Podcasts about Henry Alford

In this much-anticipated interview (at least by me), humorist and journalist Henry Alford joins me to discuss his recent bestselling book I Dream Of Joni: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots. In a Joni nerd-off that may be unrivaled in podcast history, Henry and I talk about his research and reporting for this book, what he learned about Mitchell's contradictions and complexities, why he thinks she might be on the autism spectrum, and, above all, why Mitchell's music holds such a profound place in so many people's emotional and even intellectual lives. GUEST BIO Henry Alford is a humorist and journalist who has contributed to the New Yorker since 1998. He is the author of seven books, including Big Kiss, which won a Thurber Prize, and the recent I Dream of Joni: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots, a national bestseller. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING New feature! The Unspeakeasy Live is a twice-weekly livestream featuring casual, spontaneous conversations with guests, friends, and sometimes just myself. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 pm ET. Recordings of livestreams are posted the next day (or soon thereafter) for paying subscribers.

This week's guest on You Are What You Read is Henry Alford, a humorist and journalist who has written for The New Yorker for more than two decades. A former columnist for The New York Times and a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, he is the author of seven books, including And Then We Danced, How to Live, and Big Kiss, an account of his attempts to become a working actor, which won a Thurber Prize. In his most recent work, I DREAM OF JONI, Henry studies the beloved singer, songwriter and instrumentalist, Joni Mitchell.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 29, 2024 is: feckless • FECK-lus • adjective Feckless describes people or things that are weak or ineffective. // The agency's response to the dramatic increase in air pollution was well-intentioned but ultimately feckless. See the entry > Examples: "The players streamed down Columbus Avenue, serenading passersby with the Tilted Axes theme song; a pedestrian stopped and stared. When the Axes crossed Sixty-sixth Street, traffic momentarily isolated one bass player from the rest of the band, like a feckless baby elephant stranded on the veldt." — Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024 Did you know? A feckless person is lacking in feck. And what, you may ask, is feck? In Scots—our source of feckless—feck means "majority" or "effect." The term is ultimately an alteration of the Middle English effect. So something without feck is without effect, i.e., ineffective. In the past, feckful (meaning "efficient, effective," "sturdy," or "powerful") made an occasional appearance, but in this case, the weak has outlived the strong: feckless is a commonly used English word, but feckful has proven, well, feckless.

In 1973, Henry Alford was brought to trial for murder on the back of key witness testimonies and even a confession. One had claimed to have seen Alford leaving his home with his gun, while another heard him loudly announcing his intent to murder the victim. The curious thing however, was that when confronted by the evidence in court, he would vehemently assert his innocence. In fact, no one had actually seen him with the victim. Tune in to find out more.  If you would like to get updates or reach out to the Stranger Danger crew, you can follow on Instagram @strangerdangerpodcastsg, hang out in our Discord, or send us an email at strangerdangerpodcastsg@gmail.com Brought to you by Mediacorp.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes we see our legal system as black or white. Innocent or Guilty. But there is a technical gray area. Room for someone to plead guilty while still maintaining their innocence. And this is only possible because of a precedent set in the case against a man named Henry Alford more than half a century ago.Did you know you can listen to this episode ad-free? Join the Fan Club! Visit https://crimejunkieapp.com/library/ to view the current membership options and policies.Source materials for this episode cannot be listed here due to character limitations. For a full list of sources, please visit: https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/precedent-henry-alford/ Don't miss out on all things Crime Junkie!Instagram: @crimejunkiepodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @CrimeJunkiePod | @audiochuckTikTok: @crimejunkiepodcastFacebook: /CrimeJunkiePodcast | /audiochuckllcCrime Junkie is hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat. Instagram: @ashleyflowers | @britprawatTwitter: @Ash_Flowers | @britprawatTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at +1 (317) 733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, random photos of Chuck, and more! 

This week's episode is eerily like last week's, and we didn't plan it at all. Today Zoey is going to hold your hand, whisper assuring words, and give you the treat of a bad joke every now and then as we navigate a complex legal decision together. Don't be afraid, Zoey's here to guide you. They won't let you get lost.Okay, maybe we're exaggerating. But the Alford Plea is a concept where a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser crime while maintaining their innocence in effort to get a lighter sentence. The Alford plea was born when Henry Alford, a Black man in North Carolina during the Civil Rights Era, was accused of killing a man. While there wasn't any physical evidence stacked against him, there were witnesses who were ready to testify that he argued with the other man, walked towards that man's house with a gun, and confessed to a friend he did it.Henry was convinced that he would be found guilty by the all white jury that would no doubtedly be placed before him, so his not-so-experienced Lawyer convinced him to plead guilty to avoid the death sentence. Henry agreed, but refused to admit guilt on the stand. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and used many in the appeal process to get the world to understand he wouldn't have plead guilty if he hadn't been afraid of the death sentence. Henry's case made it all the way to the Supreme Court, and now the concept of pleading guilty while maintaining your innocence is known as an Alford Plea. But first, Robin brings her Something Something and Zoey and Robin do a Buzzfeed Quiz to find out what horror movie genre they are.Sources: https://hauntedhospitality.wordpress.com/2023/09/12/ep-128-to-plea-or-not-to-plea-the-origin-and-history-of-the-alford-plea/Visit us on Social Media! Stay Spooky!

The Alford plea has come up in several cases we have covered. But what does it really mean? To what crimes does it apply? And how did it get started in the first place?This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4106013/advertisement

In this week's study, I start continue in Chapter 12 verses 5 to 7.5.             man-child = Greek, “a son, a male.” On the deep significance of this term, re-read verses 1 and 2rule = Greek, “poimainein,” “tend as a shepherd”; (see on Rev. 2:27). The word “rule” is important because in the original language it carries with it the idea of destruction.  It is the idea of “destroying” and, indeed, the messianic kingdom, when the Lord returns will destroy all other kingdoms. His kingdom alone will dominate the world.  His rod of justice is one of iron. It will not be broken. rod of iron = A rod is for long-continued determination until they submit themselves to obedienceBeginning with verse 6 I ask the question, Is this verse speaking of 2 events? An event of the past and an event of the future?6.             woman fled = We recall the Virgin Mary's flight with Yahshua Messiah into Egypt is a type of this event. In our charts that we have been creating along in this study, I have a chart titled “Wrath of Satan”. Contained in this chart I have listed 10 verses and 5 events.prepared of God = literally, “from Yahweh.”they should feed her = Greek, “nourish her.” Indefinite for, “she should be fed.”7.        And there was war in heaven = keep in mind that we are now discussing a supernatural battle! Listen to how Henry Alford explains this, ‘(we now enter upon a mysterious series of events in the world of spirits, with regard to which merely fragmentary hints are given us in the Scriptures.1. Suppression of all religion, including all communions and doctrines which could not be subjected as tools for illuminism. 2. Suppression of all Sentiments of nationality and - in the long term - abolition of all nations and introduction of an illuministic world government. 3. Successive transference of all private and national property into the hands of the Illuminati. The methods through which to accomplish this were new taxation laws, which illuministic officials were to introduce. Weishaupt's original plans also included a progressive income tax and an even more confiscatory inheritance tax.4. An all-encompassing espionage and accusation system with the "insinuating brothers" as prototype.  The symbol of this was the all-seeing eye, an eye within a pyramid, which was the illuministic symbol of power. It was also known as "the evil eye", which symbolized Osiris. This symbol originated from the Brotherhood of the Serpent (Dragon) of ancient Egypt, at the same time proclaiming Lucifer as wisdom incarnate. And finally: 5. A global moral rule, a complete standardization of the innermost will, wishes and aspirations of all peoples beneath "the one will", the will of the Illuminati. This is symbolized by olive branches. These five rules are also denoted by the five-pointed star of freemasonry. The secret code of the Illuminati is 666. The code number of King Solomon was also 666. Every year he demanded 666 talents of gold (I Kings 10:14). The design of his throne incorporated the code 666. The tale of Solomon is the basis for masonic magic. The Illuminati simply wanted to abolish all forms of ordered government, patriotism, religion and the family to finally set up a world government. Righteous people would never work for such an abhorrent program, so the "ordinary" Illuminati were filled with fair phrases about love, charity and such which we call "ideology" today. Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me at keitner@netzero.net

Today on the show, we remember Henry Alford, a multitalented author, publisher, and priest. @1517 #christianhistory #christian #history #OTD — SHOW NOTES are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac GIVE BACK: Support the work of 1517 today CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (gillespie.media).

Support the podcast: patreon.com/thehemingwaylist War & Peace - Ander Louis Translation: Kindle and Amazon Print Host: @anderlouis

This writer is astute and amusing about manners, aging, and their intersection: “The shusher in the movie is always much louder than the person who's talking; I've become a shusher.”  Impressively, he has the self-awareness to recognize it, the courage to admit it, and the sense of humor to make it bearable.

The Alford Plea provides a way for a defended to plead guilty while maintaining their innocence. Should this be allowed in criminal court? Where did it come from? Who benefits?Covered Topics: The West Memphis 3, Henry Alford, Act Utilitarianism, Jeremy BenthemFurther Reading:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alford_pleahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_Three#Releasehttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-crime-westmemphis3-arkansas/after-18-years-west-memphis-3-go-free-on-plea-deal-idUSTRE77I54A20110819https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism#Utility_ignores_justicehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVltykvceWwhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Benthamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_utilitarianismhttps://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/1970/70-14_10-14-1970.pdfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG3zGzY2hskhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_v._Alfordhttps://www.delgazette.com/opinion/24467/david-hejmanowski-the-lasting-legacy-of-henry-alfordhttps://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/then-now-the-west-memphis-three Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ground of true thanksgiving is faith - belief that the good things we have are given to us from someone outside of us who deserves thanks. And when God's people give him this thanksgiving, that act of embodied faith draws people who don't know God into a desired relationship with him. Thanksgiving and Evangelism — Thanksgiving Eve Service, November 24, 2021: https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/2021-thanksgiving-eve-service Order of service: https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/wp-content/uploads/st-james-20211124-order-of-service.pdf Psalm 67 Deuteronomy 8:1–10 Philippians 4:6–20 John 11:38–44 Hymns: - For the Fruits of His Creation: Text: Fred Pratt Green, © 1970 Hope Publishing Co.; used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001220. Tune: Wels, public domain. - Come, Ye Thankful People, Come: Text by Henry Alford; tune by George J. Elvey; text and tune are public domain. - Sing to the Lord of Harvest: Text: John S. B. Monsell. Tune: Johann Steurlien. Text and tune: Public domain. - Great Is Thy Faithfulness: Text by Thomas O. Chisholm; tune by William M. Runyan; Text and tune are public domain. - Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow: Text by Thomas Ken; tune by Trente Quatre Pseaumes de David, 1551; text and tune are in public domain.

Jesus warns his original hearers, and us, that the kingdom's small and slow beginnings should not be confused with failure, but it will certainly grow and fill the whole world. The Planting of the Seed — Third Sunday after Pentecost, June 13, 2021: https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/2021-third-sunday-after-pentecost Order of service: https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/wp-content/uploads/st-james-20210613-order-of-service.pdf Psalm 92:1, 12–15 Ezekiel 17:22–24 2 Corinthians 5:1–17 Mark 4:26–34 Hymns: - The Compassion Hymn: Text and tune by Stuart Townend, Kristyn Getty, Keith Getty; © 2008 Thankyou Music; used with permission, CCLI License # 20286740. - Christ Is Risen, He Is Risen Indeed: Text and tune by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, and Ed Cash; © 2012 Alletrop Music | © 2012 Getty Music; used with permission, CCLI license # 20286740. - Come, Ye Thankful People, Come: Text by Henry Alford; tune by George J. Elvey; text and tune are public domain. - When I Behold Jesus Christ: Text by Almaz Belhu (sts.1-3, ref.), Joseph Herl (st.4), trans. Jim and Aurelia Keefer; tune by Almaz Belhu; text and tune, © 1970 Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus; text (st. 4), © 1998 Concordia Publishing House; used with permission, CCLI license # 20286740. - Beautiful Savior: Text by Münsterisch Gesangbuch, 1677, trans. Joseph A. Seiss; tune by Silesians, 19th cent.; public domain.

“Anything I can find that inspires me, propels me, goads me, is great.” - Henry Alford Today I interviewed Henry Alford. Henry Alford is a humorist and journalist HA writes for the New Yorker and Airmail. His six books include Big Kiss, which won a Thurber Prize, and most recently, a book about dancing called And Then We Danced. In this episode we speak about how: changes in audiences throughout his career, particulars of publishing, dealing with competition, and pondering the effect of the internet on comedy. To catch up with our guest: henryalford.com Twitter: @henryalford

Grateful — Thanksgiving Eve, November 25, 2020: https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/2020-thanksgiving-eve Order of service: https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/wp-content/uploads/st-james-20201125-order-of-service.pdf Psalm 67 Deuteronomy 8:1–10 1 Timothy 2:1–4 Luke 17:11–19 Hymns: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come: Text by Henry Alford; tune by George J. Elvey; text and tune are public domain. Sing to the Lord of Harvest: Text by John S.B. Monsell; tune by Johann Steurlein; text and tune are public domain. We Praise You, O God: Text by Julia B. Cory; tune by Nederlandtsch Gedenckclanck, 1626; text and tune are public domain.

Pastor Dave message today is Come, Ye Thankful People, Come. He is still teaching from the series of Powerful Psalms & Songs to tell us about Henry Alford.

This is a BONUS episode about Alford Pleas. It discussed Henry Alford, the West Memphis Three and Kerry Max Cook. Aggravating Circumstances Season One Episode Eighteen. The continuing story of the wrongful conviction of Destry McKinney. Season One of Aggravating Circumstances tells the story of Destry Cord McKinney a musician, studio producer, combat medic and father. It's a tale of hidden evidence, unintended consequences and a wrongful conviction. This is a continuing story so be sure to start with episode one. See more at AggravatingCircumstances.com

Do you clip your fingernails in public? Chew with your mouth open? Interrupt people? We speak with manners expert Henry Alford about etiquette in the modern world.

Today, we tented with some Black Anabaptist kindred: Osheta Moore, Jerrell Williams, and Glen Guyton. Sister Osheta called her "Dear White Peacemakers" following to show up for anti-racism in better ways than we are. Pastor Megan follows her lead: I'm sorry. I'm listening. I'm learning. Also: Mennonites & Police Abolitionism - if we don't have the ancestors we need in this work, then our call is to BECOME the ancestors we wish we had. [sermon begins at 22:10]+++PHOTO: "Defund SPD," by Megan Ramer, June 2020+++Permission to podcast the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-726929. All rights reserved.How Can We Be Silent - Words and Music by Michael Mahler, © 2003, GIA Publications, Inc.We walk by faith and not by sight - Words by Henry Alford; Music by Marty Haugen, © 1984, GIA Publications, Inc.My Soul Cries Out - Words and Music by Rory Cooney, © 1990, GIA Publications, Inc. (arrangement of Irish traditional tune)Other credits:Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness (Ordinary Terrible Things), by Anastasia Higginbotham.

As interviewed: Irving Ruan Henry Alford is a humorist and journalist who writes for The New Yorker, the New York Times, and Vanity Fair. His stories have also appeared in Spy magazine, the New York Times Magazine, GQ, Vogue, The Village Voice, McSweeney's, Harper's, the Los Angeles Times, and The Paris Review. He is the author of five books Including How to Live, which won the James Thurber Prize for American Humor, and his most recent, And Then We Danced. Website: www.henryalford.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/henryalford Henry's writing in The New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/henry-alford Bruce Springsteen Interview for Vanity Fair: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/09/bruce-springsteen-cover-story --- MUSIC at the end of the podcast by Neil Swany https://www.instagram.com/swanybeats/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bravemaker/support

WE ARE LIVE AND SO ARE YOU in this month's bonus ep. Join us onstage as we listen to secrets from our friends Karolena Theresa, Henry Alford, and Thirst Aid Kit. Recorded live at Caveatin October 2019. Enjoy because we're now running off for the next few months to finish season 3 of OMNH! Become part of the team and support us on Patreon! Subscribe to our newsletter for monthly secrets, Facebook to meet our friends, Twitter to talk to us, and Instagram to look at pretty pics. Show links: Karolena Theresa Henry Alford Thirst Aid Kit

Psalm 95:1-7"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" November 24, 2019 In this holiday week's episode of the Meeting Midway Podcast, Pastor Brad shares a message about the meaning of Thanksgiving. As the the Thanksgiving tables are set during the week, Pastor Brad speaks about the importance of finding the moments of love and thanks during the often hectic holiday. This message also speaks to the need of thanksgiving within our imperfect and blemished lives. Meeting Midway is a podcast of Midway United Methodist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and on our website, www.midwayumc.orgService Times:Traditional (Historic Chapel) - 8:30AMAcoustic (Historic Chapel) - 9:45AMContemporary (Modern Sanctuary) - 11:00AM

Episode 313 also includes an EW Essay titled "Incredible." We share an article published in the New Yorker magazine by Henry Alford titled "Good Morning, Moon." We have an EW poem called "Train." Our music this go round is provided by these wonderful artists: Django Reinhardt, Stephan Grapelli, Kamasi Washington, Rage Against the Machine, Margo Price, New York Jazz Lounge, R.E.M., Louis Jordan, Branford Marsalis and Terrence Blanchard.  Commercial Free, Small Batch Radio Crafted In the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania... Heard All Over The World. Tell your Friends and Neighbors...

A Taste - "You're Not Aloud to Have a Direct Connection to the Divine..." We have for your listening pleasure Episode 313 of "Troubadours and Raconteurs with E.W. Conundrum Demure." Episode 313 features a vivacious conversation with Regular Contributor - Writer, Activist, Baker & Candlestick Maker: Kitty Belle Burbank. Kitty Belle and I discuss How to Change Your Mind, Michael Pollan, Psychedelics, Marijuana, Magic Mushrooms, the Anti-Marijuana Political Campaign, the Best Spiritual Experiences, the Failure of Religion, Risk vs. Medicine, What is True, Feeling Empowered, a Direct Connection to the Divine, the Sickness of Society, Mindy Kaling, Immigrants, Misogyny... Episode 313 also includes an EW Essay titled "Incredible." We share an article published in the New Yorker magazine by Henry Alford titled "Good Morning, Moon." We have an EW poem called "Train." Our music this go round is provided by these wonderful artists: Django Reinhardt, Stephan Grapelli, Kamasi Washington, Rage Against the Machine, Margo Price, New York Jazz Lounge, R.E.M., Louis Jordan, Branford Marsalis and Terrence Blanchard. Commercial Free, Small Batch Radio Crafted In the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania... Heard All Over The World. Tell your Friends and Neighbors...

Four members of the Algonquin boys hockey team visited with host Tommy Cassell to talk about winning the Daily News Cup. After beating Hudson in the semifinals of the Daily News Cup, the Tomahawks defeated Hopkinton in a rematch of the previous finals. Four Algonquin players in senior captain Nolan Kimball, juniors Matt Bogdanski and Henry Alford, and sophomore Henry Antino talked all things hockey, swag, traditions and music choices. The Tomahawks started the podcast off by singing the song they play in the locker room after a win before surprising a classmate over the phone with a cool announcement.  Cassell’s Corner Each week, Tommy Cassell of the MetroWest Daily and Milford Daily News will talk with a high school sports figure from the MetroWest and Milford areas. A new episode is released every Wednesday. Follow Cassell on Twitter at @TommyCassell44 or by email at tcassell@wickedlocal.com You can subscribe via iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or any other podcast provider. Don’t forget to rate and review. And if you aren’t a podcast listener, every episode of Cassell’s Corner is available on our websites.

NY Times and New Yorker writer HENRY ALFORD tells KX 93.5's Sheran James about his last seven years learning every dance he could think of while recording his experiences in his book “And Then We Danced.”

Did your school have mandatory square dancing lesson? Mine did, which may be why I’ll never wear western plaid again. Humorist and participatory journalist Henry Alford has not only written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Vanity … Continue reading →

Bill welcomes author Henry Alford to the show. A humorist and journalist, Henry Alford has written for the New Yorker, the New York Times and Vanity Fair for two decades. He has also been a contributor to National Public Radio. He is the author of a book about manners, Would It Kill You To Stop Doing That?; a book about the wisdom of people over the age of 70, How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They are Still on This Earth; a humor collection, Municipal Bondage; and an account of his attempts to become a working actor, Big Kiss, which won a Thurber Prize for American Humor. His most recent book,  And Then We Danced, is all about dance. Don't miss it!

Carl Zimmer discusses “She Has Her Mother’s Laugh,” and Henry Alford talks about “And Then We Danced.”

A show about how sounds from household items and nature get turned into something else. First Kurt Andersen talks with Ben Burtt, the legendary sound designer who came up with the iconic noises in “Star Wars,” “WALL-E” and more. Then Kurt gets a lesson on the theremin from a master of this out-there instrument, Pamelia Stickney. Many people find the cacophony that comes from old steam radiators to be aggravating, but the writer Henry Alford hears music in his, and sets to work to make a symphony from the clanks and hisses. And then it all goes to the birds: Artist Nina Katchadourian replaced her car alarms with recordings of bird calls … and Ben Birin fuses birdsong with beatboxing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A show about how sounds from household items and nature get turned into something else. First Kurt Andersen talks with Ben Burtt, the legendary sound designer who came up with the iconic noises in “Star Wars,” “WALL-E” and more. Then Kurt gets a lesson on the theremin from a master of this out-there instrument, Pamelia Stickney. Many people find the cacophony that comes from old steam radiators to be aggravating, but the writer Henry Alford hears music in his, and sets to work to make a symphony from the clanks and hisses. And then it all goes to the birds: Artist Nina Katchadourian replaced her car alarms with recordings of bird calls … and Ben Birin fuses birdsong with beatboxing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you prefer dark meat, white meat, Tofurky or just mashed potatoes, most Americans can agree that the 2016 presidential election was contentious. With neither candidate managing to garner 50-percent of the vote and in a world of charged media outlets, families coming together for Thanksgiving Dinner face the likely prospect of heated political conversation landing on their holiday platters. And, as The United States of Anxiety found, the caustic nature of politics not only wears away one's patience but also one's health. So to ensure that the hardest thing you will be between this holiday season is a poorly baked dinner roll, WNYC's Brian Lehrer takes counsel from humorist Henry Alford and Emory philosophy professor George Yancy, PhD, on how to avoid the pitfalls of cross-party dinner conversation.  Plus across the hour, Brian will be joined by Mary Harris of WNYC Studios's Only Human podcast to provide insights on how to actually listen to those who may have divergent views.

While politicians and developers strategize how to control the changes in New York, we want find out what gentrification feels like on the ground. How does a tidal wave of money and fast-shifting demographics affect the people who share a neighborhood? What role does race play when it comes to deciding who is included in a community — and who is excluded? We start on the west coast in San Francisco, where Alex Nieto was shot 14 times by police after new white residents reported him as a foreigner in his own neighborhood of Bernal Heights. Jamilah King of Mic.com talks about the gentrification dynamics that were central in Nieto's death.  Then we swing back to the epicenter of Brooklyn gentrification: Williamsburg. Writer and humorist Henry Alford talks about the inherently white aesthetic of the Brooklyn hipster, and YouTube personality Akilah Hughes tells her story about a racialized assault that spirals out of control at a well-known bar one Halloween night.   And we meet Tranquilina Alvillar from Puebla, Mexico, who's been living in her Williamsburg apartment for 25 years. Her landlord tried everything to get her out — paying her to leave, changing the lock, demolition — but she's still there.      Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

While politicians and developers strategize how to control the changes in New York, we want find out what gentrification feels like on the ground. How does a tidal wave of money and fast-shifting demographics affect the people who share a neighborhood? What role does race play when it comes to deciding who is included in a community — and who is excluded? We start on the west coast in San Francisco, where Alex Nieto was shot 14 times by police after new white residents reported him as a foreigner in his own neighborhood of Bernal Heights. Jamilah King of Mic.com talks about the gentrification dynamics that were central in Nieto's death.  Then we swing back to the epicenter of Brooklyn gentrification: Williamsburg. Writer and humorist Henry Alford talks about the inherently white aesthetic of the Brooklyn hipster, and YouTube personality Akilah Hughes tells her story about a racialized assault that spirals out of control at a well-known bar one Halloween night.   And we meet Tranquilina Alvillar from Puebla, Mexico, who's been living in her Williamsburg apartment for 25 years. Her landlord tried everything to get her out — paying her to leave, changing the lock, demolition — but she's still there.      Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

It’s not a coincidence that we decided to tackle listening right before a big holiday, when a lot of us are about to spend time with family. After all, sometimes the people we love the most can be the hardest to listen to — and that can make for contentious conversation (unless you’ve got Adele to save you). So we’re rounding out Only Human’s Listen Up project with some guidance to navigating the dialogue at your Thanksgiving dinner table. Henry Alford, who writes about manners for the New York Times, had heard about so many family trainwrecks during the holidays. And he started wondering, what would people who deal with serious conflict have to say about getting through a challenging family gathering? He called up the experts: crisis negotiators. Some strategies he heard from the FBI: saying sorry even when you might not be, and acknowledging differing opinions without actually disagreeing. But what these techniques really boil down to is being attentive and thoughtful. “The person who can come up to me a year later and say, ‘How’s your cat?’ or ‘How did your mother’s surgery go?’ Just any little bit of emotional recall, that’s hugely flattering,” Alford explains. We all want to be listened to, but we’re not great listeners. So this Thanksgiving make sure to offer the mashed potatoes, as well as an attentive ear.   Did you use any of our Listen Up! strategies at your Thanksgiving table?  Tell us. Leave a comment here or Tweet us @onlyhuman, using #ListenUp.   //

Tablet staffers Mark Oppenheimer, Liel Leibovitz, and Stephanie Butnick sound off about the (legal) battle of the Jewish dating apps, a crowd-funded effort to reelect Canada's Jewish prime minister, and a Nazi-themed romance novel. Ophira Eisenberg, stand-up comic and host of NPR's quiz show 'Ask Me Another,' discusses the politics of strangers touching pregnant women's bumps, and why her NPR celebrity status matters not at all to her big Canadian family. Humor writer and guest non-Jew Henry Alford asks why his gaydar doesn't seem to work for Jewish guys, who all seem to own multiple sweaters and have close relationships with their mothers.You can find more about Ophira Eisenberg, plus her stand-up schedule, here: http://ophiraeisenberg.com/. For more about Henry Alford, check out his website, http://henryalford.com/.For more Unorthodox, visit tabletmag.com/unorthodox. Let us know what you think of Unorthodox: emailunorthodox@tabletmag.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You get that Facebook invite. You think to yourself, "Yeah, that could be fun." You get reminders in the days leading up to the event. As the clock ticks down, you think yourself, "I like the person who invited me, but that dinner starts at 8pm on a Tuesday night. Do I really want to go?" No, you don't want to go but the RSVP says yes. You did what Henry Alford refers to as an "aspirational RSVP."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Henry Alford is a very funny writer. I've been laughing at his writing since about 1990, when he erupted in Spy Magazine, with hilarious speculative pieces like, "What If The Pope Were A Dog?"Not long ago, he was asked to review a collection by another funny writer, Garrison Keillor. He did it, keenly aware that many people who find him funny are the kinds of people who find Keillor tiresome. And, maybe a bigger problem, Keillor had written some columns about gays and atheists that riled up not just Alford's fans, but people he knows pretty well. So what's a critic to do? Alford actually admired some things about the book, and said so. There was pushback. We'll talk about that today on The Scramble. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Nikolas Gisborne, Chair of Linguistics, delivers his inaugural lecture entitled, What’s Grammar For? If you listen to how people talk about grammar in the press you could be forgiven for thinking that it is little more than an aesthetic matter, to do with ‘good’ and ‘bad’ writing. A hundred and fifty years after Henry Alford popularized the spurious ‘rule’ that the English infinitive should not be ‘split’, there are still people who—against all reason—insist, and trenchantly, that it’s wrong to put an adverb between TO and the bare form of the verb it’s associated with. But grammar is so much more than this. Find more information on this lecture at http://edin.ac/1nqN1SX.Recorded on 29 April 2014 at the University of Edinburgh's Old College.

We’ve all come across bad manners in our lifetime, the straphanger who spits in front of us on the subway platform – the man or woman who cuts into the line at the deli. But, while it’s easy to spot bad manners, it’s harder to recognize good manners in today’s fast-paced, digital society. In his book, Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?: A Modern Guide to Manners, author Henry Alford aims to find out what good manners look like in an era of constantly beeping cell phones and live-tweeting. Alford's our guest on this week's on Cityscape.

We've all come across bad manners in our lifetime, the straphanger who spits in front of us on the subway platform – the man or woman who cuts into the line at the deli. But, while it's easy to spot bad manners, it's harder to recognize good manners in today's fast-paced, digital society. In his book, Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That?: A Modern Guide to Manners, author Henry Alford aims to find out what good manners look like in an era of constantly beeping cell phones and live-tweeting. Alford's our guest on this week's on Cityscape.