walk a mile within the store itself to get to milk, and just an overall quick shopping trip. They also mentioned the affordability of products there. You know, not having to say no when shopping with their kids to something that's on the shelf. And then also a selection of specialty items - a lot of like different seasonal fare and things. Even using the phrase "thinking of the dollar stores as like going on a treasure hunt." You never quite know what's going to be there on the shelves. However, as you mentioned, there was also many deterrents listed for dollar stores as well. Things they could do better. So, low quality of products, the lack of predictable product availability, sometimes having bare shelves or not enough store supervision to be able to keep those shelves stocked. And also, the store appearance, both inside and out. Things like graffiti, trash, cluttered aisles. Those are all things that people that both shopped and did not shop at dollar stores noted in the survey. And all of this also kind of leads to another key theme that I mentioned at an overarching level, that people really wanted dollar stores to do more in terms of making healthy foods more accessible to them. So, 81% of our survey respondents thought dollar stores should stock more healthy items, and nearly as many thought they should do more to market and identify healthy options. We also included a list of more specific interventions of things that dollar stores could do to make healthy products more available, accessible, and affordable and one of the top responses was to provide SNAP fruit and vegetable discounts, kind of as one might see in like a Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program at dollar stores as well. I'm really intrigued by something you all did in the survey. You looked at differences, particularly between SNAP participants and those who potentially are SNAP eligible, but non-participants. Are there any key findings you want to highlight about differences between those two groups?  Yes. Many respondents generally mentioned being able to stretch their budget at the dollar store and this included more SNAP participants purchasing more food with their SNAP benefits at dollar stores. So, this was across many healthy food categories. We also saw SNAP participants felt more strongly that dollar stores should be held more accountable for the health of their communities as well. This is really fascinating. These findings are part of what leads you to some of the key policy recommendations. I'd be interested to understand a little bit more about what are the policies that you all thought should be considered or corporate response and even research action based on these findings. I'll highlight just a few. You know the first one at the federal level is strengthening SNAP retailer stocking standards. So, the vast majority of dollar stores do participate in the SNAP program and currently SNAP authorized retailers are required to stock a small number of items. So, three varieties of items across four different categories. However, if the SNAP program did have stronger stocking standards that better aligned with nutrition promoting foods like in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, then all SNAP authorized retailers including dollar stores, would be required to stock more healthy items to participate in the program. Which is of course a huge benefit to the community. But also, a really important part of the business model of SNAP authorized retailers including dollar stores. At the local level, I already mentioned that more than 50 communities across the country have passed local policies, mostly to stop the spread of dollar stores such as through dollar store density ordinances. These look like saying a new dollar store can't locate within, let's say an existing mile, of a current dollar store. However, these policies are really only getting at new dollar stores and don't really do anything to address the existing 35,000. We also see an opportunity to strengthen and improve upon these existing policies and address what we found in the survey that community members want by requiring dollar stores to stock healthier food, make it more available, such as through healthy stocking standards or healthy food overlays in the local zoning code or even exempting dollar stores from these dispersal limits if they do stock a specific variety or number of healthy staple foods. At the corporate level, we're hopeful that this survey and its results make the business case to dollar stores for stocking healthier foods, making them more widely available. We've seen already actually both Dollar General and Dollar Tree moving in this direction. Dollar General, especially. I think about 16% of their current stores now do offer fresh produce. So, they're building out their supply chain, their distribution centers, and I would say retrofitting and redesigning stores to be able to make more fresh and healthy foods available. But we think they can do more, and especially do more in terms of prioritizing fresh food expansion in areas with lower incomes and limited food access. Many of these dollar store models started by locating in rural areas. We think if they could really leverage their ubiquity and where they're currently located to spread healthy food access to those communities especially, it could make a really big difference. We also have seen dollar stores in recent years put out public environmental social governance or ESG priorities. We think that these should be expanded and really prioritize healthy food access and nutrition goals. And one more thing I'll say around corporate recommendations is the expansion of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children or WIC authorization of dollar stores. Currently, based on our scan of the current list of WIC authorized retailers, there are no corporate dollar stores that are currently WIC authorized. By participating in WIC, and by adhering to those much more rigorous healthy stocking standards, it could do a lot to make a variety of healthy product, fresh produce, whole grains, dairy, baby food, formula more accessible to moms and kids. I have to ask this question as a researcher, what are some important questions that the survey really prompted you to think more about or would like to have others come in and support research in this area? There are so many. As I mentioned, the evidence in this space is really nascent, but is growing. So, one thing I would highlight is that we really are proud of this survey and its national scope. However, the survey doesn't reflect all communities and their desires and wishes. And so we hope that this survey could be used as a model and could be replicated in local communities to inform local policy and corporate intervention. We also think there's a lot to still do to better understand the current dollar store food environment. There have been some studies that have been done at small scale in some states and localities, but we think that current instruments could be better adapted and specifically tailored to the dollar store environment to better understand them and their variation across the country. Especially as we start to see this shift in corporate practices. There is a lot of, again, variation in terms of different dollar stores and what they're offering. We also really hope that we could see dollar store corporations, and maybe this is overly ambitious, but to collaborate with researchers to better understand what corporations already know, to better lift up what challenges are associated with increasing the stock and availability of healthier foods. We know that cost space and supply chain complexities, this is not an easy solution, and so how can researchers work together with corporate dollar stores to figure this out. Also, we'd be really interested in piloting healthy food marketing interventions, thinking about how this shift in healthy product placement, price and promotion might be impacting customer purchases, customer food consumption, and ultimately health. Wow, this is a great set of ways for a variety of researchers to come in. It sounds like not only could academics do some of this work, but it sounds like there may even be space for citizen scientists to come in and look at what's going on in the food environments where they are to help inform that conversation. I think this is really fascinating. What's next for CSPI's work on dollar stores. CSPI really hopes to be able to support efforts to advance the recommendations we've made in this report. At least one I'll highlight that we've already started to work on, is we just launched a corporate campaign; Don't Discount Families, Dollar General. Really pressuring Dollar General to improve healthy food access at their stores through these WIC expansion efforts that I referenced earlier. So, making sure that dollar stores expand their healthy food offerings by adhering to those more rigorous WIC stocking standard requirements. Making those foods both available and more accessible to moms and kids participating in WIC. You know, that includes fresh, frozen, canned produce, whole grains, dairy, healthy pantry staples, baby food and formula, but also in doing so makes healthy foods more available for any customer that walks through a WIC authorized Dollar store. I would mention that in ways that you can get involved, please feel free to reach out to me if you're doing aligned work in this space. We also have a petition that consumers can sign onto, and we already have generated over 7,000 emails to Dollar General and that number is still ticking, so please join our coordinated advocacy efforts and we also working on a sign-on letter in terms of coalition building to get organizations and researchers who are supporting healthy food access through dollar stores. So, I encourage everyone to check out our resources and again, please be in contact if you have any questions. Bio   Sara John is a Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in Public Interest and leads the organization's federal policy and private sector efforts to create a healthier, more equitable food retail environment. Prior to joining CSPI, Sara served as the Evaluation Director for SNAP incentive programs across New England and worked at the Partnership for a Healthier America. She has a PhD in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts Friedman School, an MS in Education from Johns Hopkins University, and a BS in Biology and BA in Public Policy from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Few people in American history have saved more lives than Dr. Sidney Wolfe. Dr. Wolfe and his small staff at the Health Research Group of Public Citizen have taken on Big Pharma and the FDA to pull over two dozen dangerous drugs and countless hazardous medical devices off the market, not to mention putting numerous incompetent doctors out of business. Over the course of his storied career, Sid worked relentlessly for workplace safety and with his best-selling book and subsequent newsletter Worst Pills/Best Pills, provided the American people with the most reliable, up-to-date, evidence-based, easy-to-read guide to pharmaceuticals ever compiled. Today we pay tribute to the man who invented the concept of the “public interest doctor.”Dr. Steffie Woolhandler is a co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program, which is a non-profit research and education organization that advocates for single-payer national health insurance. Dr. Woolhandler is a practicing primary care physician, distinguished professor of public health and health policy in the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health, an adjunct professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Woolhandler has authored more than 150 journal articles, reviews, chapters, and books on health policy.Dr. David Himmelstein is a co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program. Dr. Himmelstein is a practicing primary care physician, distinguished professor of public health at the City University of New York, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, and a His more than 150 peer reviewed studies include widely-cited articles appearing in the New England Journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, JAMA, Health Affairs and the American Journal of Public Health on the excess death rate among the uninsured, medical bankruptcy, health care administrative costs, insurance firms' misbehaviors, and dangerous medications.For over 50 years, Dr. Sidney Wolfe—who directed Public Citizen's Health Research Group—has been what I would call the doctor's doctor. Stressing the prevention of trauma and sickness, stressing accountability for gouging and unsafe practices by the drug companies, and pushing for effective regulation by the Food and Drug Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Agency.Ralph NaderI think that Dr. Sid Wolfe had that emotional intelligence that went with his cognitive intelligence, which makes all the difference in terms of whether someone just knows something and bewails it, or someone just knows something and connects it to action that saves people's lives and prevents injuries.Ralph NaderDr. Sid Wolfe was insistent that those who sell drugs and profit from drugs have to prove that the drug is actually safe, that the harms do not outweigh the benefits. And for many, many drugs on the market in the United States, Sid and others found out that the harms were much greater than the benefits. In identifying literally dozens of drugs that were unsafe, that should not be used, Sid has saved hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of lives of Americans who were threatened by unsafe drugs.Dr. Steffie WoolhandlerDr. Sid Wolfe was meticulous about the truth. Sid insisted that you couldn't overstate what you didn't know, that the most important responsibility of doctors was to be honest with the patients, with the public, with the government about what we know and what we don't know—and often what we don't know is critically important. He never stretched the truth. That was important, not just because others were watching and trying to find flaws in what he did, but it was inherent in Sid's character that he cared about telling the truth and about doing what was right.Dr. David HimmelsteinRobert Weissman is a staunch public interest advocate and activist, as well as an expert on a wide variety of issues ranging from corporate accountability and government transparency to trade and globalization, to economic and regulatory policy. As the President of Public Citizen, Weissman has spearheaded the effort to loosen the chokehold corporations and the wealthy have over our democracy.Outrage may have been Sid's catchphrase, because he saw so much outrageousness in the health field. Precisely because he knew that things were being put on the market that shouldn't be, or services were being withheld from people that shouldn't be— not because of any lack of information, but because of the improper influence and political power and economic power of Big Pharma and the for-profit health insurance industry. And he was outraged about that. Because he understood it rightfully as a matter of life and death.Robert WeissmanDr. Peter Lurie is President and Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest—an independent, science-based consumer advocacy organization that advocates for a safer, healthier food system. The CSPI also publishes NutritionAction, a healthy-living guide for consumers. Dr. Lurie previously worked with the Food and Drug Administration and Public Citizen's Health Research Group, where he co-authored their Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications.'Dr. Sid Wolfe was the person who really held [the FDA's] feet to the fire and held us— or even me, when I was there—accountable. He was the person who raised the impertinent questions. He was the person who asked why you couldn't do more, or he was the person who asked why you did what you had done. All of those were appropriate to do. And all of those challenged the agency in ways that I think were healthy, even if not always welcomed by the agency.Dr. Peter LurieI didn't think, personally, that you could actually win in this life. What I thought that I would do was tilt at windmills for the rest of my life, fight the good fight, maybe be an honorable person, maybe my kids would appreciate it. That's all I really thought would happen. But what Dr. Sid Wolfe showed me was that if you picked the right project, if you picked the project that was the right size, that involved a question that was actually being posed to a regulatory agency… If you picked that right-sized project and you brought the right data to bear, you actually could win. You could get that warning on the box. And if you won the first time, that told you that you could win a second and a third and a fourth time. And that is what keeps you going.Dr. Peter Lurie Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

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In August of 2023, the Food and Drug Administration issued something known as a direct final rule, disregarded trans fats in the food supply. Consumers won't notice changes as the rule just finalizes FDA's 2015 ruling that partially hydrogenated oils - trans fats - no longer had "GRAS status." GRAS stands for generally regarded as safe. We cover this issue today because this trans fat ban was the product of lots of work by a key group of scientists, the advocacy community, and others. The anatomy of this process can teach us a lot about harnessing scientific discovery for social and policy change. At the center of all this is today's guest, Dr. Walter Willett. Willett is one of the world's leading nutrition researchers. He is professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and for many years served as chair of its Department of Nutrition. He's published extensively, been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, and it turns out, is the world's most cited nutrition researcher. Interview Summary   There are so many things I could talk to you about because you do work in such an array of really important areas and have just made contribution after contribution for years. But let's talk about the trans fat because you were there at the very beginning, and it ended up with a profound public policy ruling that has major implications for the health of the country. I'd like to talk about how this all occurred. So, tell us, if you would, what are trans fats, how present were they in the food supply over the years, and what early discoveries did you and others make that led you to be concerned?   Yes, this is a story from which I've learned a lot, and hopefully others might as well. Trans fats are produced by the process called partial hydrogenation. This takes liquid vegetable oils, like soybean oils, corn oil, canola oil, and subjects them to a process with high heat and bubbling hydrogen through the oil. What this is doing is taking essential molecules, essential fatty acids like the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and twisting their shapes just subtly, and this turns them into a solid fat instead of a liquid fat. And, of course, the food industry likes this because our culture, the Northern European eating culture, emphasizes solid fats like butter and lard. Industry really didn't know what to do with all the liquid oil that they were able to produce by another process that was discovered back in the late 1800s. The partial hydrogenation process was actually developed in about 1908, and someone actually got a Nobel Prize for that. It wasn't used widely in the food industry till the 1930s and 1940s when it was upscaled because it was cheaper, for multiple reasons, to partially hydrogenate oils and turn them into solid fats like Cricso and margarines. I got worried about this, actually, back in the 1970s, when other scientists were discovering that these essential fatty acids are important for many biological processes, clotting, arrhythmias, inflammation, and counteracting inflammation. I realized while studying food science at that time that there was nobody really keeping an eye on this. That there were these synthetic fatty acids in massive amounts in our food supplies. Margarines, vegetable shortenings were up to 30% and 40% made of trans fatty acids. And that may me concerned that this could have a big downside. So, back in 1980, with the help of some people at the Department of Agriculture developing a database for trans fats in foods, we began collecting data on trans fat intake in our large cohort studies. And about 20 years later, we saw that trans fat intake was related to risk of heart disease. We published that in 1993. That got us started on the pathway to getting them out of our food supply.   Let's talk about how present they were in the food supply. You mentioned some things like margarine and Crisco, but these fats were in a lot of different products, weren't they?   Yes, they were almost everywhere. You could hardly pick up a product that had a nutrition facts label that didn't say partially hydrogenated fat on it. It was really in virtually everything that was industrially made in our food system.   Just because they could produce them at low cost? Or did they have other properties that were desirable from the industry's point of view?   These trans fats had multiple characteristics. One, they could be solid. And again, because they mimicked butter and lard, it fit into lots of foods. Second, they had very long shelf life. Third, you could heat them up and use them for deep frying, and they could sit there in fryolators for days and not be changed. So, this was all good for the food system. It wanted really long shelf life and started with cheap ingredients.   So, after those initial findings that raised red flags, what kind of research did you do subsequently and at what level of proof did you feel policy change might be warranted?   Within our own group, we continued to follow our participants. These are close to 100,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study, and also another 50,000 in the health professionals follow up study. We confirmed our initial findings and then found that trans fats were related to risk of many other conditions, from diabetes to infertility. And simultaneous with our work in the 1990s, some of our colleagues in the Netherlands were doing what we called controlled feeding studies. These studies take a few dozen people and feed them high trans fat or low trans fat for a few weeks and watch what happens to risk factors like cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels. And they found that trans fats had uniquely adverse consequences. They raised the bad cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and reduced the good cholesterol, HDL cholesterol. So, they had unique adverse biological effects. It was really that combination of that short-term kind of study and the long-term epidemiologic studies we were doing that made a compelling case that trans fats were the cause of cardiovascular disease.   So, a line of considerable work took place over a number of years, and then got to that point where you felt something needed to be done. And the fact that you did that science and that you were worried about these trans fats in the first place is impressive because you were really onto something important. But what happened after you did the series of studies? What steps occurred and who were the key actors that finally led to policy change occurring?   Well, as we expected, there was pushback from the industry about this because they were so invested in trans fat. And I was actually disappointed that a lot of our colleagues in the American Heart Association and others pushed back as well. They didn't want to distract from saturated fat. But, when studies were reproduced, it was really undeniable that there was a problem. But, if the studies had just been put on a shelf and sitting there, probably nothing would've happened. And it was really important that we partnered with advocacy groups, particularly Mike Jacobson, Margo Wootan at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, because they had a readership and audience that we didn't have. And they also were more familiar with the workings of the Food and Drug Administration and government in general. But I also was told somewhere around that time that women, who are the main food purchases, pay most attention to a lot of the women's journals, Family Circle, those kinds of journals. And actually, for good reasons. Their journalists are very good. So, I've talked to those journalists every opportunity. And it turned out it was really important to have some public awareness about this problem. If it was just good science and things worked as they should have, the FDA would've looked at the evidence and just ruled out trans fat from our food supply early on, but they didn't. It really took major concerted effort by the combination of the scientific community and the advocacy group.   Did you bump into conflict of interest problems with other scientists who were receiving funding from the industry and you know them talking to the press or speaking at conferences or things like that?   Well, there's plenty of conflicts of interest within the nutrition community, but actually, I don't think that was so much of an problem here. In some ways, there was a conflict of sort of personal commitment to entirely focusing on saturated fat and not wanting to see any distraction. I don't think a conflict of interest in the economic monetary sense.   Walter, I remember back when this discussion was occurring and industry was fighting back. They made claims that food prices would go up, that the quality of foods would go down, that it would be a real hit to their business because consumers wouldn't like products without the trans fats. What became of all those arguments?   It's interesting and it's important to keep in mind that the industry is not monolithic. And I have to credit Unilever, actually, with paying attention to the scientific evidence, which was really rejected here. Interestingly, at that time, all the major margarine manufacturers were owned by the tobacco industry. And you can imagine that those CEOs were not getting out of their bed in the morning and saying, well, what can I do to make Americans healthier? No, they were not interested in health. But Unilever was a food company and it was invested in staying as a food company for the continuing future. And they did realize that this was a problem, and they invested a lot of money to re-engineer their products, re-engineer their production of margarine and shortening. And they did take trans fat out of their products. They obviously did a lot of taste testing to make sure they were acceptable. And once they did that, the industry could no longer say that it's impossible to do it. It's sort of like the automobile industry when Detroit said, you just can't build low pollution cars, but then the Japanese did it and then they could no longer deny it.   Boy, it's such an interesting story that occurred. With Unilever getting involved as they did. That must have been a very positive push forward. They're second biggest food company in the world.   That was really helpful. And again, I think it was because they had a lot of scientists, both nutritionists and food chemists. I was told they had about 800 such employees at that time. They could see, if you looked at the evidence honestly, this was a serious issue. One of their chief scientists later told me that it was actually one of our editorials in the American Journal of Public Health where we estimated that there would be about 80,000 premature deaths per year due to trans fat. And once they saw that, they said, we can't have Willett going around saying there's going to be 80,000 premature deaths, and they realized they had to do something. It's interesting, you write an editorial, you don't know who's going to read it, but sometimes it hits one person who can really make a difference.   It is nice to know that people read things like that once in a while. Let's go to where you were at that point. You produced a lot of science. You were communicating this to professional audiences, but also to the general public with interviews and magazines and things like that. And the advocacy community, especially the Center for Science in the Public Interest, got activated. What happened then?   Well, a couple things happened. One is that they brought up and proposed labeling trans fat on the nutrition facts label and submitted that to the FDA. The FDA sat on it. There was, of course, lots of backdoor action by the American food industry that did not want to change what they were doing. And despite some prodding by CSPI over the years, that sat there for about 10 years almost. Ironically, there was a faculty member at Harvard Chan School of Public Health at that time who had seen a display we had done on trans fat. We built a big tower out of blocks of trans fat and had a little poster there talking about it. He went to Washington and became a senior person at the Office for Management and Budget. And Mike Jacobson went to go visit him with a petition to label trans fat, and our faculty person said, I know about trans fat because Willnett had that display in our cafeteria. He wrote a letter to the FDA that was quite unprecedented, basically saying that either put trans fat on the food label or tell us why not. Which is a quite strong letter. And then the wheels started turning, and there was delay and delay for a pushback on the food industry. But by 2008, trans fat actually did get on the food label. And that had a very major impact, because once it had to be on the label, the food industry took it out. They sort of knew it was coming because they didn't want to admit it publicly. But I think they understood for quite a while that they were going to have to get it out, but that was really the turning point. All of a sudden, almost all the food products had zero on the trans fat line there.   Let's talk about the public health impact of this. You mentioned 80,000 or some deaths occurring each year attributable to consumption of trans fat. Can we conclude from that that we're saving that many lives now with trans fat out of the food supply? And does that mean 80,000 lives year after year after year?   It's hard to know exactly and of course, so many things are going on at the same time. And the trans fat didn't go down abruptly because Unilever was, even in the American market, a pretty major producer, starting by the mid 1990s, trans fat intake actually did start to go down. And other things are going on, obviously obesity epidemic counterbalancing a lot of positive things that were happening. But, there were some economists looking at communities that adopted trans fat bans early on versus those that did not, and they could show there was a divergence in heart attacks and hospitalizations for heart disease. So it's hard to pin an exact number on it, again, because all these things happen at the same time. But it's quite clear that we would be having quite a bit more heart disease if trans fat had not been eliminated. I would also look back to another important step in the process because even though we got trans fat on the food label, and the products that had it quite quickly became, almost all of them, zero trans fat, but that didn't deal with a restaurant industry, which was also a very big source of trans fat. And there it took community activists to make this happen. There was a small community in Northern California that was really the first community that banned trans fat in restaurants, and a few other places did. But then Mayor Bloomberg of New York, there's another backstory why he got interested in this. But it's one of these things, you put out information and you don't know who's going to read it, and someone had read some of our work and to convince his health department and Bloomberg himself that trans fats had to go, and New York banned trans fats. And then some other communities, Massachusetts and elsewhere in the food industry, the restaurant industry realized they couldn't have a patchwork distribution system. And so that was a tipping point that trans fat was eliminated in the food service industry long before the FDA finally made the ruling. In fact, by the time the FDA made the ruling about trans fat and pressure hydrogenated fat, it was almost gone.   To go back and look at the history of this, it's a relatively small number of key people taking the right actions at the right time that ultimately led to change. And thank goodness for those people like you and Mike Jacobson, Margo Wootan, and Mayor Bloomberg, and a few other people in political circles that took the bull by the horns and really got something done. Very impressive. As you look back on this, what lessons did you learn that you think might be helpful for future policy changes?   I think there are a number of lessons. I'd like to think, first of all, that solid good science is really important. Without that, we couldn't have a hard time making changes that we need to do. But that's usually not going to be enough. It's really important to work with advocacy groups like CSPI. It's important, sometimes, to work with journalists and provide good information, education. But it's hard to know exactly which path is going to be successful. One thing is quite clear, in this country, in many areas, change does not happen from the top. It's not enough just to have good science. And oftentimes, changes happen from the bottom up at the local level, the state level, and the national government may be the last place where action occurs.   So what changes in the food supply do you feel would be most pressing right now?   We certainly have a lot of problems in our food supply. If you look around, most people are consuming diets and beverages that are quite unhealthy. And there are so many issues, I think, still and we've worked on this issue is a sugar sweetened beverage issue, and we've had some real progress in that area, but still, there's a huge way to go to reduce sugar sweetened beverages. But that's part of a bigger problem in terms of what we're consuming. And I would call that carbohydrate quality, that about half of our calories come from carbohydrates. In about 80% of that half, in other words, about 40%, of all the calories we consume are refined starch, sugar, and potatoes which have adverse metabolic effects, lead to weight gain, lead to diabetes, lead to cardiovascular disease. So that's a huge area that we need to work on.   You've talked, so far, with the trans fat and, you know, and with other things in the food supply like salt, these are things that you'd be taking out of the food. That all makes good sense. What about putting things in? Talk about things that might support the microbiome, more fiber, or things that might support brain health and things like that, so what are your feeling about those things?   You're right, our problems are both what's there in quantities that are unhealthy and also what's missing. Inadequate fiber intake is actually part of the carbohydrate problem. Clearly, we should be consuming many more whole grains compared to the amount of refined grains that we consume. And, of course, we get some fiber from fruits and vegetables. So I think, in addition to this huge amount of unhealthy carbohydrates and inadequate amount of whole grains, we do need to be consuming more fruits and vegetables. And then on the sort of protein source side, we're clearly consuming too much red meat and replacing that with plant protein sources like nuts, legumes, and soy products would be really important for direct human health. But also, that's an area where the environmental and climate change issues are extremely pressing and shifting from a more animal-centric diet to more plant-centric diet would have enormous benefits for climate change as well as direct effects for human health.   Bio   Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr. P.H., is Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Willett studied food science at Michigan State University, and graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School before obtaining a Masters and Doctorate in Public Health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Willett has focused much of his work over the last 40 years on the development and evaluation of methods, using both questionnaire and biochemical approaches, to study the effects of diet on the occurrence of major diseases. He has applied these methods starting in 1980 in the Nurses' Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Together, these cohorts that include nearly 300,000 men and women with repeated dietary assessments, are providing the most detailed information on the long-term health consequences of food choices. Dr. Willett has published over 2,000 original research papers and reviews, primarily on lifestyle risk factors for heart disease, cancer, and other conditions and has written the textbook, Nutritional Epidemiology, published by Oxford University Press, now in its third edition. He also has written four books for the general public. Dr. Willett is the most cited nutritionist internationally. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and the recipient of many national and international awards for his research.  

  On this episode of Unsupervised Learning Razib talks to Philippe Lemoine, a fellow at CSPI, a philosopher of science trained at Cornell. Lemoine often wades into controversial topics, like whether Chinese COVID data is trustworthy, but recently, he posted on Twitter that “Americans *genuinely* believe they have better food than France. They really believe it.” Not only did this trigger a response by Tyler Cowen at Marginal Revolution, but the controversy broke out of social media into the international media. For the first portion of the conversation, Razib and Lemoine reflect on the circus surrounding his tweet, and what he really means. Though Lemoine defends his tweet, he wants to emphasize that while Americans kept pointing to restaurants, he wanted to emphasize how superior French home cooking was over what Americans produce when they eat in (though he will still defend French restaurants as superior, he admits that if you value variation and diversity of cuisine as goods in and of themselves, then “American food” can be counted as superior). Additionally, Lemoine extolls the virtue of French meal-time customs and norms, with their leisurely pace. He asserts, likely plausibly, that Americans with their on-the-go philosophy of life truly don't enjoy food, they consume it. Razib pushes Lemoine on whether he would genuinely prefer to live in France despite the nation being 33% poorer than the US on a purchasing-power-parity basis, and he sticks to his guns. Then they move to a topic that unambiguously throws France into a worse light than the US: immigration policy. Lemoine discusses the reality that French immigrants and immigrant-descended populations are not doing very well. Not integrating, committing crime and both economically and socially marginalized. He also claims that the French government actually does have a good breakdown of ethnic groups even though it cannot officially collect such data. Lemoine asserts that America's positive experience with immigration has little to do with America, and mostly to do with the source and character of immigrants: unlike Europe, the US imposes a strong selective sieve on education and skills. In contrast, European nations often simply receive immigrants from their former colonies or through the asylum process. Razib and Lemoine also discuss French fertility, which remains higher than that of the US.

Our guest today is Dr. Caree Cotwright, director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity at the Food and Nutrition Service at the US Department of Agriculture. Dr. Cotwright is leading a USDA-wide approach to advancing food and nutrition security in the United States. Part of her responsibility includes the charge from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to make MyPlate a household name. MyPlate is the official visual reminder of the US government to make healthy food choices from each of the five food groups. Now, this turns out to be a tall but important order. About a quarter of US adults have heard of MyPlate, according to a recent survey. Interview Summary You came to USDA while on leave from the University of Georgia (UGA) where, by the way, you were the first Black woman in the Department of Nutritional Sciences to earn tenure. Congratulations for this, and please know how much I appreciate the important role that you've played in our field. So, let's start with discussing what drew you to food policy and what makes you excited about your role in public service at USDA? I am really excited about this role because it's just a privilege. When I think about the fact that USDA has the title or has a position for the director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity, I get excited about that. It's been a privilege to work on advancing all of the things that have come about because of the White House Conference. I came to nutrition policy really in a kind of a roundabout way. I was working on my master's at UGA and I was doing an internship at the Center for Science and the Public Interest (CSPI). At that time, I was wanting to write on the Nutrition Action Health letter, but they had someone who was mentoring in nutrition policy and that someone was Margo Wootan. She kind of took me under her wing and helped me to learn about what nutrition policy was.  After completing my master's and my PhD, I did my postdoc, and then did a RISE fellowship at the CDC. I was working on disseminating policy around early care and education obesity prevention policies and just really to understand the keen role that policy plays in the advancement of nutrition and policies in general. That was really eye-opening for me. I knew that during my role at University of Georgia as a faculty member that I would focus on both policy and intervention. I've had such a wonderful experience of being able to use different creative approaches, but also using policy. Some of those approaches have earned me the opportunity to talk to a variety of communities in different ways, including having a TED Talk. It's just been a joy to do this work. You've had so many interesting experiences and I could see how you'd be passionate about food policy after spending time at CSPI, especially with Margo Wootan. There aren't many people that know food policy like she does. But one thing I wanted to ask you about is one of the highly novel part of your work and your approach to nutrition has been to incorporate the creative arts, including storytelling. Tell us about this if you would. Storytelling has always been near and dear to my heart. When people ask me about that question, I've been doing it since I was about five years old when I was asked to come and give the commencement speech for my nursery school. I wasn't afraid, it was fun for me, and I just said, "Wow, this is really something that I can do." I enjoyed connecting and engaging with others. As I think about my work, I know that telling stories and using creative approaches to meet people where they are helps us to promote a variety of topics. Of course, it's kind of entertainment education, but using these approaches is a catalyst to get people interested in what we're doing. We know we're competing with so many things that pull people's attention now.  Some of the things that I've done are I have a play about nutrition for young children, I have a hip hop song. I tell stories even in my speeches because I know that when I can connect, people will remember that story. And that's so important. Through my work, I promoted the Child and Adult Care Food program. I worked on the SNAP-Ed program at University of Georgia. We've done creative things like having skits and have enough care to call Healthy Bear that the children relate to. Even in some of our work that I've been blessed to have and had the privilege to work with Robert Wood Johnson Healthy Research to have social media and to use all of these approaches, but to use it to promote health and use it to promote healthy messages and messages specifically about nutrition. That creativity and those approaches are things that I bring to my current position in thinking about how do we engage the public, especially as we continue forward with advancing nutrition security and health equity, as well as making MyPlate a household brand? I love that creativity. I think back on memorable speeches I've heard or talks I've listened to and things, very often, it's the stories that you remember. The fact that you're recognizing that, appreciating that, and perfecting it, I think is really impressive. I'm glad to learn a little bit more about that. Let's talk now about your federal service at the CDC. This was another experience that I know helped shape your interest and your passions and your desire to return to public service at USDA. That's a wonderful question. It was such a wonderful opportunity to come to CDC at a time we were on the cusp of really thinking about how do we develop and disseminate policy related to obesity prevention for our youngest children, age zero to five. I had just finished a postdoc in community-based participatory research at Morgan State University working with Head Start children. At the time when I got to CDC, we had former First Lady Michelle Obama working on Let's Move! One of the key initiatives was Let's Move! Child Care. We modeled the initiative and the work we were doing related to policy on the work of an outstanding researcher. Her name is Dr. Dianne Ward. Not only was she an outstanding researcher, she became a mentor, colleague, and friend of mine. I just have so much admiration for the work that Dianne Ward did and the trailblazing efforts that she did to advance policy in the early care and education setting related to obesity prevention, but also in equity.  So we were working on these things and my task was to go around to stakeholders all across the country and make sure that they understood what we were saying. So again, bringing in that community engagement and the training that I had, I said, "We can't just put this on a website and say, 'Hey everybody, you should go out and do this.' We have to go in and teach people and train people and explain it." Fortunately, my mentor there, Dr. Reynolds and Heidi Blanck, they agreed. I was able to go out and help to disseminate the policy, and again, it gave me such a strong and firm understanding of how to really relate.  I'll tell you just a quick story. At the time, I didn't have kids, Kelly, and we were talking about these obesity prevention policies and we said, "Okay, no screen time for children under two," and those things. It wasn't until I had kids and I thought, "Well, how do you do that?" Because it has to be realistic and you have to think about how these policies work on the ground. As I talk to childcare providers, as I talk to stakeholders, as I talk to people working at the state level across the country, we help gain an understanding for just how these policies will go into place and gain support for policy implementation because we can't do the work without the people who are working on the ground level. Two things I want to make note of that you just said. First is if it's easy to to talk about how children should be fed and learn about food until you have them, and then all of a sudden, it gets a lot more complicated, I know. But the other thing I'm grateful that you did was to pay tribute to Dianne Ward. Many of our listeners may know she was a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and recently passed away. There are people all over the country in the world who were just broken hearted by this because she was such a dear friend and colleague to many of us, and just a completely inspired researcher who wanted to make a difference in the world and really did. It's not surprising that she touched you and your professional career in such positive ways and that's true of a lot of us. I'm really happy that we were able to talk about her for a moment. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity. Let's talk more about your current position at USDA now. Can you tell us what your primary responsibilities are and what your vision is for your work ahead? Yes. My primary responsibilities are to advance the work of food and nutrition security and health equity. I know that's a part of my title, but we really are working to make sure that people are able to get access to the food they need. Our definition is that nutrition security means that everyone has equitable access and consistent access to healthy, safe, and affordable food that is optimal for their wellbeing. We do this at USDA through four pillars. We think about having meaningful support for nutrition and nutrition education, making sure that people have access to that healthy, safe, and affordable food, making sure that we work through collaborative action through partnerships, and then making sure that we prioritize equity every step of the way.  When you think about USDA and the programs that FNS has and the programs that we are working on in our mission area, we have lots of opportunities to advance nutrition security because our work is just so closely related. I work very closely with our programs and I work a lot with our stakeholders, both internally and externally, to make sure that people are aware of the work that we're doing. But not only that, that we are leveraging things like the historic White House Conference, making sure that we have lots of commitments from people all over. We've had over $8 billion of commitments. But making sure that with our stakeholders and our partners, that we lean into new creative approaches that will help us to reach our goals. We have some really big goals to end hunger, to improve nutrition, physical activity, and to reduce diet-related diseases and disparities. We are holding ourselves accountable and making sure that we're getting the word out and making sure that we're partnering in very meaningful ways.  A part of my larger vision is a part of the secretary's vision, which is to make MyPlate a household brand. We think about what does that mean? We want to make sure, you said early on that about 25% of Americans are aware of this tool, but we want to make sure that not only are they aware, but they use the wonderful resources that are attached to MyPlate because it is our federal symbol for healthy eating. It's heartening to hear about your vision and to understand the kind of progress that's being made to advance food and nutrition security, and also to specifically leverage some of the commitments that were made at the White House Conference. In addition to what the federal government can do, are there things that individuals can do like our listeners, for example, or the ways they can help? Yes, and I'm so glad you brought up your listeners because that's so important. So every voice matters. And so all of our actions add up collectively. I've heard up from some wonderful, wonderful people in West Virginia and Oklahoma, just all across the country. When I go out and speak and I tell people, "You have to help me with this mission of making MyPlate of household brand." They sent me back things that they're doing. Creative things like setting up kids farmers' markets, popup markets in places like hardware stores that don't traditionally do that. But they will set it up and let a farmer come in and set up a popup shop, and then they provide the tokens through some of our wonderful programs like SNAP-Ed and FNA. When we think about these creative solutions where there are already existing things, but we're solving a problem, we're solving that access problem. Just thinking about that and making sure that we are all collectively working together, we want to hear from you. We want to hear from you. I always give out my email. It's caree.cartwright@usda.gov. We want to hear from your ideas. We also have our pillar pages on our website. If you just look at nutrition security at USDA, we have our pillar pages so you can learn more. But we also have a very short video where we're talking about the work that we're doing and highlighting that work, and a blog that is attached to that. So again, if you're wanting to promote efforts that we're doing, that's a very quick synopsis and a short way to get it out there to people to spread the word and increase awareness about all of the wonderful things that we're doing to advance food and nutrition security. I never thought of my hardware store as a place to learn about nutrition, but why the heck not? Let's talk about MyPlate a little bit more. What's your role and how are you going to go about trying to make MyPlate a household name? It's a very multi-pronged approach. My role is to bring those creative approaches. One of the things I love about this position is that it's a culmination of so many of the things that I've already been doing. Using my creativity, thinking about the equity focus, and working with our Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. They're a wonderful team. They've already been doing wonderful things on MyPlate but helping to amplify that work and helping to get it out there so we make it a household brand. We have a multi-pronged approach where we'll be using social media. I told you I was able to use that in my research. Not only that but doing things where we're celebrating the great work that people are doing around MyPlate. Like for example, I know in Oklahoma, they had a wonderful day at the capitol and the lieutenant governor was working with students to put food in the right MyPlate categories and making sure that people are aware of them. There are artists making songs about MyPlate. And so, making sure that we are making the public aware of what we're doing. With this multi-pronged approach, we'll be doing listening sessions. We're hearing from people about what can we do better? What do you really like? Are here things that we can change? Really hearing from the community on that level. Then, also thinking about industry and how can industry partner to promote MyPlate and promote those food categories so that people have an understanding of MyPlate and the branding of the icon. Making sure that people recognize MyPlate and the icon and are knowledgeable about the resources that we have. I'm really excited about doing partnerships because this is a one USDA approach. We're going across all levels to make sure that we get the word out about MyPlate. And we do have a MyPlate national strategic partnership with partner organizations all over the country that are already helping us to do this work. We want to attract new partners, to have new partners to come in, and lean in to help us to amplify MyPlate and all the wonderful resources for the public. I'm assuming it's pretty easy to find out about MyPlate online, is that right? It is. It's myplate.gov. It is very simple. All of our materials are branded with that, but it's very simple. You can remember MyPlate, you can remember our website. So it's myplate.gov. You can go directly there and find all of our wonderful resources, and we'll be having more, as I said, on social media. I don't want to forget this point too as well, Kelly. There are cultural adaptations. When I'm out in the field, people ask me about, what about for my culture? What about for the things that I eat? How is MyPlate relevant to that? What I love about MyPlate is that it's so adaptable. During our listening sessions and the work that CNPP is doing, we are working to address that as well. Again, meeting people where they are, having them understand that your cultural foods are healthy foods too, and how do we use MyPlate to guide our healthy choices when we're making our meal choices. Again, you look at the plate, half the plate is fruits and vegetables and that can be from a variety of sources and a variety of cultures and preparations and lots of different foods. And so we want to make sure that people are understanding that and that we get the word out there. Bio Dr. Caree Jackson Cotwright serves as the Director of Nutrition Security and Heath Equity for the Food and Nutrition Service at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In this role, Dr. Cotwright leads a whole-of-Department approach to advancing food and nutrition security. She also serves as one of two Departmental representatives on accelerating action on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health goals to end hunger, improve nutrition and physical activity, and reduce diet-related diseases and disparities and implementing the corresponding National Strategy. Her work includes building public awareness of USDA's actions to advance food and nutrition security, as well as collaborating and building partnerships with key stakeholders to maximize our reach and impact. Dr. Cotwright is on leave as an Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences in the University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences' Department of Nutritional Sciences. Her research centers on promoting healthy eating among infants through age five-years-old with a particular focus on accelerating health equity among historically underserved populations via community-based participatory research and focusing on developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining best practices and policies in the early child education setting. She has developed a variety of innovative interventions, which use theater, media, and other arts-based approaches. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications and secured over $1M in grants focused on obesity prevention and health equity from Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the USDA. From 2010-2013, she worked as an ORISE Research Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, where she was highly engaged in the early care education elements of the First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative dedicated to helping kids and families lead healthier lives. Dr. Cotwright holds a PhD in Foods and Nutrition and Community Nutrition and MS in Foods and Nutrition both from the University of Georgia and a bachelor's degree in Biology from Howard University and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She lives in Athens, GA with her loving husband and adorable three daughters.  

Ralph welcomes newspaper publisher, Steve McNamara, to discuss the "San Quentin News," California's largest resident-run newspaper and the birthplace of the San Quentin News Forum— where incarcerated men and visiting police, attorneys, and judges share their perspectives on the criminal justice system. Then Peter Lurie, President of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) joins us to talk about CSPI's work advocating for a safer, healthier food system, as well as their newsletter "NutritionAction." Plus, Ralph questions why the US still hasn't ratified the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child— everyone else has done it!Steve McNamara is a newspaper publisher, editor, and reporter. He has previously written for and edited the Winston-Salem Journal, The Miami Herald, Car and Driver magazine, and the San Francisco Examiner. From 1966 to 2004 Steve and his wife, Kay McNamara, published the Pacific Sun—the country's second-oldest alternative weekly newspaper— and Steve has served as president of the California Society of Newspaper Editors and as founding president of the National Association of Alternative Media. In 2008 he helped revive the San Quentin News— a newspaper written and edited by incarcerated men at San Quentin Prison— and continues to work as a volunteer adviser at the paper. The recidivism rate among the inmates is zero… And actually, the problem that we have is the turnover is terrific because they keep getting paroled or serving their sentence. Steve McNamara, San Quentin NewsPrisons are little empires and the emperor is the warden, and what he decides goes. And many, if not most of the other wardens in California wanted no part of this damn newspaper. So we had a lot of trouble getting it distributed. But by now it's become very popular with the inmates throughout the state, and with many of the correctional officers as well. Because we've made some intelligent decisions. One was to write the personality profiles of some of the better correctional officers and of the programs that take place in the prison.Steve McNamara, San Quentin NewsMost people in the criminal justice system think that it goes this way: somebody breaks into a house, and then they get caught, and they go before a judge, and they get sentenced, and they disappear. And as far as many, many people in the criminal justice system are concerned, that's the end of it. These people have disappeared. We don't need to worry about them any more. But as everybody should know, 80-90% of them will be back on the streets…So do you want these guys to have the same sort of attitude about life as they did when they went into prison? If not, here's a chance maybe to move things in a better direction.Steve McNamara, San Quentin NewsI've credited the Center for Science in the Public Interest with transforming the nutritional habits of perhaps 40 million people. It generated front page news, it was on the evening television news, Congressional hearings. Recently, and this has happened to a lot of citizen groups, the media has not been covering what we're doing.Ralph NaderDr. Peter Lurie is President and Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest—an independent, science-based consumer advocacy organization that advocates for a safer, healthier food system. The CSPI also publishes NutritionAction, a healthy-living guide for consumers. Dr. Lurie previously worked with the Food and Drug Administration and Public Citizen's Health Research Group, where he co-authored their Worst Pills, Best Pills consumer guide to medications.We at CSPI try to educate consumers on the one hand. And on the other hand, we try to take care of the environment such that consumers in some ways don't even need to be as educated because the environment is different.Peter Lurie, President of Center for Science in the Public InterestI think that most people—including in all likelihood the Current Commissioner— understand that the food program within FDA has been the sort of “poor stepchild” of  the agency. People have focused more on drugs, they've focused more on medical devices, vaccines, even more recently on tobacco. And so food has been relatively neglected. And I think that we've at times paid the price for that.Peter Lurie, President of Center for Science in the Public InterestThere's no issue too trivial for the industry to show up in an obviously self-interested way and advocate on their own behalf.Peter Lurie, President of Center for Science in the Public InterestIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. Late last week, the National Labor Relations Board issued a decision in the Cemex Construction Materials case, establishing a “new framework” that “when a union requests recognition on the basis that a majority of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit have designated the union as their representative, an employer must either recognize and bargain with the union or promptly file a... petition seeking an election.” Crucially though, this ruling also establishes that “if an employer who seeks an election commits any unfair labor practice that would require setting aside the election, the petition will be dismissed, and—rather than re-running the election—the Board will order the employer to recognize and bargain with the union.” This stunning decision is among the most important revisions to labor rules in decades and will apply retroactively.2. On a hot streak, Bloomberg Law reports that the NLRB also decided last week that Quickway Transportation “must reopen a terminal in Louisville, [Kentucky], that the company illegally shut down in 2020 after drivers there formed a union.” This sets a powerful new precedent for recourse against companies that have used the tactic of shutting down locations in order to stave off unionization – most notably Starbucks.3. The American Prospect reports that in Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp has aggressively courted EV manufacturers using Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives. Yet, Governor Kemp has awarded these “lucrative contracts for building out the factories to non-union construction firms.” These firms also happen to be major donors to Georgia Republicans, including Kemp himself, who formerly owned a non-union construction company. 4. Mondoweiss has published a new report on the founding of the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism. This Institute “aims to support the delinking of the study of Zionism from Jewish Studies, and to reclaim academia and public discourse for the study of Zionism as a political, ideological, and racial and gendered knowledge project, intersecting with Palestine and decolonial studies, critical terrorism studies, settler colonial studies, and related scholarship and activism.”6. NBC News reports that a group of nearly 90 Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to President Biden last week calling on him to take further action to address the student debt crisis. These members ended the letter by writing “We urge you to continually find ways to use your authority to bring down student debt, address the rising cost of college, and make postsecondary education affordable for all students who choose that path. Borrowers have already waited nearly a year for the relief you announced in August 2022, and critics of your plan to help 43 million Americans are likely to renew their attacks with regard to your rulemaking announcement. We urge you to reject their bad-faith, partisan attempts to delay relief and carry out your efforts to help borrowers as quickly as possible.”7. According to the Baltimore Banner, Charm City may soon be facing its own version of the Cop City fight. Per the report, Baltimore officials are planning to construct a “tactical village” which will be used to train police. There are some differences between the projects however: whereas Atlanta's Cop City is slated to be built upon a razed section of forest, Baltimore's tactical village is proposed to be built on the campus of Coppin State University, a historically Black institution. Another key difference, while Cop City is estimated to cost $90 million, the tactical village is estimated at a whopping $330 million. The city has proposed a new “public safety income tax” to fund the project.8. The Washington Post has published a profile of Sarah Feinberg, an employee at the defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton who blew the whistle on rampant over-billing of the government by the company. In July, Booz Allen agreed to pay $377 million to settle the case. Perhaps the most shocking portion of her complaint was when “a senior manager…called federal auditors “too stupid” to notice overcharging.”9. WTOP reports the fast-casual chain Chipotle has agreed to pay over $300,000 in a settlement with the District of Columbia regarding the company's alleged violations of child labor law. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb's office identified more than 800 alleged violations in the District, including “requiring minors to work past 10 p.m., working more than eight hours a day, working more than six consecutive days, or working more than 48 hours in one workweek.” The settlement does not require Chipotle to admit wrongdoing.10. Finally, AP reports that, during an address to Jesuits in Lisbon,  Pope Francis “[said] ‘backward' U.S. conservatives have replaced faith with ideology.” So remember listeners, now when you say conservatives have replaced faith with ideology, you can cite the Pope.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently said that by law food makers are permitted to add sesame to their products. They also must identify sesame content in their foods on product packaging. Sesame is the seed of the sesamum or benne plant. It is used to make oil and the seeds themselves are often used on bread or baked goods. The seeds come in black and white colors. Sesame is used in many foods to add a nutty flavor or some crunch. But the American non-profit group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), says about 1.6 million people are allergic to the seeds. Someone who is allergic can get very sick after eating the seeds. People with the allergy usually learn to stay away from traditional foods that contain sesame.美国食品和药物管理局（FDA）最近表示，根据法律，食品制造商可以在其产品中添加芝麻。 他们还必须在产品包装上标明食品中的芝麻含量。芝麻是芝麻或芝麻植物的种子。 它用于制造油，种子本身通常用于面包或烘焙食品。 种子有黑色和白色。芝麻用于许多食品中以增加坚果味或松脆感。但美国非营利组织公共利益科学中心 (CSPI) 表示，约有 160 万人对这些种子过敏。 过敏的人吃了种子后可能会病得很重。 患有过敏症的人通常会学会远离含有芝麻的传统食物。The CSPI is protesting to the FDA about a law that went into effect in January. The Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act, known as FASTER, listed sesame as a major allergen requiring identification on packaging for the first time.↳ Some food companies made changes to their production centers in reaction to the new law. Some cut sesame use completely. Others, however, decided to add sesame to products that did not usually contain it. As long as they identified the sesame on the food packaging, they were obeying the law fully. The CSPI and other organizations argue that adding sesame to foods that did not contain it in the past limits food choices for allergic people.CSPI 就 1 月份生效的一项法律向 FDA 提出抗议。《食品过敏安全、治疗、教育和研究法案》（FASTER）首次将芝麻列为主要过敏原，需要在包装上进行标识。为了应对新法律，一些食品公司对其生产中心进行了调整。 有的完全切芝麻。 然而，其他人决定在通常不含芝麻的产品中添加芝麻。 只要他们识别出食品包装上有芝麻，就完全遵守了法律。CSPI 和其他组织认为，在过去不含芝麻的食物中添加芝麻限制了过敏人群的食物选择。Some food companies say it is too hard to prevent sesame from getting into some products, or it is too costly to change their production centers. It is easier to add sesame and identify it legally. Some restaurants are also adding sesame to their foods and noting it on menus or meal listings in order to meet the requirements of the food law. Robert Earl is a food safety advocate. He said the practice will put people with food allergies in danger of getting sick. “It puts our community at greater risk,” he said. Earl added that food companies and restaurants adding sesame to products reduces food choices.一些食品公司表示，很难阻止芝麻进入某些产品，或者改变生产中心的成本太高。 添加芝麻更容易合法识别。一些餐馆还在食物中添加芝麻，并在菜单或餐单上注明，以满足食品法的要求。罗伯特·厄尔 (Robert Earl) 是一位食品安全倡导者。 他说这种做法将使食物过敏的人面临生病的危险。 “这使我们的社区面临更大的风险，”他说。 厄尔补充说，食品公司和餐馆在产品中添加芝麻会减少食物的选择。Earl said his organization – Food Allergy Research and Education – has received a number of complaints from people who said they got sick by eating formerly “safe” products. Ruchi Gupta is a children's doctor at Northwestern University. She is director of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma research there. Gupta called the FDA's decision “disappointing,” and noted that the food company and restaurant changes are permitted by law. However, she said she hoped the FDA would have “come out in a way to try to discourage” putting sesame in unusual products. Robert Califf leads the Food and Drug Administration. In a message posted online in 2023, he wrote about companies adding sesame to their foods. He called it “a practice with an outcome we do not support.” He said it does not break any rule but that it “limits options for consumers who are allergic to sesame.”厄尔说，他的组织——食物过敏研究和教育——收到了许多人们的投诉，他们说他们因为吃了以前“安全”的产品而生病了。鲁奇·古普塔 (Ruchi Gupta) 是西北大学的儿童医生。 她是那里食物过敏和哮喘研究中心的主任。 古普塔称 FDA 的决定“令人失望”，并指出食品公司和餐厅的改变是法律允许的。 然而，她表示，她希望 FDA 能够“采取某种方式阻止”在不寻常的产品中添加芝麻。罗伯特·卡利夫 (Robert Califf) 领导食品和药物管理局。 在 2023 年在线发布的一条消息中，他写到了一些公司在食品中添加芝麻的情况。 他称其为“我们不支持这种做法的结果”。 他表示，这并没有违反任何规则，但它“限制了对芝麻过敏的消费者的选择”。He also noted that consumers should “check the label every time you buy a food product – even if you have eaten it before and didn't have an allergic reaction.” The F.D.A. also said companies cannot use language like “may contain sesame” if the product does not contain it. Peter Lurie heads the CSPI. He said he hoped the FDA's recent statements would send a message to food companies. He said “it's on the companies to act responsibly,” if the FDA is not going to force them to make changes.他还指出，消费者应该“每次购买食品时检查标签——即使你以前吃过它并且没有过敏反应。”FDA 还表示，如果产品不含芝麻，公司就不能使用“可能含有芝麻”之类的语言。Peter Lurie 是 CSPI 的负责人。 他说，他希望 FDA 最近的声明能够向食品公司传达一个信息。 他说，如果 FDA 不强迫他们做出改变，“公司就有责任采取负责任的行动”。

Rob Henderson joins me to discuss Season 1 of Yellowstone. I had only heard about the show when I saw a controversy blow up on Twitter where Matt Walsh was attacking boomers for liking it while denouncing the series as woke propaganda.Rob uses a phrase that I love to describe the series: “profoundly unsophisticated.” Every character tells you exactly what they're thinking or what they're planning at each moment. You get wild coincidences and strange chance encounters that add shootouts, horse chases, and action scenes to the show without having much basis in the plot. The politics are just as unsophisticated as the plot and character development, being based in a primitive kind of NIMBY fundamentalism and anti-rich animus, with a progressive but not exactly woke worldview on social issues.All of that being said, Rob and I are going to keep watching. As smart guys, we like sophisticated shows, but it can also be fun to turn your brain off for an hour and enjoy shootouts and the Montana landscape. And, I suspect, deep down, we feel joy at the thought of continuing to snigger at boomers and what they consider sophisticated entertainment as we imagine observing a show like this through their eyes. Ok, maybe not Rob, but that's definitely what's going to keep me watching. We laughed a lot during this one. I think you'll enjoy it, even if you haven't seen the show. Listen here or watch on YouTube. Note that on YouTube, the Narrative Control podcasts are no longer on the CSPI channel. You can keep up with new episodes at the Richard Hanania channel, which has everything connected to this newsletter. Get full access to Richard Hanania's Newsletter at www.richardhanania.com/subscribe

Grant Houselog, PharmD, CSPI, the assistant director of the Iowa Poison Control Center talks to host Chris Stallman, CGC, about the most common, as well as the rarest, questions his staff gets. From hand sanitizer to garfish, episode 59 touches on quite the range of exposure topics! 

Ens. Briana Biagas discusses her time in the Coast Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative program. Biagas is a Port State Control Examiner at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. U.S. Coast Guard video by PA2 Ryan Tippets. Also available in high definition.

Robin Hanson joins the podcast to talk about the AI debate. He explains his reasons for being skeptical about “foom,” or the idea that there will emerge a sudden superintelligence that will be able to improve itself quickly and potentially destroy humanity in the service of its goals. Among his arguments are:* We should start with a very low prior about something like this happening, given the history of the world. We already have “superintelligences” in the form of firms, for example, and they only improve slowly and incrementally * There are different levels of abstraction with regards to intelligence and knowledge. A machine that can reason very fast may not have the specific knowledge necessary to know how to do important things.* We may be erring in thinking of intelligence as a general quality, rather than as more domain-specific.Hanania presents various arguments made by AI doomers, and Hanson responds to each in kind, eventually giving a less than 1% chance that something like the scenario imagined by Eliezer Yudkowsky and others will come to pass. He also discusses why he thinks it is a waste of time to worry about the control problem before we know what any supposed superintelligence will even look like. The conversation includes a discussion about why so many smart people seem drawn to AI doomerism, and why you shouldn't worry all that much about the principal-agent problem in this area.Listen in podcast form or watch on YouTube. You can also read a transcript of the conversation here.Links:* The Hanson-Yudkowsky AI-Foom Debate* Previous Hanson appearance on CSPI podcast, audio and transcript* Eric Drexler, Engines of Creation* Eric Drexler, Nanosystems* Robin Hanson, “Explain the Sacred”* Robin Hanson, “We See the Sacred from Afar, to See It the Same.”* Articles by Robin on AI alignment:* “Prefer Law to Values” (October 10, 2009)* “The Betterness Explosion” (June 21, 2011)* “Foom Debate, Again” (February 8, 2013)* “How Lumpy AI Services?” (February 14, 2019)* “Agency Failure AI Apocalypse?” (April 10, 2019)* “Foom Update” (May 6, 2022)* “Why Not Wait?” (June 30, 2022) Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Rob Henderson joins me to talk about Deadwood. Our conversation covers all of Season 1, and Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2.I enjoyed discussing what makes Al Swearengen an anti-hero and whether he or Bullock is the main character of the show. The golden age of TV was really the golden age of anti-heroes, each show centering around a charismatic figure, and both Rob and I agree that Deadwood is among the best from the era that we've seen. Having recently read Henrich and interviewed him on the CSPI podcast, I've been conceiving of the Old West, despite its reputation for chaos and dysfunction, as demonstrating how deeply embedded WEIRD morality was in nineteenth century America. Here were communities coming together and forming under what were basically anarchic conditions, often threatened by Indians. Nonetheless, out of nothing, and with no laws to rely on, Americans of the Old West built houses, communities, churches, saloons, and much else of what we consider hallmarks of a modern society. They created rudimentary political institutions that were relatively well-functioning and non-exploitative, before being incorporated into the US. This isn't something that should be taken for granted. Rob points out something I'd missed, which is that thus far the pimps in the show are arguably monogamous, or monogam-ish. I push back a little bit on the point, but if Rob is right, it fits into WEIRD morality, although maybe we're reading too much into this, even if it's true. One of the things that makes this show unique is its willingness to portray its main characters committing violence against women. Even anti-heroes like Tony Soprano and Don Draper tend not to do that. But Deadwood doesn't flinch from showing what relations between the sexes were like in the distant past. Other topics we discuss include:* How the show addresses race, and why racist characters always tend to be the dumb ones.* The show's portrayal of euthanasia, and how it backs up what I said in my article on people's moral intuitions regarding when to end human suffering. * Mancur Olson's idea of the Stationary Bandit and how it explains the behavior of characters in the show.* The attitude taken towards religion and its relationship with science as a Bush-era relic.You can listen here or watch the video on YouTube. Get full access to Richard Hanania's Newsletter at www.richardhanania.com/subscribe

If there were royalty in the food world, Michael Jacobson would be a king. Or at least a duke. As the co-founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest––CSPI––he notched so many wins in protecting consumers that he made advocacy look easy. After more than 40 years at the helm of the CSPI, he is onto his next quest; creating a National Food Museum. We'd be wrong to bet against his success.Photo courtesy of Michael Jacobson.Let's Talk About Food is Powered by Simplecast.

Did you know that many food additives allowed in the U.S. have been banned in the EU?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Thomas Galligan, Ph.D., Principal Scientist for Food Additives and Supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Galligan explains that more than 1800 brand name food products contain titanium dioxide, yet in 2021, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the cosmetic additive is no longer safe in foods.  Galligan describes CSPI's “Chemical Cuisine Guide,” which ranks food additives from “safe” to “avoid.”Related website:  https://www.cspinet.org/page/chemical-cuisine-ratings 

Garett Jones is a Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He joins the podcast to talk about his new book, The Culture Transplant. Richard asks whether IQ is superior to other measures used to predict prosperity, and the relationship between Garett's new book and Hive Mind. He also presses the author on whether there is a selection effect in data showing that people preserve the traits of their original culture over time. The conversation then gets into issues of causal inference, namely whether we should focus more on American history or cross-national trends to inform our understanding of US policy. Richard suggests that while immigration might in some contexts lead to larger government, in the US it is arguably the case that diversity has been a hindrance to the expansion of the welfare state. And how important is trust, actually? It correlates with a lot of good things, but how much is that relationship simply driven by observations from Scandinavia? Garett makes the case for trust having an important causal role. This leads to a discussion of whether trust is simply a proxy for trustworthiness, and whether the latter trait is more important. Garett also explains why Chinese migration could be a key force in lifting the third world out of poverty. Near the end, he discusses what he thinks America would look like after his preferred immigration policy, and what he's working on next.Listen to the podcast here or watch on YouTube. Links:* Garett Jones on the Institutionalized podcast* Previous Jones appearance on the CSPI podcast* Alex Nowrasteh, critiques of The Culture Transplant, Part 1 and Part 2* Bryan Caplan review Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Rob Henderson recently received his PhD in psychology at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. Zach Goldberg is a former research fellow at CSPI and currently affiliated with the Manhattan Institute. They both join the podcast to talk about Rob's idea of “luxury beliefs” and Zach's new paper testing the theory in the context of attitudes towards criminal justice policy. Richard wonders about the extent to which one can say any individual actually suffers the consequences of their political beliefs, since the views of one person rarely change a policy outcome.Later on in the conversation, Richard asks whether the luxury beliefs idea absolves inner city communities of their own shortcomings and serves as a way to put the blame on mostly white elites. Zach and Rob point to polls showing that blacks are more supportive than white liberals of spending money on police, which leads to a discussion of whether we can interpret such data in a different way and would be better served by putting more stock in factors such as how much communities cooperate with law enforcement, how they vote, and the kinds of politicians they support. The host and two guests also debate the extent to which liberal elites have actually pushed harmful ideas onto the masses, and if influential figures could change attitudes and behavior if they actually tried.Listen in podcast form or watch on YouTube.Links:* Zach Goldberg, “Is Defunding the Police a ‘Luxury Belief'? Analyzing White Vs. Non-White Democrats' Attitudes on Policing.”* Rob Henderson, “‘Luxury beliefs' are the latest status symbol for rich Americans.”* Rob Henderson, “Thorstein Veblen's Theory of the Leisure Class—A Status Update.” Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Eric Kaufmann is a distinguished researcher and a fellow at CSPI. He joins the podcast to talk about his latest CSPI report, “Diverse and Divided: A Political Demography of American Elite Students.” The data indicates that we can expect a future in which elites continue to be heavily divided by race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. Richard and Eric discuss what this means for our politics, how conservatives should address identity issues, and what one should be looking for when choosing a university.Listen in podcast form or watch on YouTube.Links:* Eric Kaufmann, “Diverse and Divided: A Political Demography of American Elite Students.”* Eric Kaufmann, “Born This Way? The Rise of LGBT as a Social and Political Identity.”* Eric Kaufmann, “Head to Red States for Political Diversity on Campus.”* Eric Kaufmann, “Polarization Is About to Get a Lot Worse: Students Are Even More Divided Than We Are.” Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

Tyler Cowen needs no introduction. He joins the podcast to talk about his new book, co-authored with Daniel Gross, called Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World. Richard asks him about whether intelligence is overrated or underrated, the idea of “State Capacity Libertarianism” as an improvement over old-fashioned libertarianism, cultural differences between China and India, how optimistic to be about the future of the United States, different kinds of courage, free speech, and whether the world has too much or too little wokeness. The conversation also covers the feminization of intellectual life, with Tyler being optimistic that we will get better over time at navigating gender-integrated institutions.Richard closes by asking Tyler about how he sees his own role as a public figure. They discuss the Emergent Ventures grant interview for CSPI, and the benefits of asking an interviewee about their own ambition.A lightly edited transcript of the conversation is available here. Listen in podcast form or watch the episode on YouTube.Links:Tyler Cowen and Daniel Gross, Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World.CEO Study from Sweden.Econ Talk episode where Tyler and Russ Roberts discuss Germany.Tyler on State Capacity Libertarianism.Tyler Cowen, “Why Wokism will Rule the World.”Eric Kaufmann. “Born This Way? The Rise of LGBT as a Social and Political Identity.”Tyler Cowen, “My Personal Moonshot.” Get full access to Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology at www.cspicenter.com/subscribe

This week, the Alaska special election, vabbing, Liz Cheney's political afterlife, and a special guest apperance by CSPI's Richard Hanania -- who is here to recruit great forecasters for a tournament with a $25,000 prize.

Think of the last impulse purchase you made when you were in the checkout aisle at the grocery store. Was it a bottle of soda? A bag of chips?As it turns out, food and beverage manufacturers pay retailers millions of dollars to dictate where their products are placed in the store -- influencing the way shoppers interact with food offerings in the busiest aisles. These practices are incredibly effective at getting shoppers to make impulse buys, which tend to be unhealthy.As rates of obesity and diet-related disease continue to rise around the world, Bloomberg Philanthropies is supporting policy efforts that encourage healthier diets including efforts to raise public awareness of unhealthy food and beverage marketing. One example was the city of Berkeley, California's ban on the sale of junk food and candy in checkout aisles - a first of its kind policy in the U.S.In this episode, Kristine Momanyi of the Bloomberg Philanthropies public health team sits down with Sara John, the Senior Policy Director at CSPI - the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Ingrid de Santiago, the Program Coordinator at Bay Area Community Resources, and Anjelika Khadka, a youth advocate taking a stand for healthier food environments in her community. They discuss the deceptive marketing practices food and beverage manufacturers employ to sway shoppers' decisions in grocery stores and CSPI's request to the Federal Trade Commission to bring these practices to light. Ingrid and Anjelika also tell us more about the Bay Area's initial reception to the healthy checkout ordinance and learnings from advocating for local healthy food policies.

Eric Kaufmann is Professor of Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London, a CSPI research fellow, and the author of several books, including Whiteshift: Populism, Immigration and the Future of White Majorities. He returns to the podcast to discuss his new report for CPSI, Born This Way? The Rise of LGBT as a Social and Political Identity. He and Richard talk about the factors underlying recent increases in LGBT identification and same-sex sexual behavior, the connection between being very liberal, LGBT, and having mental health issues, and the influence of modernism on left-wing ideology and right-wing political movements. They conclude the conversation by discussing whether concerns about teaching sexuality and CRT in K-12 schools should take precedence over free speech issues on university campuses and debates over history and national identity. Eric Kaufmann, “Born This Way? The Rise of LGBT as a Social and Political Identity.” Tweet thread. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

For 50 years, the Maryland Poison Center (MPC) has provided worried parents, families, and individuals with expert medical advice on treatment, prevention, and education. Housed at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP), MPC is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers as a regional poison center. Bruce Anderson, PharmD, DABAT, professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, UMSOP, and executive director, MPC, and Angel Bivens MBA, CSPI, assistant director, operations and public education, MPC, join “The UMB Pulse” to talk about what kinds of guidance the center provides to the public (0:16) and medical providers (3:04), celebrating 50 years (8:02), and social media challenge disasters (18:54), as well as to answer what's really on our minds: Is Mr. Yuk still a thing? (15:12). Listener discretion is advised.

Bryan Caplan is a professor of economics at George Mason University, a visiting senior scholar at the University of Texas at Austin, and the author of several books, including The Myth of the Rational Voter and The Case Against Education. He returns to the podcast to talk about his two new collections of essays released as books, Labor Econ Versus the World: Essays on the World's Greatest Market and How Evil Are Politicians?: Essays on Demagoguery. The conversation centers around how much Richard and Bryan have in common when it comes to how they think through social and political issues, with a focus on Social Desirability Bias as a major hindrance to engaging in moral reasoning and discovering truth. Topics include: How little effort most people put towards developing their most cherished political views Why most politicians should be considered bad people Why the first world poor can be considered morally blameworthy, particularly compared to those who live in developing countries The demagoguery of feel-good policy ideas like raising the minimum wage Bryan gives a teaser of his next collection of essays that will be released under the title Don't Be a Feminist: Essays on Genuine Justice, discussing why, as the title suggests, he hopes his daughter does not become a feminist and turn against him. The conversation concludes with reflections on how podcasting and Substack have disrupted legacy media, and why that's good for independent writers and journalists.  Bryan Caplan, “The Ideologues of GMU.” Bryan Caplan, “Labor Econ Versus the World: Essays on the World's Greatest Market.” Bryan Caplan, “How Evil Are Politicians?: Essays on Demagoguery.”  Bryan Caplan's Substack Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Eron Wolf is the founder of Yahoo! Games, a WhatsApp seed investor, and the founder and CEO of FUTO, an Austin-based organization dedicated to developing technologies to fight the centralization and consolidation of the tech industry. He and Richard talk about the business model of Big Tech and how machine learning and algorithms can shape human behavior. Eron discusses his plans for FUTO, and how he hopes it will remake the internet. FUTO is hosting a Fellowship program in Austin this summer for programmers, which offers $20,000, housing, incubator space, mentorship, and networking events for those selected. FUTO.org FUTO Fellows Program  @FUTO_Tech on Twitter Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Jordan Lasker is a PhD student at Texas Tech University and a bioinformatician. He joins the podcast to discuss his recent report for CSPI, “About Those Baby Brainwaves: Why ‘Policy Relevant' Social Science is Mostly a Fraud.” The report critically examined a recent study claiming small cash transfers to the parents of newborns improved their babies' brain activity. The study was lauded in the media and by D.C. policymakers, who argued its results supported redistributive policies, most notably the child tax credit. Jordan demonstrated that the study in question wildly overstated its claims, was methodologically suspect, and that its authors engaged in numerous bad research practices. Social science, he argues, is not a sound basis for policymaking given academia's warped incentives. He and Richard talk about why physiological measures like EEGs are taken much more seriously than psychometrics like IQ tests, whether “rich brains” and “poor brains” exist, if the Flynn effect means we're getting smarter, and the politicization of academia and science more generally. The two agree that the priors of the average researcher or policymaker are way off base: dozens of studies have found cash transfers and even adoption to high SES families have minimal effects on IQ or income. Given that, why would we expect $333/month to move the needle? They conclude by considering whether society is better off with leaders who “trust the science” or those who are openly anti-intellectual, given broken incentive structures and political bias within the policy relevant literature.  Jordan Lasker, “About Those Baby Brainwaves: Why ‘Policy Relevant' Social Science is Mostly a Fraud.”  Troller-Renfree et al. (Baby Brainwaves Study), “The Impact of a Poverty Reduction Intervention on Infant Brain Activity.”  Richard Feynman, “Cargo Cult Science.”  Kirkegaard et al., “Nerve Conduction Velocity and Cognitive Ability: A Large Sample Study.”  “Flynn Effect.”  Wongupparaj et al., “The Flynn Effect for Verbal and Visuospatial Short-Term and Working Memory: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis.”  Odenstad et al., “Does Age at Adoption and Geographic Origin Matter? A National Cohort Study of Cognitive Test Performance in Adult Inter-Country Adoptees.” Tobias Hübinette, “The Adopted Koreans of Sweden and the Korean Adoption Issue.” Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Paul Hinckley, PharmD, CSPI, makes his second appearance on the podcast, sharing his most recent rental portfolio growth and best practices for success in partnerships for long-term rental investments. Key Points From This Episode An introduction to Paul Hinckley and his professional background. The motivation behind Paul's decision to scale his real estate portfolio. How Paul was able to find the real estate investment property he recently purchased. The importance of being patient when purchasing a property. Paul's strategy for funding real estate purchases. Why Paul chose to deviate to a triplex real estate. Benefits from investing continually in one area. What Paul's pet policy is and how this fills a gap in the market. Methods to ensure that inherited tenants will not become a problem. Details about Paul's current partnership in real estate investing. Peace of mind that comes with working with a partner. The agreements to be put in place when working with family and friends. The approach that Paul has taken to handle future problems. Experience Paul has with single-family home purchases and renovations. A brief highlight of the rental market in Paul's investment area. Future real estate investment plans that Paul has. Advice that Paul has for people looking at forming a partnership. Links Mentioned on Today's Episode YFP Real Estate Investing 16: Starting with Single Family Rentals MLS Multiple Listing Service BiggerPockets YFP Real Estate Investing Join the YFP Real Estate Investing Facebook Group Your Financial Pharmacist Disclaimer and Disclosures

Philippe Lemoine returns to the CSPI Podcast to discuss his prediction for the 2022 French Presidential election. This episode was recorded on April 22nd, two days before Macron's victory on April 24th, because Philippe was so confident in his forecast that he didn't think it was necessary to wait until after the election to discuss the results.  He and Richard talk about the differences between French and American politics, right-wing ideology in France, class and age as predictors of voting for conservative candidates, and why Éric Zemmour's campaign failed. They also discuss how best to think about the behavior of low information voters, why the far right doesn't win French presidential elections despite strong anti-immigration sentiment among the public, and how people who criticize the Islamic veil are actually being PC. Philippe explains why Le Pen staying in politics means the Right can never win the French presidency, and the two conclude by discussing what to expect from Macron over the next five years. A transcript of some of the best parts of the conversation is available here. Philippe Lemoine, “Will Zemmour Bring a Right-Wing Revolution in France?”  Eric Zemmour, “Le Premier Sexe.”  Simone de Beauvoir, “The Second Sex.”  Sam Wang, “Why I Had to Eat a Bug on CNN.”  Philippe's tweets predicting the election: https://twitter.com/phl43/status/1510606408047333388?s=21&t=b178Uzlay32RYFTalQnVUg https://twitter.com/phl43/status/1511798012045103108 https://twitter.com/phl43/status/1512550945309306885?s=21&t=GsfmAceOj5Sg2xuayZIWog Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Gail Heriot is a Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law and a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She joins the podcast to explain the connections between civil rights law and wokeness, how disparate impact criminalizes everything and leads to arbitrary government power, and the real-world consequences of these laws in corporate and university settings. She and Richard also discuss why Republicans are afraid to push back against civil rights law, the current Critical Race Theory controversy as a sign things are changing, and the importance of politicians being pressured by their base. Finally, Gail gives practical advice on what the most important components of an anti-woke agenda would look like, and how she'd like to see politicians treat these issues going forward.  A full transcript of the conversation is available here.  Gail Heriot, “The Roots of Wokeness: Title VII Damage Remedies as Potential Drivers of Attitudes Toward Identity Politics and Free Expression.” Gail Heriot, “Title VII Disparate Impact Liability Makes Almost Everything Presumptively Illegal.” Gail Heriot, “The Department of Education's Obama-Era Initiative on Racial Disparities in School Discipline: Wrong For Students and Teachers, Wrong on the Law.” Richard Hanania, “Woke Institutions is Just Civil Rights Law.” Eugene Volokh, “Harassment Law and Free Speech Doctrine.” Myart v. Ill. Fair Employment Com.   Griggs v. Duke Power Co. Grutter v. Bollinger Gratz v. Bollinger Bostock v. Clayton County Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Noah Carl is an independent researcher, writer, and free speech advocate. He invited Richard on his new podcast (which you can find at Noah's Substack) to discuss whether the West is to blame for the conflict in Ukraine. We're re-releasing that episode, which originally came out on March 1st. Although much has happened since then, the topics discussed in the conversation remain relevant for understanding the current war and how we got here. Noah and Richard talk about moralism and paranoia in American foreign policy, the multicausal nature of war, and whether the US is a consistent defender of democracy and human rights globally. They also discuss whether Ukraine could grow economically without integration into the EU, utilitarianism in international relations, what the West should do if Russia won't negotiate, and why war is almost always a terrible idea. Noah Carl's Substack. Richard Hanania, “Americans Hate Each Other, but We Aren't Headed for a Civil War.”  Richard Hanania, “Lessons from Forecasting the Ukraine War.”  John Mueller, “The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency.”  CSPI Podcast with John Mueller, “War as a Product of Human Stupidity”  Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Happy Poison Prevention Week!  National Poison Prevention Week is March 20-26, 2022.

On Episode 29 Matt is joined by 2nd Year Psychology Student Quinn Bisson to interview King's University Social Work Professor Dr. Rick Csiernik. Quinn has been working with the homeless population and his interests in mental health and addiction have led him to develop a focus on Social Work. Coupled with the experience of taking a class from Dr. Rick, his focus is now on transitioning into the BSW program. With that in mind, Quinn and Matt decided to do an episode on the different degrees in Social Work and what type of opportunities lie within the field. Dr. Rick shares his insight and his experience in academia, addictions, mental health, workplace wellness and how to stay healthy in the Social Work field. On this episode we cover: The variety of career options in the social work fieldOverview and differences between BSW vs. MSW vs. PhD programs in Social Work3 basic reasons why people become social workersAdvice for those who want to gain more social work experience before the BSW, MSW applicationWhat to do after you get your BSW or MSW Why the MSW is now seen as the standard education in the fieldWorking within the addiction field from a social work lensWhy he sends his students to AA meetingsHow accessibility impacts social and psychological change4 factors that lead to client success in therapyTips for managing, mitigating and treating burnout and vicarious traumaEAP programs- the good, the bad and the uglyThe importance of an ‘ego file'Words of wisdom for anyone interested in becoming a social workerRick Csiernik is a Professor at King's College, University of Western Ontario. He is an author and international speaker and has authored and edited several popular CSPI titles: Wellness and Work (2005); Responding to the Oppression of Addiction (co-edited with William S. Rowe, 2010); Substance Use and Abuse (2011); and Homelessness, Housing, and Mental Health (co-edited with Cheryl Forchuk and Elsabeth Jensen, 2011). More recently he has authored books on Substance Use and Misuse (2021) Teaching Social Work (2020) and A Counsellor's Guide to Psychoactive Drugs (2014). The author of more than 75 journal articles, his research interests include employee assistance programming and workplace wellness, addiction, social work and spirituality, and program evaluation. Included on the King's University College Honour Roll of teaching fourteen consecutive times, he is a past recipient of the McMaster University Instructor Appreciation Award. To connect with Dr. Rick you can reach him at rcsierni@uwo.ca or on LinkedIn and you can see a full list of his books Here. If you like the show- let us know, subscribe, give us a rating and check us out on INSTAGRAM

Steve Hsu is a Professor of Theoretical Physics and Professor of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. He returns to the CSPI Podcast for a wide-ranging discussion of various personal, political, and technical topics, including his attempted cancelation from Michigan State, thoughts on Russia-Ukraine, affirmative action, macroeconomics, and why top physics talents prefer theoretical over practical pursuits (If you haven't seen Steve's first appearance on the podcast, click here to watch or listen).  The conversation begins with Steve explaining what it was like growing up one of the few Asian kids in a predominantly white town and reflecting on the nature of assimilation. He and Richard continue their discussion of the Russia-Ukraine war and European geopolitics before moving on to affirmative action and civil rights law. They talk about the Harvard Asian case, the highly subjective nature of legal decisions, and whether employment markets are rational enough for the college degree to lose value if universities scrap standardized tests. Next, Steve tells Richard about his attempted cancelation from Michigan State, where he was pressured to step down from his role as Vice President of Research after a leftist student group attacked him on Twitter over his blog posts and podcasts. They talk about the intrusion of activists into academia, and how this has negatively impacted the STEM fields and social sciences. This leads to a discussion of whether economics is a more valuable and rigorous social science than the others, and whether micro and macroeconomics are comparable or reconcilable. In the last part of the podcast, Steve and Richard talk about what traits and dispositions lead some people to go against the crowd and resist conformity, and why the path to scientific and technological innovation is laden with disbelief and ridicule from peers. Using the examples of Jeff Bezos and Richard Feynman, Steve explains how those with exceptionally high IQs are often able to effortlessly solve problems and optimize systems with little to no background or technical knowledge. They conclude by considering the possibility that policy should be oriented towards recognizing and rewarding the few geniuses and innovators whose work leads to disproportionate social and material gains. A transcript of the full conversation is available here:  https://richardhanania.substack.com/p/assimilation-football-affirmative?s=r    Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org. CSPI Podcast, “The Future of Humanity is IVF Babies and Chinese Domination | Steve Hsu & Richard Hanania.” Richard Hanania, “Lessons from Forecasting the Ukraine War.”  Adam Tooze, “Putin's Challenge to Western Hegemony.” Rob Lee. “Moscow's Compellence Strategy.” Anatoly Karlin. “Regathering of the Russian Lands.”  Steve Hsu, “Joe Cesario on Police Decision Making and Racial Bias in Deadly Force Decisions (Manifold Episode #11).” Steve Hsu, “ManifoldOne Podcast Episode#3: Richard Hanania on Wokeness, Public Choice Theory, & Geostrategy.” Steve Hsu, "Manifold Podcast #6: Richard Sander on Affirmative Action, Mismatch Theory, and Academic Freedom.”  Alan Sokal, “Sokal Hoax.” Wikipedia, “Grievance Studies Affair (Sokal Squared).” Eric Kaufmann, “Academic Freedom in Crisis: Punishment, Political Discrimination, and Self-Censorship.” Steve Hsu, “Bezos Quotes.” 

Thursday March 3, 2022 MacKenzie Scott Donates $15 Million to CSPI

Thursday March 3, 2022 MacKenzie Scott Donates $15 Million to CSPI

Jimmy Soni is a biographer and speechwriter. He joins the podcast to talk about his new book, “The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley,” which explores the early days, history, and legacy of PayPal. It also outlines the unique qualities, business savvy, and technological vision that led to the founders' success at PayPal and elsewhere. Jimmy and Richard discuss the value of “founders,” the cultural impact of Elon Musk, and why so much high-level talent was concentrated at the University of Illinois in the ‘90s. They consider the role of productive tribalism and Peter Thiel's memetic philosophy in shaping tech culture, and reflect on how the tension between vision and practicality is central to American dynamism and innovation. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org. Jimmy Soni, “The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley.” 

Stephen Hsu is a Professor of Theoretical Physics and Professor of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. He is also a serial entrepreneur and has published on genomics, in addition to blogging on a wide range of topics from econometrics and geopolitics to mixed martial arts. Hsu joins the Podcast, where he and Richard begin by talking about the Russia-Ukraine crisis and American military power relative to that of China and Russia. What would a Chinese attempt to conquer Taiwan look like, and what would the US be able to do in response? This is followed by a long discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese system and its differences with the democratic capitalist model, including the former's high level of reliance on standardized tests and institutions designed to evaluate and promote government officials. The conversation closes on the topics of genomics and embryo selection, including the state of the technology, its current uses, and cross-national differences in attitudes and regulations. A full transcript of the conversation is available here. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org. Ezra Voegel, “Japan as Number One.” John Dower, “War Without Mercy." Dan Wang, ”2021 Letter.” Dan Bell, “The China Model.” Richard McGregor, “The Party.” "DNA Dreams" (documentary film). Richard Hanania, “The Inevitable Rise of China.” Richard Hanania, “Fertility as the Final Boss in Chinese Development, and Richard Hanania Prediction Markets.” Steve Hsu, “Sustainability of China Economic Growth.” Steve Hsu, “Les Grandes Ecoles Chinoises.” Francesco C. Billari, Hans-Peter Kohler, Gunnar Andersson and Hans Lundström, “Approaching the Limit: Long-Term Trends in Late and Very Late Fertility.”  p. 163. (On Swedish Fertility, Extreme Births) Steve's Podcast, “Manifold.”

Alec Stapp is co-CEO of the Institute for Progress, a new think tank that focuses on accelerating scientific, technological, and industrial progress. He joins Richard to talk about why he started his think tank and what policymaking looks like in DC behind the scenes. They also discuss the idea of Secret Congress, the backgrounds of DC staffers, meta-science, biosecurity and immigration as policy issues, and the pros and cons of state capacity. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org. Alec Stapp and Caleb Watney, “Progress Is a Policy Choice.”

Freddie deBoer joins the podcast to talk about his book “The Cult of Smart,” which argues that many problems in the education system and American society are due to the failure to grapple with the fixed nature of individual differences in intelligence. He and Richard discuss the effectiveness of charter schools vs. public schools, how the economic value of traits changes over time, if American despair is a spiritual or economic issue, and whether college degrees have peaked in value. They also explore their differences over economic philosophy, which includes a discussion of why Freddie calls himself a Marxist, different kinds of Marxism, and how his philosophical outlook relates to his views on genetics and intelligence. Despite Richard being a capitalist, they find much common ground on policy specifics, including the need for less education and the acceptance of billionaires, markets and inequality. They also debate what Freddie's ideas about individual differences in intelligence imply – and don't imply – about differences between groups. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org. Freddie deBoer, “The Cult of Smart: How Our Broken Education System Perpetuates Social Injustice." Seth Ackerman's Substack. Peter Frase, "Four Futures: Life After Capitalism."  Robert Brenner, "The Economics of Global Turbulence." Freddie deBoer's Substack. 

Did you know that food labels can mislead us into thinking processed and packaged foods and beverages are healthier than they might appear? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and registered dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Eva Greenthal, MS, MPH, Senior Science Policy Associate at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Greenthal discusses the Food Labeling Modernization Act and the food labeling confusion and loopholes it attempts to correct. Greenthal and Hemmelgarn expose misleading “natural” labels, and discuss potentially harmful ingredients, including phosphorus, caffeine, gluten, food dyes, sugar and more. Related website:  CSPI food labeling webinar: https://cspinet.org/resource/2021-flma-webinar-recording 

Jonah Davids is CSPI's director of communications. He joins Richard to talk about his essay on leaving academia, how social science is mostly storytelling, and what CSPI accomplished in 2021. They also discuss why reaching out to people is underrated, the recent study on racial discrimination in emailing, reasons to stay in or leave academia, the effectiveness of advertising, why CSPI has been successful so far, and wokeness as stupid vs. evil in the aftermath of the IDW. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org. Jonah Davids, “The Overwhelming Underwhelmingness of Academia: Three Reasons to Leave.”  Ray Block Jr., Charles Crabtree, John B. Holbein, J. Quin Monson, “Are Americans less likely to reply to emails from Black people relative to White people?”  Hugo Mercier, “Not Born Yesterday: The Science of Who We Trust and What We Believe.”  CSPI, “CSPI 2021: The Year in Review.”

Charles Fain Lehman is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor of City Journal. Gabriel Rossman is a sociologist at UCLA. They join Richard to debate the relationship between woke institutions, civil rights law, and corporate culture. Each has written a recent article on this topic: Richard's “Woke Institutions is Just Civil Rights Law,” Charles' “The Geneology of Woke Capital,” and Gabriel's “Why Woke Organizations All Sound the Same.” They also discuss the history of affirmative action, successes and failures of the conservative legal movement, the connection between the civil rights policies of the Reagan administration and pop culture, status quo bias and negative polarization, and whether Americans still believe in meritocracy. Click here to watch the video version of the podcast on YouTube. Richard Hanania, “Woke Institutions is Just Civil Rights Law.”  Charles Fain Lehman, “The Geneology of Woke Capital.”  Gabriel Rossman, “Why Woke Organizations All Sound the Same.” John W. Meyer and Brian Rowan, “Institutionalized Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony.” Frank Dobbin and John R. Sutton, "The Strength of a Weak State: The Rights Revolution and the Rise of Human Resources Management Divisions.”  Wikipedia, “Grutter v. Bolinger.”  Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

Last month, former New York Times columnist and current Substacker Bari Weiss took to Twitter to announce “a new university dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth”: the University of Austin (UATX). Not to be confused with the University of Texas at Austin, UATX is thus far only a university concept–a pitch for a “new” kind of higher education institution–but the details are murky, it is not accredited, and by its own website's admission, there are no concrete plans for undergraduate degrees until 2024 at the earliest. More than anything, this “University” appears to be an ideological project of social media and op-ed columns, in which its conservative culture warrior backers rail vaguely and haphazardly at existing universities for various tangled, often contradictory sins. Even more oddly, they are proposing a fairly standard liberal arts education, with few obvious “fixes” to traditional models beyond a vague insinuation that their discourses will be “freer” and their students will not be “coddled.”On today's show, Alex and Calvin are joined for the first time by co-producer Mike Laudenbach. Together we unpack two key texts from the University of Austin's public announcement: “We Can't Wait for Universities to Fix Themselves. So We're Starting a New One.” by Pano Kanelos (a UATX founding trustee) and “I'm Helping to Start a New College Because Higher Ed Is Broken” by Niall Ferguson (another trustee and a legendary cheerleader for the British and American empires). As is typical of our re:joinder episodes, we have lots of laughs taking apart these articles' unsupported, illogical, and downright bizarre claims about the industry we all know so well: academia. But we also do our best to earnestly and fairly engage with key questions that these writers raise (but don't really address), such as:To what extent is higher ed broken, how is it broken, and–perhaps most importantly–who or what broke it? Are there social and intellectual taboos within universities, and if so, which ones bear most significantly on academics' lives and livelihoods? What is the current state of free speech on campuses, and how does it fit into a historical context dating back to the red scares of the Cold War, student protest movements that began in the 1960s and ‘70s, and political correctness debates of the ‘80s-90's? Along the way, we draw on our experiences and knowledge as students, researchers, and faculty, and we propose an innovative institution of our own: re:verb University (RVU). GO VERBIES! Stay tuned, as applications for our august academy will open soon–once we succeed in getting cancelled for truth.Texts Analyzed in this EpisodeFerguson, N. (2021, Nov. 8). I'm Helping to Start a New College Because Higher Ed Is Broken. Bloomberg.Kanelos, P. (2021, Nov. 8). We Can't Wait for Universities to Fix Themselves. So We're Starting a New One. Common Sense (Bari Weiss's Substack).Works and Concepts CitedMishra, P. (2011, Nov. 3). Watch this man. London Review of Books. [Article critiquing Niall Ferguson's apologetic writing about imperialism. Below the article, its author Pankaj Mishra and its subject Niall Ferguson exchange a series of letters debating Ferguson's scholarship.]Nichols, A. (2018, Apr. 2). So-called ‘intellectuals' can't let go of “The Bell Curve.” The Outline. [Article explaining how Andrew Sullivan and other conservative intellectuals continue to circulate modern race science ideas originally espoused in Charles Murray's 1994 The Bell Curve.]Sohege, D. (2021, Apr. 25). In fairness @epkaufm's resistance to academic institutions maintaining their right of academic freedom to call out poor work, and his views on "political minorities", are understandable when placed In the context of his own apparent lack of academic rigor. Twitter. [Tweet highlighting shoddy scholarship in the CSPI study “Academic Freedom in Crisis: Punishment, Political Discrimination, and Self-Censorship.”]

Nya shares how joining the Coast Guard is allowing her to graduate college debt free and how she wears the uniform with the same pride as her father.   Show Notes:  https://www.gocoastguard.com/active-duty-careers/officer-opportunities/programs/college-student-pre-commissioning-initiative   Bio: Nya   Nya is currently a junior International Business major at Howard University and an Officer in Training (OT) in the US Coast Guard. She was introduced to service at a very young age growing up as a military kid. Her dad is still active-duty Navy, and her mom runs a nonprofit for military kids, Kids Rank, that is based on giving back to our communities. Nya have seen the impacts of giving back and lived that experience her entire life. As of August 2021, Nya graduated boot camp and is now an active member of the Coast Guard. She was introduced to this amazing opportunity through CSPI (the College Pre Commissioning Initiative) and is now able to continue school as a fulltime student on a full scholarship while being paid as a Seaman working through her local recruiting office. Being surrounded by service, has always been one of Nya's passions. She will be able to finish her education graduating debt free, continue to serve after graduation and become an officer for the Coast Guard.  Nya shares it has been such an amazing experience thus far, and she is looking forward to seeing where it takes her.  

Philippe Lemoine is a Research Fellow at CSPI and a PhD candidate in philosophy at Cornell University. He returns to the podcast to discuss his new paper, “Have we been thinking about the pandemic wrong? The effect of population structure on transmission.” He and Richard discuss the role of networks in COVID transmission, the politics and sociology of the pandemic, the enforcement of mask mandates in LA County and French gyms, why we might want less genomic surveillance of new variants, and why the Omicron variant is no reason to worry. Click for the report on population structure, a thread explaining the results, and his latest piece on the Omicron variant. Sign up for CSPI's Substack newsletter: https://cspi.substack.com. Follow CSPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSPICenterOrg. Subscribe to our YouTube for video podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs4ugq0xSvbvwArpFJG6gA. Learn more about CSPI: https://cspicenter.org.

This week's guest is Leif Rasmussen, a PhD candidate in computer science at Northwestern University, and the author of the new CSPI report, “Increasing Politicization and Homogeneity in Scientific Funding: An Analysis of NSF Grants, 1990-2020.” He discusses the report and critiques of it, along with his experiences in academia, and the growing bias against non-conformists in intellectual life. A tweet thread summarizing the report can be found here.

Genetic Engineering and Society Center GES Colloquium - Tuesdays 12-1PM (via Zoom) NC State University | http://go.ncsu.edu/ges-colloquium GES Mediasite - See videos, full abstracts, speaker bios, and slides https://go.ncsu.edu/ges-mediasite Twitter - https://twitter.com/GESCenterNCSU NGO perspective on governance of gene editing Dr. Doria Gordon, Lead Senior Scientist at Environmental Defense Fund, and Gregory Jaffe, JD, Director of the Project on Biotechnology at Center for Science in the Public Interest www.edf.org/people/doria-gordon | cspinet.org/biography/gregory-jaffe and @JaffeGregory This talk will describe six principles for the proper governance of gene editing, addressing issues such as transparency, stakeholder engagement, government oversight, and voluntary stewardship, that were adopted by six US non-governmental organizations. Abstract Biotechnology, which includes gene editing and other technologies, has the potential to address urgent food security, environmental, and human health dilemmas. However, these technologies also raise potential for societal concerns, environmental and health risks, and conflicts with cultural and spiritual values. Previous experience with the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the food system have in some instances resulted in public mistrust, underscoring the need for more transparency, better governance, and oversight of these technologies when they are deployed. To address these potential concerns, representatives of six conservation and consumer non-governmental organizations developed six principles for responsible governance of gene editing in agriculture and the environment, which were published in an August 2021 article of Nature Biotechnology. This webinar will present the principles and invite questions and discussion on both the principles and possible next steps for implementation. Related links: https://www.keystone.org/our-work/emerging-genetic-technologies/ngoroundtable/ Speaker Bios Dr. Doria Gordon is a Lead Senior Scientist in the Office of the Chief Scientist at Environmental Defense Fund, with a focus on ecosystems. Prior to EDF, she spent 25 years working in science, conservation, and management for The Nature Conservancy in Florida. Dr. Gordon is also a Courtesy Professor of Biology at the University of Florida and a Research Associate at Archbold Biological Station. Her current research focuses on the scale and measurement of net carbon sequestration in natural and agricultural systems. She also works on governance of genetically engineered organisms in agriculture and the environment, and risk assessment for invasiveness in plant species. Dr. Gordon completed a M.S. and Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of California at Davis following an undergraduate degree in Biology and Environmental Studies at Oberlin College. Gregory Jaffe is the Director of the Project on Biotechnology for CSPI. Jaffe came to CSPI after serving as a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Environmental and Natural Resources Division and as Senior Counsel with the U.S. EPA, Air Enforcement Division. He is a recognized international expert on agricultural biotechnology and biosafety and works on biosafety regulatory issues in the U.S. and throughout the world. He was a member of the Secretary of Agriculture's Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture from 2003-2008 and was reappointed to a new term in 2011. He was also a member of FDA's Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee from 2004-2008. In addition, he provides biosafety expertise to the International Food Policy Research Institute and Cornell University's Alliance for Science. Jaffe earned his BA with High Honors from Wesleyan University in Biology and Government and then received a law degree from Harvard Law School. GES Center - Integrating scientific knowledge & diverse public values in shaping the futures of biotechnology. Find out more at https://ges-center-lectures-ncsu.pinecast.co

Philippe Lemoine is a Research Fellow at CSPI and a PhD candidate in philosophy at Cornell University. He recently wrote a blog post called "Lockdowns, econometrics and the art of putting lipstick on a pig," where he takes apart a paper on the effects of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions. Richard and Philippe discuss what's wrong with this paper and what it reveals about academia and the incentives scholars face more generally. They also explore when and under what circumstances one should trust statistical analysis.

There are more than 1,000 people sleeping in their vehicles in Denver right now, according to the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative. And with the federal evictions moratorium set to expire at the end of the month, that number could skyrocket. So today on the show, we bring you the story of Lando Allen, a man who was experiencing homelessness before he fell into the “insidious trap” of living in a vehicle, as CSPI co-founder Chelsey Baker-Hauck describes it. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi spoke with Lando and Chelsey about this oft-overlooked dimension of our housing crisis. The City of Denver has compiled a list of resources for people facing possible evictions, which you can find here. Their advice for anyone who has received a 10-day advance notice from their landlord is to contact the Office of Financial Empowerment and Protection by calling 720-944-2498 or emailing FEC@denvergov.org. They'll connect callers with navigators who can help get them connected with relevant services.  We initially recorded this episode as an installment of VOICE on the Street, our partnership with Denver's street paper, the Denver VOICE, which provides opportunities to Denverites experiencing homelessness and other forms of economic inequity. If you'd like to support VOICE vendors like Lando Allen, head over to denvervoice.org/donate. They even have Venmo, so if you want to get a little help directly to Lando, follow this link and add his name to the note attached to your transfer. Don't forget to subscribe to our morning newsletter for even more news from around the city: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ For following purposes, the official City Cast Denver Twitter account is @citycastdenver.

Eric Posner is a professor at the University of Chicago Law School. He is the author of several books, including The Executive Unbound (with Adrian Vermeule) and The Demagogue's Playbook. He joins the CSPI podcast to discuss Trump, whether demagoguery is an exclusively right-wing problem, the struggle between elites and the masses and whether the last few years have made him reconsider his support for a strong executive branch.

Per le mamme che lavorano, per le famiglie che non hanno la possibilità di mandare al mare o nei centri estivi i bambini e i ragazzi, la scuola aperta d'estate è una nuova opportunità. Maria Latella ne parla con Stefano Versari, capo dipartimento per il sistema educativo di istruzione e di formazione del MIUR, Elena Centemero, professoressa e membro CSPI, la dirigente scolastica Anna Salvia e il Colonnello Raffaele Manicone,comandante del Raggruppamento Carabinieri Biodiversità.

Richard Hanania is the president of the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology (CSPI). He also runs a Substack and a podcast that are “must-read/listen.” Richard is perceived as something of a contrarian, so I wanted to ask him about Israel and its role in American politics because he has opinions on that topic somewhat outside of the mainstream. But since I scheduled this podcast he's “blown up” due to a piece he wrote, Woke Institutions is Just Civil Rights Law. Eliciting responses from the Right and Left, this is the sort of work that has made Richard's name. He goes where angels fear to tread. His profile has certainly gotten higher since I got to know him several years ago. He was recently on the Tucker Carlson show. On this podcast we talk about: The incessant attention given over to the Israel-Palestine conflict in the USA His thesis that in relation to “wokeness” culture is downstream of politics The inevitability of Chinese dominance in the 21st century The mass hysteria in reaction COVID-19 What it's like running a “Think Tank”

Dr. Peter Lurie is the head of Center For Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), arguably the most important defender of food safety and justice in the US. Lurie is the grandson of a South African female butcher and a South African egg seller. How did that form him as a warrior for social justice?Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Let's Talk About Food by becoming a member!Let's Talk About Food is Powered by Simplecast.

The doctor of pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.) is one of the most versatile degrees in healthcare. Most people know about the work of the neighborhood drugstore pharmacist and most people within the profession of pharmacy are aware of clinical positions in inpatient or ambulatory care. But, did you know pharmacists can have full and rewarding careers in settings like industry, managed care, public health, and other unique venues of care? Join us as we explore the explore the unique opportunities within the pharmacy profession! In this episode we take a deep dive on toxicology and poison control. Steve Dudley, Pharm.D., DABAT earned his doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Arizona in 2015 and completed a fellowship in clinical toxicology at the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center in 2017. He now serves as a Clinical Toxicologist and Director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center. Jaci Karpen, Pharm.D., CSPI earned her doctor of pharmacy degree from the University of Arizona in 2015. She now serves as a certified specialist in poison information at the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center. Interested in joining the Orange County Society of Health-System Pharmacists? Join us at https://ocshp.com/join-us/ ! Interested in appearing on the podcast? Let us know by emailing leadership@ocshp.com!

Ashley is a Senior Policy Associate at the Center For Science in Public Interest (CSPI), a non-profit consumer advocacy group that advocates for safer and healthier foods.  In this episode, you'll hear about Ashley's work at CSPI and how support from the fellowship program helped her examine the difference in food retail quality between high and low-income communities in the South. Learn more about the CSPI, visit: https://www.cspinet.org To learn more about the Bloomberg American Health Initiative and the Bloomberg Fellows Program, visit https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/.

Do you have a love affair with the salt shaker? Having trouble breaking yourself of the pre-packaged food addiction? Do you have a ballpark guess for the recommended amount of sodium you should be consuming on a daily basis? What about the devastating consequences of too much salt in your diet?  Don’t be alarmed or ashamed with any of your answers if you just don’t know. It’s not your fault. We all fall prey to marketing and the lure of salty foods and today Rip speaks with researcher and author, Michael Jacobson, about his recent book, “Salt Wars - The Battle over the Biggest Killer in the American Diet.”  Michael Jacobson is one of the preeminent scientists who has been fighting on the front lines in Washington DC - literally going to political battle for our health for more than 50 years. He is co-founder of the Center for Science and the Public Interest, which was developed in 1971 as a Health Advocacy Group for Food Safety and Nutrition. The CSPI may not sound familiar to you, but their work will - they are responsible for nutrition facts labeling on food products, getting junk foods out of schools, and removing trans fat out of the food supply -- to name a few of their landmark efforts.  Today, though, he speaks with Rip about our love affair with salt. Why has it become so prevalent in our diet (much of it without us even realizing!)? What are the impacts on our health? And, most importantly, how can we ditch the desire for that extra dash at every meal?  Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D. is a co-founder and long-time Executive Director of Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPSI), now serving as a Senior Scientist. Jacobson has written numerous books and reports, including Salt Wars: The Battle Over the Biggest Killer in the American Diet; Eater’s Digest: the Consumer’s Fact Book of Food Additives, Nutrition Scoreboard; Salt: the Forgotten Killer; and Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans’ Health. He has also been honored with such awards as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Hero Award (2010), the American Public Health Association’s David P. Rall award for advocacy in public health (2011), and the Food Marketing Institute’s Esther Peterson Consumer Service Award (1992). His Ph.D. in microbiology is from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Episode and PLANTSTRONG Resources: PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner - use code: STARTFRESH for a 14-Day Free Trial. Yes, you have to enter a credit card - but you won’t be charged if you cancel before the trial ends and that’s a click of a button. Enjoy the test drive and get cooking! Learn More About our In-Person Sedona Retreat - October 11th-16th, 2021 Center for Science in the Public Interest Website Theme Music for Episode Promo Theme Music

What is Calorie Density? Have you heard of calorie density before? I hadn’t and I was surprised as I’ve been a student of healthy food and diets for over 30 years. I was especially surprised to learn that it is one of the main reasons that we overeat. Calorie density is also known as energy density (hadn’t heard of that either) and is a measure of the calorie content of food relative to its weight or volume. The usual measure is the number of calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of food. Fruits and vegetables are examples of low calorie dense foods. They are also examples of foods that can fill up your plate at the same time as providing lower calorie totals. Another interesting fact is that low calorie dense foods are not necessarily low in carbohydrates so you can end up eating healthier foods with fewer calories leading to weight loss. A perfect trifecta! I quote from the Nutrition Health Newsletter which is published by CSPI, a non-profit who has been “America’s Science-Based Food and Health Watchdog for Nearly 50 Years. You can check them out at cspinet.org

Michael Jacobson, senior scientist at and co-founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), tracks the rise of soda consumption, proliferation of research on its health effects, and industry responses over the years. As former Executive Director of CSPI for 40 years until 2017 and author of books such as Nutrition Scoreboard: your guide to better eating and the recently released Salt Wars: The Battle Over the Biggest Killer in the American Diet, Mike draws on decades of experience as a nutrition advocate. He describes in depth the deeply politicized nature of the fight for SSB taxes and efforts to preempt them both on local and national levels. In addition to SSB taxes, Mike explains the wide array of innovative strategies advocates have used to reduce sugary drink consumption, including removing sugary beverages from schools, children's meals, and checkout aisles and the need for research to assess both efficacy and messaging around various strategies. While he notes that there has been a 25% reduction in per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks since 1998, Mike argues that further decreasing SSB consumption across the nation--and centering equity in these efforts-- will require deep engagement with the communities and geographies most impacted. This episode of In Praxis is a part of Season 2: Sugar Sweetened Beverage Taxes. The information, opinions, views, and conclusions proposed in this episode are those of our podcast guests.

Philippe Lemoine is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at Cornell University and a research fellow at CSPI. He recently started a blog, War on Science, on the CSPI website, and wrote a post arguing that lockdowns do not pass a cost-benefit analysis. An op-ed based on his research was published in the Wall Street Journal. Philippe joins Richard to discuss COVID-19, the differences in performance between East Asia and the West, the problems with modern academia, and how the American culture war is playing out in France.

Listener discretion is advised. Some of the topics in this episode include children putting weird things in their mouths and poisonings. Today’s episode is an interview with Angel Bivens.  Angel is a pharmacist by training.  She has experience in retail, hospital, home infusion, and mail order pharmacy, but her true passion is working at the Maryland Poison Center (MPC). The Maryland Poison Center is part of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.  Angel has been with the Maryland Poison Center for over 25 years.  She spent the first 8 years as a specialist in poison information managing poisoning and overdose cases from the public and healthcare professionals.  Then, She spent the next 17 years in the role of public education coordinator, ensuring the more than 4 million Marylanders in the MPC service area know about their services and learn ways to keep their families safe from poison dangers in an around their home. Now an assistant director, Angel oversees operations and public education.   When she started this role in 2018, she combined her love for educating the public with responsibilities that ensure there is always someone there to help with a poisoning or overdose 24/7/365. Angel completed her BS in Pharmacy at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh PA) and her MBA at University of Baltimore (Baltimore MD). She also holds the designation of Certified Specialist in Poison Information (CSPI) after successfully completing the American Association of Poison Control Centers certification examination in 1990, 1998, 2005, 2012, and 2019. For more information Angel LinkedIn: angelbivens Maryland Poison Center website: www.mdpoison.com To find your local poison center: www.aapcc.org Resources for pharmacists and their patients: Poison Prevention Press: http://bit.ly/PoisonPrevPress One-page, plain language e-newsletter published every other month on varying topics; all current and previous issues available Poison Prevention Press sign up: http://bit.ly/MPCSignUp eAntidote Blog: blog.mdpoison.com Facebook: MarylandPoisonCenter Twitter: @MDPoisonCtr YouTube: Maryland Poison Center Resources with clinical information for pharmacists:  ToxTidbits:  http://bit.ly/ToxTidbits One-page clinical e-newsletter published monthly on various toxicologic topics; all current and previous issues available ToxTidbits sign up: http://bit.ly/TTBSignUp Twitter: @MPCToxtidbits Highlights from the interview Angel wore many hats over her years at the Maryland Poison Center.  As a Poison Center Specialist, she managed poisonings and overdoses.  As a Poison Center Educator, she educated the public and created educational materials.  As an Assistant Director, she improves the visability of the poison center and forms partnerships in the community. As a pharmacy student, Angel loved toxicology.  As a young pharmacist, she heard about an opening at the MPC, applied, and got the job right away.   Pharmacists, nurses, and doctors staff most poison centers.  Poison Center job applicants need to match the Center’s needs.  In general, a PharmD with experience is required for pharmacist applicants.  No additional residency or certification is needed.   Once hired, on-the-job training is extensive.  It can take at least 3 months before a pharmacist is ready to manage cases independently after training.  After managing 2,500 human exposure calls, pharmacists are required to sit for the CSPI Exam to become a Certified Specialist in Poison Information. What resources do poison specialists use most often?  Angel said, the poison center staff’s experience and knowledge base is a great resource!  Because they manage 2,000-5,500 calls/year, they learn a lot.  Over many years, that knowledge base is big!  Other resources include Poisondex,  Gold-Franks Toxicologic Emergencies, Lange:  Poisonings and Overdoses, online journals, and consultants (medical and clinical toxicologists).  Angel told a memorable story about a call she answered from a teenager who OD’ed on aspirin.  Back in the day, the poison center traced the call and called an ambulance.  The patient got treatment and survived.  The best way for anyone to contact the poison center is 1-800-222-1222.  It’s a “smart phone number” and directs you to the nearest poison center geographically.  Poison Centers work together, so cases are seamlessly transferred to local poison centers assigned to your area.  It even works on US cell phones outside the US.  Calls are triaged, but all are managed.   There’s no such thing as the “busiest day of the year,” but on July 4 and Halloween, there are lots of calls related to glow sticks. Poison centers field calls from a variety of callers:  fire, EMS, parents of kids of all ages, children of elderly parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, Emergency Centers, critical care teams, pharmacists, and more.  Reasons pharmacists call poison centers:  Drug ID, drug-drug interactions, drug-supplement interactions, and non-medicine ingestions.   Angel says that knowing you’re actually helping someone is a great feeling.  It’s very rewarding. Angel knew it was time to change hats from poison specialist to educator when her young son wanted her to be home when he was home.  Becoming an educator helped her have a more consistent schedule, mostly M-F on day shift.  She used her marketing and communication skills as an educator.  Plus, her MBA qualified her for the role. Angel educates pharmacy students, medical students, paramedics, and more.  MPC has a robust educational program, so she can sit in and listen to the toxicologist talk about cases.   The most unusual call Angel fielded was about a goat who ate something the owner thought the goat should not have eaten.  Her database has some information about animals, but Poison Centers focus on humans.  Angel gave the goat owner two phone numbers for animal poison centers, and the goat’s owner was happy to try those.  I mentioned that this story reminded me of the children’s book Gregory the Terrible Eater. One of the biggest challenges poison specialists face is managing oddball cases.  New things don’t have a lot of literature to research.  Sometimes, poison specialists need to consult with clinical toxicologists for oddball calls.  Plus, the phones keep ringing while trying to manage oddball cases; that’s a challenge too.  As an educator, a challenge is reaching people.  As an Assistant Director, a challenge is getting the phones staffed.  It’s also a challenge to get people to call vs using Google.  Angel urges everyone to get the right answer right away from a trained poison specialist.  Call a Poison Center 1-800-222-1222.  Taking the time to look at Google and sort through search results might be misleading and delay treatment.  Poison Centers make follow-up calls for exposures.   Poisonings can happen to anyone.  Parents who work at poison centers have also had to call.  It can happen to anybody.   Angel said that the best things about working at the poison center are helping people and the variety of exposure cases.  Poison specialists don’t get bored.  She likes to learn about new drugs, chemicals, TikTok videos, and things on the news, like “challenges.”   One thing people don’t realize about working at a poison center is that pharmacists, nurses, and others answer calls and respond without a script.   Over the years, Angel has worked different schedules.  As a poison specialist, it varied.  Present day, shifts on weekdays are 12 hours in length; weekend shifts are 10-hour shifts.  Midnight-shift pharmacists work 7-on/7-off.  Poison Specialists work holidays too.  As an educator, she worked mostly days, but she worked some evenings and weekends for programs too.  As an Assistant Director, Angel works typical administration hours. Poison Prevention Week is March 21-27, 2021, to raise awareness about poisonings.  According to the AAPCC’s website, the third full week in March each year is National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW), a week dedicated to raising awareness to poison control centers and the Poison Help Hotline (1-800-222-1222). How can pharmacists get involved?  Visit aapcc.org or reach out to your local poison center and ask to speak to the educator.  Call 1-800-222-1222 to get in touch with the educator at the poison center.  Pharmacists can set up a table with resources.  Some poison centers are looking for volunteers.  Ask educator how you can get materials:  stickers, magnets, and brochures.  

Eric Kaufmann is a research fellow at CSPI and Professor of Politics at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is the author of a new CSPI report titled "Academic Freedom in Crisis: Punishment, Political Discrimination, and Self-Censorship." Eric joins Richard to talk about the evidence for discrimination against non-liberal views in academia. They also discuss personal experiences and when and under what circumstances discrimination can be justified.

Razib Khan is the host of the Unsupervised Learning podcast. In the days following the Capitol Hill riots, he invited Richard Hanania on to talk about the likelihood of future political violence in the United States, the strength of partisanship, and the future of Trump and his movement. That podcast is rereleased here on CSPI, with a new intro, in which Richard looks back on how well his predictions have help up over the past month.

Zach Goldberg is a PhD candidate at Georgia State University and research fellow at CSPI. He is generally credited with discovering the "Great Awokening," the leftward shift on race and identity issues that has occurred in the media and among white liberals over the last decade. Zach joins Richard to talk about his research, the evidence showing that the media caused the shift in public opinion, and his experience in Israel and how that has affected his views on American politics.

On the inaugural CSPI podcast, George Hawley joins Richard Hanania to talk about his books on the conservative movement, the alt right, and the differences between Trump in 2016 and 2020. They also discuss their article, The National Populist Illusion, on why economic concerns do not explain the rise of Trump.

Over 70% of Americans take dietary supplements, and by now, most consumers have probably noticed the disclaimer that says "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

On the #RADIO show this week we cover the Trumps administrations dastardly attack on the healthy school lunch program; how positive proactive policy for families and businesses is moving at the state level " and what you can do to help; hear about the impact of the State of the Union and impeachment process and what it means for November 2020; and close the show with the inside lowdown about the Presidential primary in New Hampshire. *Special guests include: Colin Schwartz, Center for Science in the Public, @CSPI; Rep. Tana Senn, @TanaSenn; Reggie Hubbard, MoveOn, @MoveOn; Christina DAllesandro, MomsRising, @MomsRising 

On the #RADIO show this week we cover the Trump’s administrations dastardly attack on the healthy school lunch program; how positive proactive policy for families and businesses is moving at the state level — and what you can do to help; hear about the impact of the State of the Union and impeachment process and what it means for November 2020; and close the show with the inside lowdown about the Presidential primary in New Hampshire. *Special guests include: Colin Schwartz, Center for Science in the Public, @CSPI; Rep. Tana Senn, @TanaSenn; Reggie Hubbard, MoveOn, @MoveOn; Christina D’Allesandro, MomsRising, @MomsRising

Today's topic is “superfoods”, supplements and CBD. It might seem like a strange combination, but I find that sales tactics and marketing efforts for all three are very similar, and play on some misunderstandings that most people have about nutrition, how our bodies work, and what the current evidence shows. To be honest, this topic was just going to be about the idea of superfoods, but with all the CBD craziness, I had an oncologist almost beg me to talk about CBD. So… I decided to throw it in with this one! In typical “Julie style”, this episode is full of the practical, evidence-based nutrition information that you crave, with none of the sensationalism, guilt or pseudoscience. Get your info from the expert!  Julie's articles on this topic – The Truth about Turmeric, Spices & Cancer Should I Avoid Antioxidants During Cancer Treatment? Should I Take A Multivitamin? The Science on Multivitamins Are They A Quack? Nutrition Information: Who To Trust? Other helpful links! Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Nutrients recommended by the National Academy of Sciences at the levels recommended. American Institute for Cancer Research page on Supplements and Cancer https://www.aicr.org/patients-survivors/healthy-or-harmful/supplements.html   CSPI Webinar - Multivitamins: insurance or a waste of money? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWbeRFokYcM MD Anderson Cancer Center: CBD oil and cancer: 9 things to know   

Is raw milk dangerous is a question that many are asking. There is a surge in desire for this luscious and nutritious food – but what about all of the horrible stories of tragedies and loss connected with consuming raw milk? That’s our topic of the day. But first, I want to welcome everyone who is a new listener. I hope you enjoy this content. And as always, a heart-felt welcome back to the veteran homestead-loving regulars who stop by the FarmCast every week. I appreciate you all so much. There is no show without you and your input. There is a lot of exciting news to share with you about what is going on at the farm this week. So, let’s get to it. Today’s Show Homestead Life Updates Is Raw Milk Dangerous? Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction Homestead Life Updates We had quite the scare last night. All of a sudden, we had no water. Scott went to the tap, turned it on, and only a dribble came out. Less than two hours earlier I remembered filling my water glass with no issues. He immediately went out to check on the water hoses. We have quite of few of them attached at the pump that bring water to various areas of the homestead. Some go to the animals and one goes to the garden. I think there may be one in the orchard. At least one other is attached to the house. These are the usual culprits. One of them will burst or a coupling disintegrates and falls apart spewing gallons and gallons of water everywhere. If we don’t notice right away, the well can temporarily go dry. In this case, Scott checked all of the hoses and didn’t find any issues. He turned them off anyway. The next plan was to replace the breaker for the well pump. It is on its own 220 circuit. However, some time during the night the water returned. We are grateful. It was an interesting experience. Usually when we don’t have water it is because the power if off. Habitually I would want to turn on the water and had to remind myself that we had none. When we have no power, it’s easy to remember we also have no water. It was a really strange brain thing. Let me give you an update on the animals. The Quail We have 6 baby quail in the brooder at the moment. There were originally 8 but we lost two. This particular batch of eggs was not very fertile. As the amount of light diminishes each day due to the changing of the seasons, the number of eggs laid and their fertility drops dramatically. I knew it would drop. However, the amount that it dropped was astounding to me. I expected the loss of egg production, not so much the lack of fertility. So often, even though we’ve read up on a topic and have the proper information, it is not until we go outside those boundaries ourselves do we realize the truth of the information.  Back in the summer, we had 8 or 9 laying hens that were producing about 7 eggs per day. Not bad. That’s nearly one per day for each hen. That’s typical. A little over a month ago we added a new batch of young hens to the mix. They were about 8 weeks old and at the age to start laying eggs. Our daily haul should have increased. Unfortunately, this was also about the time that the light started really diminishing. At the present time having increased the laying hens to 15 laying hens, we are getting 1 egg every day or so. That’s what I call a dramatic drop in egg production. It will continue all winter unless we add some light for them. We have a plan there. I’ll let you know how it goes. The Cows Cloud is still pregnant. Her belly is very big in circumference, but there is no way of knowing how far along she is unless we get a vet out here. A woman can start to “show” in the 4th or 5th month, it begins to be impossible to miss that she is pregnant at 6 months and the 7th through 9th month is where stretch marks are developed because of the rapid growth in the size of your baby. With cows, the late development of size and weight of the fetus is even more prominent. While a calf fetus is continually growing in size throughout the pregnancy, it is slow in the beginning. Over 75% of the calf’s total weight gain and growth takes place in the last trimester. And like human women, that is in month 7 through 9. A cow’s gestation cycle averages 283 days. I’m guessing that Cloud is in her last month at this point. I could be wrong but that is my best guess. In any case, we are ready in the milking parlor. She is now trained to come in and stand quietly while we wash and clean her udder like we would any other cow. The only thing she is not experiencing at the point is the actual inflations on her teats. She has heard the sound of the machine over and over many times. We do not anticipate big problems when the event does eventually take place. The Sheep, Goats, and Donkeys The sheep, goats and donkeys are doing well. The goats go into any grazing paddock that they choose – no matter the fencing structure. They are goats. Respecting fences is not part of their nature. Thank goodness at this point, while they move between divided paddocks, they at least stay within the perimeter fencing. I should probably knock on wood with that statement. The sheep are plugging along. Let us know if you are interested in grass-fed and finished lamb. We are just about ready to take a few for processing. Holiday season is upon us and lamb is a religious tradition for lots of folks. Again, let us know. You can visit the website at peacefulheartfarm.com/store or send us an email (melanie@peacefulheartfarm.com). The donkeys are growing their winter coat and putting on some winter fat. They are the friendliest animals on the farm. I hope you get to come out and see them some time. The Creamery The inner walls are rising out of the dust. It won’t be long now. Scott has laid the bottom row of the remaining walls. Two or three more weeks and they will be complete. It will be a building with walls and no roof. Is winter the best time to build a roof? I don’t know I’ll have to ask Scott. I’m just so excited to see these walls. The rooms are now defined.  In the spring perhaps we will be able to milk the cows in the new barn and milking parlor. That will be a treat. Milking is such a peaceful time and the milk produced is so nutritious and delicious. And the cheese… yum, yum. Is Raw Milk Dangerous? This is a question I think everyone who consumes raw milk has asked themselves or others. We know the reality is that we have been drinking milk straight from the cow for thousands of years. But in September 1987 it became federal law that any milk transported across state lines must be pasteurized. Intrastate sales then and now are still regulated by the individual states. I’ve talked a bit about this in a couple of previous podcasts. Depending on the particular State, there are various legal ways to obtain raw for your family. There has been – and indeed continues to be – quite the scare campaign surrounding the consumption of milk straight from the cow. Each person will have to decide for themselves what is best for them. I make no judgements and everyone knows I love it. In fact, I love it so much that it can become a problem for my waistline. But let’s get to the studies and the data and see what we can see. The Studies and the Headlines In February 2012, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) published a study targeting raw milk as dangerous and unsafe for human consumption. The media hype surrounding it was typical. Fearful headlines that get clicks and sell papers were seen. Here are some examples: “Raw Milk Causes Most Illnesses from Dairy, Study Finds.” – USA Today “CDC: Raw Milk Much More Likely to Cause Illness.” – Food Safety News “Raw Milk is a Raw Deal, CDC Says.” – LiveScience Two of these headlines are technically accurate – raw milk is responsible for more illnesses than pasteurized milk when the number of people who consume each is taken into account. The problem begins with the dramatic overstatements and sensationalism of the findings. Every food we consume comes with risks. But for most, we never even think about it until we see the news article about the recall of spinach, beef or some other product we have in our refrigerator. If you only saw the headlines from the CDC and FDA reports, you’d be left with the impression that raw milk is a dangerous food and anyone that consumes it or gives it to their children is reckless and irresponsible. In this podcast, I’ll present the other side of the argument, and give you the bare facts as I see them. I can’t say I am without bias but I will endeavor to convey the information without dramatic hyperbole so you can make an informed decision about whether unpasteurized milk is a good choice for you and your family. I’m not here to convince you to drink raw milk.  Again, that’s a decision each individual has to make on their own by weighing the potential risks against the potential benefits. This podcast will cover the risks and another will focus on the benefits. Gaining Perspective Let’s start with putting the current discussion of unpasteurized milk safety into a wider context. Foodborne illness is a concern for many types of food. In 2008 the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) performed a review of foodborne disease outbreaks in the U.S. Seafood, produce and poultry were associated with the most outbreaks. Produce is responsible for the greatest number of illnesses each year (2,062), with nearly twice as many illnesses as poultry (1,112). Dairy products are at the bottom of the list. They cause the fewest outbreaks and illnesses of all the major food categories – beef, eggs, poultry, produce and seafood. According to the CDC, during the period from 1990 − 2006, there were 24,000 foodborne illnesses reported each year on average. Of those, 315 per year are from dairy products. This means dairy products account for about 1.3% of foodborne illnesses each year. That’s not exactly an alarming number, considering that more than 75% of the population consumes dairy products regularly. It’s also important to note that the outbreaks and illnesses associated with dairy products are generally mild compared to other foods. According to the CSPI report above, approximately 5,000 people are killed every year by foodborne illness. From 2009 − 2011, three high profile outbreaks involving peanuts, eggs and cantaloupe alone accounted for 2,729 illnesses and 39 deaths. (1) Yet there have only been a handful of deaths from pasteurized dairy products in the last decade, and there hasn’t been a single death attributed to raw fluid milk since the mid-1980s, in spite of the fact that almost 10 million people are now consuming it regularly. The takeaway is that thousands of people are killed each year by foodborne illness, but they’re dying from eating fruits, nuts, eggs, meat, poultry, fish and shellfish – not from drinking unpasteurized milk. The CDC report Sensationalized The data in these studies will always be suspect in my mind. An “illness” in these data can mean everything from an upset stomach to mild diarrhea to hospitalization for serious disease. Most food borne illnesses go unreported and one of the reasons is that they are only a passing nuisance. Have you ever had a bout of diarrhea that you suspect was caused by something you ate? I have. Did you report it to your doctor or the county public health department?  Probably not. I didn’t. It was over in less than 24 hours and I simply vowed not to purchase spinach from Walmart ever again. The statistic I am most concerned with is hospitalizations for serious illnesses. Kidney failure and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by unpasteurized milk does happen, and children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable and more likely to suffer.  That said, hospitalizations from raw milk are extremely rare.  During the 2000 − 2007 period of the referenced study, there were 12 hospitalizations for illnesses associated with raw fluid milk. That’s an average of 1.5 per year. If approximately 9.4 million people are drinking raw milk, that would mean you have about a 1 in 6 million chance of being hospitalized from drinking raw milk. To add to the perspective, your chances of dying in a motor vehicle accident are 750 times higher than your chances of becoming hospitalized from drinking raw milk. Raw Milk Risk Compared to Other foods According to the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly (MMWR), from 2006 − 2008 there were an average of 13 outbreaks and 291 illnesses per year associated with shellfish and mollusks. According to the CDC FoodNet Survey, about 5.7% of the population (17,869,500) consumes shellfish. This means you had a roughly 1 in 61,000 chance of becoming ill from eating shellfish What about other more commonly eaten foods?  I’ll use a chart from the CSPI report I referenced earlier. The chart will be in the show notes. This document charts the relative incidence of various foodborne illnesses from 1999 – 2006, adjusted for consumption.   Results: Seafood caused 29 times more illnesses than dairy Poultry caused 15 times more illnesses than dairy Eggs caused 13 times more illnesses than dairy Beef caused 11 times more illnesses than dairy Pork caused 8 times more illnesses than dairy Produce caused 4 times more illnesses than dairy What this chart clearly shows is that dairy just might be at the bottom of your list of your concerns regarding foodborne illness. I hope this helps you better understand the risk of drinking unpasteurized milk within the context of other risks that most of us take on a daily basis without a second thought. Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction This recipe for lamb chops is a favorite on our homestead. The title sound fancy but it is an easy and quick recipe for two people (we eat two chops each). Rosemary, basil and thyme give it great flavor. What You Need Chops: 4 lamb chops (3/4” thick) 3/4 tsp dried rosemary 1/4 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp dried thyme Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon cooking oil Sauce: 1/4 cup minced shallots (or onions) 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 3/4 cup lamb (or chicken) broth 1 tablespoon butter What To Do In a small bowl or cup mix the rosemary, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub onto both sides of the chops. Cover on a plate for 15 minutes. Heat cooking oil on medium high. Place chops in skillet, and cook for about 3 ½ minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add shallot (or onions) to skillet and cook until browned. Stir in balsamic vinegar, scraping pan drippings from the bottom of skillet. Stir in broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until sauce has reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Pour sauce over chops and serve. Notes Try substituting red wine or red wine vinegar for the balsamic vinegar. Doubling the recipe more than doubles the amount of time to reduce the sauce. Final Thoughts Again, we have lambs coming available soon. Get on the waiting list now. Shameless plug there. We love our animals and they receive the best life possible. Stay tuned for updates on Cloud and her impending delivery and the progress of the creamery. Is raw milk dangerous? Remember, it’s your choice whether you consume raw milk and/or raw milk products. It’s hard with all of the negative press out there on just about every food available and raw milk more so than others. I hope I’ve provided a balance to some of the sensationalized information regularly regurgitated. Consuming any food is a risk. But how much? How much risk do we already tolerate on a daily basis that is not related to raw milk dairy? If you enjoyed this podcast, please go to Apple Podcasts, SUBSCRIBE and give me a 5-star rating and review. And the best way to help out this show is to share it with any friends or family who might be interested in this type of content. As always, I’m here to help you “taste the traditional touch.” Thank you so much for stopping by the homestead and until next time, may God fill your life with grace and peace. References 2012 CDC Raw Milk Study Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) review of foodborne disease Recipe Link Lambs Chops with Balsamic Reduction To share your thoughts: Leave a comment on our Facebook Page Share this show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram To help the show: PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW for Peaceful Heart FarmCast on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music, TuneIn or Spotify Donate on Patreon Website www.peacefulheartfarm.com Patreon www.patreon.com/peacefulheartfarm Facebook www.facebook.com/peacefulheartfarm Instagram www.instagram.com/peacefulheartfarm/

Sommaire de l'émission avec Martin Labrosse;Inauguration du pont Samuel-De Champlain:Le point avec Romain Schué; Sur les traces de ses ancêtres en kayak:Reportage de Dominic Brassard; Commentaire politique avec Hugo Lavallée:François Legault et arrima; Deux écoles transférées à la CSPI:Entrevue avec Miville Boudreault de la CSPI; Chronique d'été avec Gabrielle Côté:L’été enfin arrivé; Fermeture de la clinique médicale la Cité; Chronique économique de Gérald Fillion; Des nouvelles de David St-Jacques:Le point avec Yessica Chavez; Techno avec Pascal Forget:Le départ de Jony Ive d'Apple;L’exposition Zïlon et le Montréal underground:Entrevue avec France Cantin

Aujourd'hui à l'émission : Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal et la CSDM:Entrevue avec C. Harel-Bourdon; Justice avec Suzanne Coupal:L'affaire Vincent Lambert en France; Le destin des animaux du Zoo de Saint-Édouard:Entrevue avec C. Gagnon; Écoles francophones surpeuplées:Entrevue avec Miville Boudreault de la CSPI; Commentaire politique avec Alec Castonguay:Retour sur la vague orange du NPD; Arbre tombé devant l'école Le Plateau:Reportage de René Saint-Louis; Chronique économique de Gérald Fillion; Chronique américaine avec S. Bureau:Les démocrates et la destitution de Trump; Bilan du voyage de François Legault aux États-Unis:L’analyse de F. Mousseau; Actualité avec Simon Jodoin:L’avortement et Maxime Bernier; La série Les éboueurs sur Canal D:Entrevue avec Lorenzina Vaira et Nicko Leblanc.

Do you wonder what the deal is with GMOs and genetic engineering? Do you wish someone could explain the basics with a level head and without trying to convince you of their perspective? GMOs are a HEATED topic these days. But it doesn't have to be!  Grab a coffee, or a beer, and have a listen as Julie does her best to explain what GMOs are and what the current evidence is regarding their effects on our health and the environment. All in 25 minutes, of course! In typical "Julie style", this episode is full of the practical, evidence-based nutrition information that you crave. With none of the sensationalism, guilt or pseudoscience. Get your info from the expert! HELPFUL EVIDENCE-BASED RESOURCES ON GMOs:   National Academy of Sciences May 2016 Report: Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects - http://nas-sites.org/ge-crops/category/report/ The Genetic Literacy Project Info on golden rice: Golden Rice, Part 1: The story of a GMO crop that could save 2 billion lives Center for Science in the Public Interest Biotechnology page CSPI's Straight Talk on Genetically Engineered Foods: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions SciMoms Introduction to GMOs 2018 Meta-analysis: Impact of genetically engineered maize on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits: a meta-analysis of 21 years of field data   Julie's articles on GMOs - GMO Foods: Why You Should NOT Freak Out! Don't Freak Out about GMO Foods Part 2   FOLLOW FARMERS WITH BLOGS AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES! Here are some of Julie's favs: The Foodie Farmer  A dietitian with a large family farm in Maryland  The Foodie Farmer Facebook Page Twitter at @FarmGirlJen Instagram at @DirtDietitian  Farm Babe Farmer in Iowa Twitter at @thefarmbabe Facebook Page Michele Payne Agriculture and Communications Expert Check out her book - Food Truths From Farm to Table Facebook Page Twitter at @mpaynspeaker

Andreas, a seasoned customer success leader, fellow consultant and partner in the development of the Customer Success Performance Index, joins Kristen to discuss the CSPI - a publicly available tool that CS leaders can use to benchmark their performance on 8 dimensions.

Regard sur le monde:Anne-Marie Bergeron au Panama ; Conciliation travail-famille:Un sceau pour reconnaître les entreprises modèles ; Chronique d'Hugo Lavoie:Rencontre avec Alan de Sousa, chrétien pakistanais ; Écoles anglophones cédées à la CSPI pour combler le manque de places:Explication ; Politique avec Chantal Hébert:Nouveau siège pour le Parti vert ; Détransitionnage, retrouver son sexe d'origine après un changement de sexe ; Économie avec René Vézina:Chin/États-Unis, escalade de sanctions financières ; Chronique de Marie-Eve Tremblay:Simuler un cancer sur internet ; Duo Marie Grégoire et Vincent Graton ; Entrevue avec Daniel Ferguson, documentariste et Henry chien sauveteur ; Consommation avec J. Nantel:Catastrophes et misère, le marketing opportuniste

Monday March 4, 2019 CSPI asks USDA to Name Poultry Producers Tied to Salmonella Outbreaks

In this episode of the podcast, Iryna speaks with Sarah Sorscher, Deputy Director of Regulatory Affairs at Center for Science in the Public Interest about harmful bacterias (such as E. Coli and Salmonella), basic steps for handling food safely, and disease outbreaks. They discuss CSPI's mission, food inspections, healthy eating, and other topics.

Fat Head and Fat Head Kids creator Tom Naughton discusses nutrition bias, the problems with observational studies, and the release of his new film "Fat Head Kids."   “Yeah. I didn't bother to see it because when these vegan propaganda movies come out, it's always the same stuff. They seem to think it's their mission in life to track you down and try to convince you that meat and eggs are going to kill you. So I've gotten very used to the type of evidence. Please put evidence in air quotes that they throw at you....So I've thrown a challenge out there. No one's accepted it yet. I'll continue eating four eggs a day. You Start Smoking 20 cigarettes a day. We'll compare our health in 10 years.” Tom Naughton   Who is Tom Naughton?   Tom Naughton began his professional life as a writer and editor for Family Safety & Health magazine. In the many years since, he's worked as a freelance writer, a touring standup comedian and a software programmer. Fat Head, his humorous documentary about the lousy health advice handed down from official sources, has been seen on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, as well as on television networks in several countries. His speeches and other health-related videos have been viewed by millions of people online. Tom now lives on a small hobby farm with one wife, two daughters, two dogs, one cat, and dozens of chickens.   Highlights of the Episode   [5:49] Tom's opinion of What the Health [7:55] The origins of the Fat Head documentary [11:04] The problems with Supersize Me [12:36] When BMI becomes an irrelevant metric [13:57] The Piggy Bank theory of losing weight [18:11] What would happen if you stopped eating fat tomorrow [21:12] The problem with vegetable oil [23:53] The influential arm of the CSPI... and the lack of science which backs their statements. [26:18] Observational studies [35:03] The origin of man boobs [38:31] Put down the orange juice [40:36] Simple steps to creating the optimal diet [44:24] Tom answers the final 4 questions   Resources Mentioned   Fat Head Website Fat Head Director's Cut Fat Head Kids Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan M.D Awaken the Giant by Tony Robbins The Four Hour Body by Tim Ferriss The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss   Continue Your High Performance Journey with Tom Naughton   Fat Head Website Tom Naughton's Website Twitter   Sponsor   Our sponsor today is Neurohacker Collective. Chairman, Jordan Greenhall has been on the show discussing Sovereignty and Medical Director, Dr. Daniel Stickler joined me to discuss Unleashing your Human Potential Through Epigenetics. I enjoy the products so much that I use them 5 out of 7 days. Whether it’s Qualia or Qualia Mind, which is a new formula that you should all try, I do find them to be completely revolutionary in the supplement world. I do think it upgrades me as a person. If you wanna try either Qualia or Qualia Mind, go over to neurohacker.com, plug in the discount code ‘BOOMER’ and you’ll get 10% off your first order or 15% off any order if you subscribe. Get their free Foundational Guide to Neurohacking at Neurohacker.com   Disclaimer   This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. This is being provided as a self-help tool to help you understand your genetics, biodata and other information to enhance your performance. It is not medical or psychological advice. Virtuosity LLC is not a doctor. Virtuosity LLC is not treating, preventing, healing, or diagnosing disease. This information is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgment. For the full Disclaimer, please go to (Decodingsuperhuman.com/disclaimer). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The show opens with a bit of discussion about other podcasts, but quickly moves to the main subject at hand, a study published on the increased isopropanol tolerance of certain bacteria found in hospitals. The guys weigh in on the strengths and weaknesses of the study, with some help via listener feedback. The next topic is Chipotle's recent problem with Clostridium perfringens in their beans. The guys introduce a new segment on Canadian foods, before moving to listener feedback on fermented foods, CSPI, and thermometer calibration, times and temperatures, food dehydrators, handwashing, and double gloving. The show ends with a discussion of a recent cookbook recall.

* [Labatts](http://www.labattus.com/) * [Philips goLITE](http://www.usa.philips.com/c-p/HF3332_60/golite-blu-energy-light) * [North Carolina is no longer a democracy](http://andrewgelman.com/2017/01/02/about-that-bogus-claim-that-north-carolina-is-no-longer-a-democracy/) * [QDOBA Mexican Eats](https://www.qdoba.com/) * [How to Start Listening to "Hamilton" via kung fu grippe](http://www.kungfugrippe.com/post/154553607289/hamilton) * [AirPods - Apple](http://www.apple.com/airpods/) * [SONY MDR-7506 Headphones Replacement Ear Pad](https://www.amazon.com/MDR-7506-MDR-CD900ST-Headphones-Replacement-Cushion/dp/B00SIK5TQO/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483472803&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=sony+headphones+cushions+mdr+7506) * [Westworld (TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westworld_(TV_series)) * [James Marsden - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Marsden) * [The Hilarious World of Depression by American Public Media on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hilarious-world-depression/id1181589175?mt=2) * [Carrie Fisher](http://carriefisher.com/) * [All the news just repeats itself: Restaurant disclosure proposed for France on barfblog](http://barfblog.com/2016/12/all-the-news-just-repeats-itself-restaurant-disclosure-proposed-for-france/) * [Wendy's Put a Troll on Ice With 2017's Best Tweet So Far](http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/wendys-put-troll-ice-2017s-best-tweet-so-far-175334) * [Safety? Food on iPads on barfblog](http://barfblog.com/2016/12/safety-food-on-ipads/) * [We Want Plates](http://wewantplates.com/) * [Carol Wallace, University of Central Lancashire](http://www.uclan.ac.uk/staff_profiles/carol_wallace.php) * [CSPI petitions undetectable limit of Vibrio vulnificus in molluscan shellfish, FDA says no | barfblog](http://barfblog.com/2016/12/cspi-petitions-undetectable-limit-of-vibrio-vulnificus-in-molluscan-shellfish-fda-says-no/) * [FDA vibrio petition denial](https://cspinet.org/sites/default/files/attachment/FDA%20vibrio%20petition%20denial.pdf) * [Food Safety Talk 115: Features Chico Marx](http://foodsafetytalk.com/food-safety-talk/2016/12/19/food-safety-talk-115-features-groucho-marx) * [Cause of Contra Costa County Thanksgiving Foodborne Illness Outbreak Identified](http://cchealth.org/press-releases/2016/1220-Cause-Thanksgiving-Incident.php) * [Dan Letendre on Twitter](https://twitter.com/LetendreDan/status/816386437813850112) * [Top 10 Food Poisoning Stories of 2016](https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2017/top-10-food-poisoning-stories-of-2016/) * [UK's raw milk vending machine outbreak expands; 56 sick](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/01/uks-raw-milk-vending-machine-outbreak-expands-56-sick/#.WGwRlbGZMUE) * [Raw milk advocates make the most of anti-reg mood in U.S.](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/12/raw-milk-advocates-make-the-most-of-anti-reg-mood-in-u-s/#.WGwRxrGZMUF) * [Outbreak Linked to Raw Milk from South Carolina](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/07/eight-sick-in-nc-outbreak-linked-to-sc-raw-milk/#.WGwUQ7GZMUF) * [Blue Bell asks FDA if it can return testing to 'industry norm'](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/12/blue-bell-asks-fda-if-it-can-return-testing-to-industry-norm/#.WGwTTLGZMUE) * [More on Modernist Cuisine and bad microbial food safety; Colbert, careful of Clostridium in the pastrami](http://barfblog.com/2011/03/more-on-modernist-cuisine-and-bad-microbial-food-safety-colbert-careful-of-clostridium-in-the-pastrami/) * [Feds waited 8 months to reveal cucumber Salmonella outbreak](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/12/feds-waited-8-months-to-reveal-cucumber-salmonella-outbreak/#.WGwVVrGZMUE) * [Beth McCoy at SUNY Geneseo](https://www.geneseo.edu/abs/mccoy) * [People I Follow by The MESH on iTunes](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/people-i-follow/id873082994?mt=2)

Гость: Олег Фиксель, консультант по IT безопасности в CSPI, Германия Тема: DevOps, Configuration Deployment, Ansible Автоматизация вчера, сегодня, завтраDevOps и командная работаРазбор систем управления конфигурациями на примере Ansible Скачать файл подкаста Темы будущих подкастов: Технологии DCI — Александр КлипперIX от MSK IXАкустические линии связи Подписаться на podfm. Добавить RSS в подкаст-плеер. Подкаст доступен в iTunes. Скачать все выпуски подкаста вы можете с помощью BT Sync (код: BYENRHD5UNKD5ZDIYFSB63WG2PEY2GIUN) или с яндекс-диска. Url podcast:https://archive.org/download/linkmeup-V043/linkmeup-V043.mp3

Гость: Олег Фиксель, консультант по IT безопасности в CSPI, Германия Тема: DevOps, Configuration Deployment, Ansible Автоматизация вчера, сегодня, завтраDevOps и командная работаРазбор систем управления конфигурациями на примере Ansible Скачать файл подкаста Темы будущих подкастов: Технологии DCI — Александр КлипперIX от MSK IXАкустические линии связи Подписаться на podfm. Добавить RSS в подкаст-плеер. Подкаст доступен в iTunes. Скачать все выпуски подкаста вы можете с помощью BT Sync (код: BYENRHD5UNKD5ZDIYFSB63WG2PEY2GIUN) или с яндекс-диска.

Гость: Олег Фиксель, консультант по IT безопасности в CSPI, Германия Тема: DevOps, Configuration Deployment, Ansible Автоматизация вчера, сегодня, завтраDevOps и командная работаРазбор систем управления конфигурациями на примере Ansible Скачать файл подкаста Темы будущих подкастов: Технологии DCI — Александр КлипперIX от MSK IXАкустические линии связи Подписаться на podfm. Добавить RSS в подкаст-плеер. Подкаст доступен в iTunes. Скачать все выпуски подкаста вы можете с помощью BT Sync (код: BYENRHD5UNKD5ZDIYFSB63WG2PEY2GIUN) или с яндекс-диска. Url podcast:https://archive.org/download/linkmeup-V043/linkmeup-V043.mp3

Today’s episode is about genetically engineered crops – their prevalence, safety, and regulation. What foods contain GMOs? Are they safe? Should they be labeled?   Gregory Jaffe is the Biotechnology Project Director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.  CSPI is a non-profit consumer organization that concentrates on food and nutrition issues.  They publish Nutrition Action Healthletter, which helps consumers understand the relationship between food, nutrition, and healthy eating.  Greg has been at CSPI for almost 15 years.  He has an undergraduate degree in biology and a law degree.  He has been following issues around biotechnology on and off for more than thirty years.  In this episode, Greg answers common questions about GMOs with the most fair and balanced approach I’ve ever heard. With a background in biotech and law, he understands the complex nature of the topic and shares important insights and resources.  You can read the full show notes and all the resources at www.soundbitesrd.com

Mary King IRS Problem Solving Attorney and co- author of the book Protect and Defend. Her career in law has primarily focused in IRS problem solving as well as mortgage foreclosure defense Loren Angel certified Staging professional consultant, owner of ‘Art of an Angel'- The art of Home Staging. She is the  Co-Author of the best selling book: ‘Home Staging Secrets'. Loren received her ‘Turnaround  business of the year' award from CSPI. She is a Federal OSHA Safety officer, a paint contractor and an Artist Mike Sorensen seven year Army Veteran OFI 07-09. He have been diagnosed with PTSD. He is the co-founder/chief visionary officer of D.A.W.G.S project, a non-profit organization for Veterans of all eras, who are suffering with PTSD, TBI and other Service Disabled injuries Grant Cardone founder of Whatever It Takes Network, a New York Times bestselling author of four business books since the 2008 economic collapse, an international speaker and business innovator. Cardone owns multiple companies including a software and technology business, a consulting company to Fortune 500 companies and Cardone Acquisitions, a national real estate company For more information go to MoneyForLunch.com. Connect with Bert Martinez on Facebook. Connect with Bert Martinez on Twitter. Need help with your business? Contact Bert Martinez. Have Bert Martinez speak at your event!

Mary King IRS Problem Solving Attorney and co- author of the book Protect and Defend. Her career in law has primarily focused in IRS problem solving as well as mortgage foreclosure defense Loren Angel certified Staging professional consultant, owner of ‘Art of an Angel'- The art of Home Staging. She is the  Co-Author of the best selling book: ‘Home Staging Secrets'. Loren received her ‘Turnaround  business of the year' award from CSPI. She is a Federal OSHA Safety officer, a paint contractor and an Artist Mike Sorensen seven year Army Veteran OFI 07-09. He have been diagnosed with PTSD. He is the co-founder/chief visionary officer of D.A.W.G.S project, a non-profit organization for Veterans of all eras, who are suffering with PTSD, TBI and other Service Disabled injuries Grant Cardone founder of Whatever It Takes Network, a New York Times bestselling author of four business books since the 2008 economic collapse, an international speaker and business innovator. Cardone owns multiple companies including a software and technology business, a consulting company to Fortune 500 companies and Cardone Acquisitions, a national real estate company For more information go to MoneyForLunch.com. Connect with Bert Martinez on Facebook. Connect with Bert Martinez on Twitter. Need help with your business? Contact Bert Martinez. Have Bert Martinez speak at your event!

Mary King IRS Problem Solving Attorney and co- author of the book Protect and Defend. Mary's career as an attorney began in 1993 after graduating from Stetson University College of Law.   Her career in law has primarily focused in IRS problem solving as well as mortgage foreclosure defense Loren Angel certified Staging professional consultant (a CSP), owner of ‘Art of an Angel'- The art of Home Staging. She is the  Co-Author of the best selling book: ‘Home Staging Secrets' in 2013. In 2011 Loren received her ‘Turnaround  business of the year' award from CSPI. She is a Federal OSHA Safety officer, a paint contractor and an Artist Mike Sorensen Sr seven year Army Veteran OFI 07-09. He have been diagnosed with PTSD. He is the co-founder/chief visionary officer of D.A.W.G.S project, a non-profit organization for Veterans of all eras, who are suffering with PTSD, TBI and other Service Disabled injuries Grant Cardone founder of Whatever It Takes Network, a New York Times bestselling author of four business books since the 2008 economic collapse, an international speaker and business innovator. Cardone owns multiple companies including a software and technology business, a consulting company to Fortune 500 companies and Cardone Acquisitions, a national real estate company

Mary King IRS Problem Solving Attorney and co- author of the book Protect and Defend. Mary's career as an attorney began in 1993 after graduating from Stetson University College of Law.   Her career in law has primarily focused in IRS problem solving as well as mortgage foreclosure defense Loren Angel certified Staging professional consultant (a CSP), owner of ‘Art of an Angel'- The art of Home Staging. She is the  Co-Author of the best selling book: ‘Home Staging Secrets' in 2013. In 2011 Loren received her ‘Turnaround  business of the year' award from CSPI. She is a Federal OSHA Safety officer, a paint contractor and an Artist Mike Sorensen Sr seven year Army Veteran OFI 07-09. He have been diagnosed with PTSD. He is the co-founder/chief visionary officer of D.A.W.G.S project, a non-profit organization for Veterans of all eras, who are suffering with PTSD, TBI and other Service Disabled injuries Grant Cardone founder of Whatever It Takes Network, a New York Times bestselling author of four business books since the 2008 economic collapse, an international speaker and business innovator. Cardone owns multiple companies including a software and technology business, a consulting company to Fortune 500 companies and Cardone Acquisitions, a national real estate company

Margo Wootan is the director of nutrition policy at CSPI. Wootan received her B.S. in nutrition from Cornell University and her doctorate in nutrition from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Wootan co-founded and coordinates the activities of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) and the Food Marketing Workgroup. She has coordinated and led efforts to require calorie labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants, require trans fat labeling on packaged foods, improve school foods, reduce junk-food marketing aimed at children, and expand the nutrition and physical activity program at CDC. Wootan has received numerous awards and is quoted regularly in the nation’s major media. This week on What Doesn’t Kill You, Katy Keiffer is taking on school food with Margo. Tune into this episode to hear about Margo’s work with school food, and how recent legislation is changing snacking in schools. Find out why vending machines were introduced into schools in the 70s in order to bolster underfunded school programs. How do schools eliminate the stigma associated with buying school lunch? Find out all of this and more on this week’s episode of What Doesn’t Kill You! Thanks to our sponsor, White Oak Pastures. Today’s music has been provided by Dead Stars. “School lunches teach kids how to eat healthy, and prepare them to eat healthily their whole lives.” [5:35] “Kids have a more refined palate than in the past, and they want to try new food items.” [22:40] — Margo Wootan on What Doesn’t Kill You

Margo Wootan is the director of nutrition policy at CSPI. Wootan received her B.S. in nutrition from Cornell University and her doctorate in nutrition from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Wootan co-founded and coordinates the activities of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) and the Food Marketing Workgroup. She has coordinated and led efforts to require calorie labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants, require trans fat labeling on packaged foods, improve school foods, reduce junk-food marketing aimed at children, and expand the nutrition and physical activity program at CDC. Wootan has received numerous awards and is quoted regularly in the nation’s major media. This week on What Doesn’t Kill You, Katy Keiffer is taking on school food with Margo. Tune into this episode to hear about Margo’s work with school food, and how recent legislation is changing snacking in schools. Find out why vending machines were introduced into schools in the 70s in order to bolster underfunded school programs. How do schools eliminate the stigma associated with buying school lunch? Find out all of this and more on this week’s episode of What Doesn’t Kill You! Thanks to our sponsor, White Oak Pastures. Today’s music has been provided by Dead Stars. “School lunches teach kids how to eat healthy, and prepare them to eat healthily their whole lives.” [5:35] “Kids have a more refined palate than in the past, and they want to try new food items.” [22:40] — Margo Wootan on What Doesn’t Kill You

Join Clif and Robin discuss Independence Day, and another "what the heck are they thinking" award. Plus, a nutrition watchdog group, the Center for science in public interest (CSPI) is suing McDonald's and demanding that they stop using toys to market their happy meals claiming that it's "predatory and wrong" by encouraging children to relentlessly "nag" their parents to go to McDonald's for the toys. send us an e-mail with your show ideas or comments in a talk@KRBNradio.com