Podcasts about Tufts University

Thank you once again for all your wonderful questions. Grateful for your support!

Job creation is the north star for the World Bank Group. But how can we go about it in a way that has a truly catalytic impact? Impact in the sense of generating large numbers of jobs in a sustained way. The answer is to build ecosystems, where all elements interact and support each other. In this episode of The Development Podcast, we get into the nuts and bolts of building jobs ecosystems. We unpack AgriConnect, a new initiative to transform small-scale farming into an engine of sustainable growth, jobs, and food security, and we discuss how technical innovations including “small-AI” can help make this vision a reality. Join us as we hear from: Ajay Banga, President, World Bank Group; Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigeria; Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Egypt; Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business, Fletcher School, Tufts University; Nidhi Pant, Co-founder of S4S Technologies; Chege Kirundi, Chairman of Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Holdings Ltd and Mufasa, poet, actor, writer and teaching artist from KenyaTimestamps[00:00] Building ecosystems around job creation[03:43] Creating jobs through tourism in Egypt[05:53] The role of connectivity in Nigeria[10:19] What is small AI and why does it matter?[15:20] From subsistence to surplus farming[22:19] "Farms do not just feed people they nourish communities" Mufasa ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT PODCASTThis international development podcast brings together the data, research—and solutions—that can pave the way to a sustainable future. Through conversations focused on revealing the latest data, the best research, and cutting-edge solutions, let us introduce you to the folks working to make the world a better place. Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. And rate our show! ;) Tell us what you think of our podcast here >>>. We would love to hear from you! ABOUT THE WORLD BANKThe World Bank is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for low-income countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development.

Andrew Ross Sorkin is an award-winning journalist for The New York Times and a co-anchor of Squawk Box, CNBC's signature morning program. He is also the founder and editor at large of DealBook, an online daily financial report published by The New York Times that he started in 2001. Sorkin is the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail and the co-producer of the 2011 film adaptation, which was nominated for eleven Emmy Awards. Sorkin is also the co-creator of the drama series Billions on Showtime. Get his absolutely brilliant book 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation here: https://amzn.to/47o3wgK Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island.

Student journalist and first-time documentary filmmaker Matthew Winkler joins us to discuss his work on a film chronicling the life and career of Joya Sherrill, an unsung American jazz vocalist who wrote the lyrics to the Billy Strayhorn standard, "Take the A Train," made famous by the Duke Ellington orchestra. Matthew came across Sherrill's name during his freshman year at Tufts University, while doing research for Boston Globe journalist and noted biographer Larry Tye, who was writing a book about jazz. Matthew, a music and history major, was astonished to discover the small footprint Sherrill had left behind, despite being the first female jazz singer to visit the Soviet Union, accompanying bandleader Benny Goodman, and earning the distinction of being one of Duke Ellington's favorite singers. "Public-facing history is very important to me," Matthew told a reporter for Tufts Now, the university's alumni magazine, in an article detailing how the Tufts undergraduate grew a student research project into a feature-length documentary, with the help of his professors and mentors. "I hope this film will make people know who Joya Sherrill is and why we should care about her. On a broader level, I think a documentary like this will make people realize how easy it is for remarkable figures to fall through the cracks of history." With this conversation, it is hoped, he might also signal to aspiring storytellers how easy it is to keep their eyes and ears open for stories that might move us, inspire us, and enlighten us. Learn more about Matthew Winkler: LinkedIn Five Sisters Productions Please support the sponsors who support our show: Gotham Ghostwriters' Gathering of the Ghosts Ritani Jewelers Daniel Paisner's Balloon Dog Daniel Paisner's SHOW: The Making and Unmaking of a Network Television Pilot Heaven Help Us by John Kasich Unforgiving: Lessons from the Fall by Lindsey Jacobellis Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Libro.fm (ASTOLDTO) | 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 when you start your membership Film Freaks Forever! podcast, hosted by Mark Jordan Legan and Phoef Sutton Everyday Shakespeare podcast A Mighty Blaze podcast The Writer's Bone Podcast Network Misfits Market (WRITERSBONE) | $15 off your first order  Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Wizard Pins (WRITERSBONE) | 20% discount

In this episode of the Leading Voices in Food podcast, host Norbert Wilson is joined by food and nutrition policy economists Will Masters and Parke Wilde from Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition, Science and Policy. The discussion centers around the concept of the least cost diet, a tool used to determine the minimum cost required to maintain a nutritionally adequate diet. The conversation delves into the global computational methods and policies related to least cost diets, the challenges of making these diets culturally relevant, and the implications for food policy in both the US and internationally. You will also hear about the lived experiences of people affected by these diets and the need for more comprehensive research to better reflect reality. Interview Summary I know you both have been working in this space around least cost diets for a while. So, let's really start off by just asking a question about what brought you into this work as researchers. Why study least cost diets? Will, let's start with you. I'm a very curious person and this was a puzzle. So, you know, people want health. They want healthy food. Of course, we spend a lot on healthcare and health services, but do seek health in our food. As a child growing up, you know, companies were marketing food as a source of health. And people who had more money would spend more for premium items that were seen as healthy. And in the 2010s for the first time, we had these quantified definitions of what a healthy diet was as we went from 'nutrients' to 'food groups,' from the original dietary guidelines pyramid to the MyPlate. And then internationally, the very first quantified definitions of healthful diets that would work anywhere in the world. And I was like, oh, wow. Is it actually expensive to eat a healthy diet? And how much does it cost? How does it differ by place location? How does it differ over time, seasons, and years? And I just thought it was a fascinating question. Great, thank you for that. Parke? There's a lot of policy importance on this, but part of the fun also of this particular topic is more than almost any that we work on, it's connected to things that we have to think about in our daily lives. So, as you're preparing and purchasing food for your family and you want it to be a healthy. And you want it to still be, you know, tasty enough to satisfy the kids. And it can't take too long because it has to fit into a busy life. So, this one does feel like it's got a personal connection. Thank you both for that. One of the things I heard is there was an availability of data. There was an opportunity that seems like it didn't exist before. Can you speak a little bit about that? Especially Will because you mentioned that point. Will: Yes. So, we have had food composition data identifying for typical items. A can of beans, or even a pizza. You know, what is the expected, on average quantity of each nutrient. But only recently have we had those on a very large scale for global items. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of distinct items. And we had nutrient requirements, but only nutrient by nutrient, and the definition of a food group where you would want not only the nutrients, but also the phytochemicals, the attributes of food from its food matrix that make a vegetable different from just in a vitamin pill. And those came about in, as I mentioned, in the 2010s. And then there's the computational tools and the price observations that get captured. They've been written down on pads of paper, literally, and brought to a headquarters to compute inflation since the 1930s. But access to those in digitized form, only really in the 2000s and only really in the 2010s were we able to have program routines that would download millions and millions of price observations, match them to food composition data, match that food composition information to a healthy diet criterion, and then compute these least cost diets. Now we've computed millions and millions of these thanks to modern computing and all of that data. Great, Will. And you've already started on this, so let's continue on this point. You were talking about some of the computational methods and data that were available globally. Can you give us a good sense of what does a lease cost diet look like from this global perspective because we're going to talk to Parke about whether it is in the US. But let's talk about it in the broad sense globally. In my case the funding opportunity to pay for the graduate students and collaborators internationally came from the Gates Foundation and the UK International Development Agency, initially for a pilot study in Ghana and Tanzania. And then we were able to get more money to scale that up to Africa and South Asia, and then globally through a project called Food Prices for Nutrition. And what we found, first of all, is that to get agreement on what a healthy diet means, we needed to go to something like the least common denominator. The most basic, basic definition from the commonalities among national governments' dietary guidelines. So, in the US, that's MyPlate, or in the UK it's the Eat Well Guide. And each country's dietary guidelines look a little different, but they have these commonalities. So, we distilled that down to six food groups. There's fruits and vegetables, separately. And then there's animal source foods altogether. And in some countries they would separate out milk, like the United States does. And then all starchy staples together. And in some countries, you would separate out whole grains like the US does. And then all edible oils. And those six food groups, in the quantities needed to provide all the nutrients you would need, plus these attributes of food groups beyond just what's in a vitamin pill, turns out to cost about $4 a day. And if you adjust for inflation and differences in the cost of living, the price of housing and so forth around the world, it's very similar. And if you think about seasonal variation in a very remote area, it might rise by 50% in a really bad situation. And if you think about a very remote location where it's difficult to get food to, it might go up to $5.50, but it stays in that range between roughly speaking $2.50 and $5.00. Meanwhile, incomes are varying from around $1.00 a day, and people who cannot possibly afford those more expensive food groups, to $200 a day in which these least expensive items are trivially small in cost compared to the issues that Parke mentioned. We can also talk about what we actually find as the items, and those vary a lot from place to place for some food groups and are very similar to each other in other food groups. So, for example, the least expensive item in an animal source food category is very often dairy in a rich country. But in a really dry, poor country it's dried fish because refrigeration and transport are very expensive. And then to see where there's commonalities in the vegetable category, boy. Onions, tomatoes, carrots are so inexpensive around the world. We've just gotten those supply chains to make the basic ingredients for a vegetable stew really low cost. But then there's all these other different vegetables that are usually more expensive. So, it's very interesting to look at which are the items that would deliver the healthfulness you need and how much they cost. It's surprisingly little from a rich country perspective, and yet still out of reach for so many in low-income countries. Will, thank you for that. And I want to turn now to looking in the US case because I think there's some important commonalities. Parke, can you describe the least cost diet, how it's used here in the US, and its implications for policy? Absolutely. And full disclosure to your audience, this is work on which we've benefited from Norbert's input and wisdom in a way that's been very valuable as a co-author and as an advisor for the quantitative part of what we were doing. For an article in the journal Food Policy, we use the same type of mathematical model that USDA uses when it sets the Thrifty Food Plan, the TFP. A hypothetical diet that's used as the benchmark for the maximum benefit in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is the nation's most important anti-hunger program. And what USDA does with this model diet is it tries to find a hypothetical bundle of foods and beverages that's not too different from what people ordinarily consume. The idea is it should be a familiar diet, it should be one that's reasonably tasty, that people clearly already accept enough. But it can't be exactly that diet. It has to be different enough at least to meet a cost target and to meet a whole long list of nutrition criteria. Including getting enough of the particular nutrients, things like enough calcium or enough protein, and also, matching food group goals reasonably well. Things like having enough fruits, enough vegetables, enough dairy. When, USDA does that, it finds that it's fairly difficult. It's fairly difficult to meet all those goals at once, at a cost and a cost goal all at the same time. And so, it ends up choosing this hypothetical diet that's almost maybe more different than would feel most comfortable from people's typical average consumption. Thank you, Parke. I'm interested to understand the policy implications of this least cost diet. You suggested something about the Thrifty Food Plan and the maximum benefit levels. Can you tell us a little bit more about the policies that are relevant? Yes, so the Thrifty Food Plan update that USDA does every five years has a much bigger policy importance now than it did a few years ago. I used to tell my students that you shouldn't overstate how much policy importance this update has. It might matter a little bit less than you would think. And the reason was because every time they update the Thrifty Food Plan, they use the cost target that is the inflation adjusted or the real cost of the previous edition. It's a little bit as if nobody wanted to open up the whole can of worms about what should the SNAP benefit be in the first place. But everything changed with the update in 2021. In 2021, researchers at the US Department of Agriculture found that it was not possible at the old cost target to find a diet that met all of the nutrition criteria - at all. Even if you were willing to have a diet that was quite different from people's typical consumption. And so, they ended up increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan in small increments until they found a solution to this mathematical model using data on real world prices and on the nutrition characteristics of these foods. And this led to a 21% increase in the permanent value of the maximum SNAP benefit. Many people didn't notice that increase all that much because the increase came into effect at just about the same time that a temporary boost during the COVID era to SNAP benefits was being taken away. So there had been a temporary boost to how much benefits people got as that was taken away at the end of the start of the COVID pandemic then this permanent increase came in and it kind of softened the blow from that change in benefits at that time. But it now ends up meaning that the SNAP benefit is substantially higher than it would've been without this 2021 increase. And there's a lot of policy attention on this in the current Congress and in the current administration. There's perhaps a skeptical eye on whether this increase was good policy. And so, there are proposals to essentially take away the ability to update the Thrifty Food Plan change the maximum SNAP benefit automatically, as it used to. As you know, Norbert, this is part of all sorts of things going on currently. Like we heard in the news, just last week, about plans to end collecting household food security measurement using a major national survey. And so there will be sort of possibly less information about how these programs are doing and whether a certain SNAP benefit is needed in order to protect people from food insecurity and hunger. Parke, this is really important and I'm grateful that we're able to talk about this today in that SNAP benefit levels are still determined by this mathematical program that's supposed to represent a nutritionally adequate diet that also reflects food preferences. And I don't know how many people really understand or appreciate that. I can say I didn't understand or appreciate it until working more in this project. I think it's critical for our listeners to understand just how important this particular mathematical model is, and what it says about what a nutritionally adequate diet looks like in this country. I know the US is one of the countries that uses a model diet like this to help set policy. Will, I'd like to turn to you to see what ways other nations are using this sort of model diet. How have you seen policy receive information from these model diets? It's been a remarkable thing where those initial computational papers that we were able to publish in first in 2018, '19, '20, and governments asking how could we use this in practice. Parke has laid out how it's used in the US with regard to the benefit level of SNAP. The US Thrifty Food Plan has many constraints in addition to the basic ones for the Healthy Diet Basket that I described. Because clearly that Healthy Diet Basket minimum is not something anyone in America would think is acceptable. Just to have milk and frozen vegetables and low-cost bread, that jar peanut butter and that's it. Like that would be clearly not okay. So, internationally what's happened is that first starting in 2020, and then using the current formula in 2022, the United Nations agencies together with the World Bank have done global monitoring of food and nutrition security using this method. So, the least cost items to meet the Healthy Diet Basket in each country provide this global estimate that about a third of the global population have income available for food after taking account of their non-food needs. That is insufficient to buy this healthy diet. What they're actually eating is just starchy staples, oil, some calories from low-cost sugar and that's it. And very small quantities of the fruits and vegetables. And animal source foods are the expensive ones. So, countries have the opportunity to begin calculating this themselves alongside their normal monitoring of inflation with a consumer price index. The first country to do that was Nigeria. And Nigeria began publishing this in January 2024. And it so happened that the country's national minimum wage for civil servants was up for debate at that time. And this was a newly published statistic that turned out to be enormously important for the civil society advocates and the labor unions who were trying to explain why a higher civil service minimum wage was needed. This is for the people who are serving tea or the drivers and the low wage people in these government service agencies. And able to measure how many household members could you feed a healthy diet with a day's worth of the monthly wage. So social protection in the sense of minimum wage and then used in other countries regarding something like our US SNAP program or something like our US WIC program. And trying to define how big should those benefit levels be. That's been the first use. A second use that's emerging is targeting the supply chains for the low-cost vegetables and animal source foods and asking what from experience elsewhere could be an inexpensive animal source food. What could be the most inexpensive fruits. What could be the most inexpensive vegetables? And that is the type of work that we're doing now with governments with continued funding from the Gates Foundation and the UK International Development Agency. Will, it's fascinating to hear this example from Nigeria where all of the work that you all have been doing sort of shows up in this kind of debate. And it really speaks to the power of the research that we all are trying to do as we try to inform policy. Now, as we discussed the least cost diet, there was something that I heard from both of you. Are these diets that people really want? I'm interested to understand a little bit more about that because this is a really critical space.Will, what do we know about the lived experiences of those affected by least cost diet policy implementation. How are real people affected? It's such an important and interesting question, just out of curiosity, but also for just our human understanding of what life is like for people. And then of course the policy actions that could improve. So, to be clear, we've only had these millions of least cost diets, these benchmark 'access to' at a market near you. These are open markets that might be happening twice a week or sometimes all seven days of the week in a small town, in an African country or a urban bodega type market or a supermarket across Asia, Africa. We've only begun to have these benchmarks against which to compare actual food choice, as I mentioned, since 2022. And then really only since 2024 have been able to investigate this question. We're only beginning to match up these benchmark diets to what people actually choose. But the pattern we're seeing is that in low and lower middle-income countries, people definitely spend their money to go towards that healthy diet basket goal. They don't spend all of their additional money on that. But if you improve affordability throughout the range of country incomes - from the lowest income countries in Africa, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, to middle income countries in Africa, like Ghana, Indonesia, an upper middle-income country - people do spend their money to get more animal source foods, more fruits and vegetables, and to reduce the amount of the low cost starchy staples. They do increase the amount of discretionary, sugary meals. And a lot of what they're eating exits the healthy diet basket because there's too much added sodium, too much added sugar. And so, things that would've been healthy become unhealthy because of processing or in a restaurant setting. So, people do spend their money on that. But they are moving towards a healthy diet. That breaks down somewhere in the upper income and high-income countries where additional spending becomes very little correlated with the Healthy Diet Basket. What happens is people way overshoot the Healthy Diet Basket targets for animal source foods and for edible oils because I don't know if you've ever tried it, but one really delicious thing is fried meat. People love it. And even low middle income people overshoot on that. And that displaces the other elements of a healthy diet. And then there's a lot of upgrading, if you will, within the food group. So, people are spending additional money on nicer vegetables. Nicer fruits. Nicer animal source foods without increasing the total amount of them in addition to having overshot the healthy diet levels of many of those food groups. Which of course takes away from the food you would need from the fruits, the vegetables, and the pulses, nuts and seeds, that almost no one gets as much as is considered healthy, of that pulses, nuts and seeds category. Thank you. And I want to shift this to the US example. So, Parke, can you tell us a bit more about the lived experience of those affected by least cost diet policy? How are real people affected? One of the things I've enjoyed about this project that you and I got to work on, Norbert, in cooperation with other colleagues, is that it had both a quantitative and a qualitative part to it. Now, our colleague Sarah Folta led some of the qualitative interviews, sort of real interviews with people in food pantries in four states around the country. And this was published recently in the Journal of Health Education and Behavior. And we asked people about their goals and about what are the different difficulties or constraints that keep them from achieving those goals. And what came out of that was that people often talk about whether their budget constraints and whether their financial difficulties take away their autonomy to sort of be in charge of their own food choices. And this was something that Sarah emphasized as she sort of helped lead us through a process of digesting what was the key findings from these interviews with people. One of the things I liked about doing this study is that because the quantitative and the qualitative part, each had this characteristic of being about what do people want to achieve. This showed up mathematically in the constrained optimization model, but it also showed up in the conversations with people in the food pantry. And what are the constraints that keep people from achieving it. You know, the mathematical model, these are things like all the nutrition constraints and the cost constraints. And then in the real conversations, it's something that people raise in very plain language about what are all the difficulties they have. Either in satisfying their own nutrition aspirations or satisfying some of the requirements for one person or another in the family. Like if people have special diets that are needed or if they have to be gluten free or any number of things. Having the diets be culturally appropriate. And so, I feel like this is one of those classic things where different disciplines have wisdom to bring to bear on what's really very much a shared topic. What I hear from both of you is that these diets, while they are computationally interesting and they reveal some critical realities of how people eat, they can't cover everything. People want to eat certain types of foods. Certain types of foods are more culturally relevant. And that's really clear talking to you, Will, about just sort of the range of foods that end up showing up in these least cost diets and how you were having to make some adjustments there. Parke, as you talked about the work with Sarah Folta thinking through autonomy and sort of a sense of self. This kind of leads us to a question that I want to open up to both of you. What's missing when we talk about these least cost diet modeling exercises and what are the policy implications of that? What are the gaps in our understanding of these model diets and what needs to happen to make them reflect reality better? Parke? Well, you know, there's many things that people in our research community are working on. And it goes quite, quite far afield. But I'm just thinking of two related to our quantitative research using the Thrifty Food Plan type models. We've been working with Yiwen Zhao and Linlin Fan at Penn State University on how these models would work if you relaxed some of the constraints. If people's back in a financial sense weren't back up against the wall, but instead they had just a little more space. We were considering what if they had incentives that gave them a discount on fruits and vegetables, for example, through the SNAP program? Or what if they had a healthy bundle of foods provided through the emergency food system, through food banks or food pantries. What is the effect directly in terms of those foods? But also, what is the effect in terms of just relaxing their budget constraints. They get to have a little more of the foods that they find more preferred or that they had been going without. But then also, in terms of sort of your question about the more personal. You know, what is people's personal relationships with food? How does this play out on the ground? We're working with the graduate student Angelica Valdez Valderrama here at the Friedman School, thinking about what some of the cultural assumptions and of the food group constraints in some of these models are. If you sort of came from a different immigrant tradition or if you came from another community, what things would be different in, for example, decisions about what's called the Mediterranean diet or what's called the healthy US style dietary pattern. How much difference do this sort of breadth, cultural breadth of dietary patterns you could consider, how much difference does that make in terms of what's the outcome of this type of hypothetical diet? Will: And I think, you know, from the global perspective, one really interesting thing is when we do combine data sets and look across these very different cultural settings, dry land, Sahelian Africa versus countries that are coastal versus sort of forest inland countries versus all across Asia, south Asia to East Asia, all across Latin America. We do see the role of these cultural factors. And we see them playing out in very systematic ways that people come to their cultural norms for very good reasons. And then pivot and switch away to new cultural norms. You know, American fast food, for example, switching from beef primarily to chicken primarily. That sort of thing becomes very visible in a matter of years. So, in terms of things that are frontiers for us, remember this is early days. Getting many more nutritionists, people in other fields, looking at first of all, it's just what is really needed for health. Getting those health requirements improved and understood better is a key priority. Our Healthy Diet Basket comes from the work of a nutritionist named Anna Herforth, who has gone around the world studying these dietary guidelines internationally. We're about to get the Eat Lancet dietary recommendations announced, and it'll be very interesting to see how those evolve. Second thing is much better data on prices and computing these diets for more different settings at different times, different locations. Settings that are inner city United States versus very rural. And then this question of comparing to actual diets. And just trying to understand what people are seeking when they choose foods that are clearly not these benchmark least cost items. The purpose is to ask how far away and why and how are they far away? And particularly to understand to what degree are these attributes of the foods themselves: the convenience of the packaging, the preparation of the item, the taste, the flavor, the cultural significance of it. To what degree are we looking at the result of aspirations that are really shaped by marketing. Are really shaped by the fire hose of persuasion that companies are investing in every day. And very strategically and constantly iterating to the best possible spokesperson, the best possible ad campaign. Combining billboards and radio and television such that you're surrounded by this. And when you drive down the street and when you walk into the supermarket, there is no greater effort on the planet than the effort to sell us a particular brand of food. Food companies are basically marketing companies attached to a manufacturing facility, and they are spending much more than the entire combined budget of the NIH and CDC, et cetera, to persuade us to eat what we ultimately choose. And we really don't know to what degree it's the actual factors in the food itself versus the marketing campaigns and the way they've evolved. You know, if you had a choice between taking the food system and regulating it the way we regulate, say housing or vehicles. If we were to say your supermarket should be like an auto dealership, right? So, anything in the auto dealership is very heavily regulated. Everything from the paint to where the gear shift is to how the windows work. Everything is heavily regulated because the auto industry has worked with National Transportation Safety Board and every single crash investigation, et cetera, has led to the standards that we have now. We didn't get taxes on cars without airbags to make us choose cars with airbags. They're just required. And same is true for housing, right? You can't just build, you know, an extension deck behind your house any way you want. A city inspector will force you to tear it out if you haven't built it to code. So, you know, we could regulate the grocery store like we do that. It's not going to happen politically but compare that option to treating groceries the way we used to treat the legal services or pharmaceuticals. Which is you couldn't advertise them. You could sell them, and people would choose based on the actual merit of the lawyer or the pharmaceutical, right? Which would have the bigger impact. Right? If there was zero food advertising, you just walked into the grocery store and chose what you liked. Or you regulate the grocery store the same way we regulate automotive or building trades. Obviously, they both matter. There's, you know, this problem that you can't see, taste or smell the healthiness of food. You're always acting on belief and not a fact when you choose something that you're seeking health. We don't know to what extent choice is distorted away from a low-cost healthy diet by things people genuinely want and need. Such as taste, convenience, culture, and so forth. Versus things that they've been persuaded to want. And there's obviously some of both. All of these things matter. But I'm hopeful that through these least cost diets, we can identify that low-cost options are there. And you could feed your family a very healthy diet at the Thrifty Food Plan level in the United States, or even lower. It would take time, it would take attention, it would be hard. You can take some shortcuts to make that within your time budget, right? And the planning budget. And we can identify what those look like thanks to these model diets. It's a very exciting area of work, but we still have a lot to do to define carefully what are the constraints. What are the real objectives here. And how to go about helping people, acquire these foods that we now know are there within a short commuting distance. You may need to take the bus, you may need carpool. But that's what people actually do to go grocery shopping. And when they get there, we can help people to choose items that would genuinely meet their needs at lower cost. Bios Will Masters is a Professor in the Friedman School of Nutrition, with a secondary appointment in Tufts University's Department of Economics. He is coauthor of the new textbook on Food Economics: Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). Before coming to Tufts in 2010 he was a faculty member in Agricultural Economics at Purdue University (1991-2010), and also at the University of Zimbabwe (1989-90), Harvard's Kennedy School of Government (2000) and Columbia University (2003-04). He is former editor-in-chief of the journal Agricultural Economics (2006-2011), and an elected Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (FASN) as well as a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA). At Tufts his courses on economics of agriculture, food and nutrition were recognized with student-nominated, University-wide teaching awards in 2019 and 2022, and he leads over a million dollars annually in externally funded research including work on the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy (https://www.anh-academy.org), as well as projects supporting government efforts to calculate the cost and affordability of healthy diets worldwide and work with private enterprises on data analytics for food markets in Africa. Parke Wilde (PhD, Cornell) is a food economist and professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Previously, he worked for USDA's Economic Research Service. At Tufts, Parke teaches graduate-level courses in statistics, U.S. food policy, and climate change. His research addresses the economics of U.S. food and nutrition policy, including federal nutrition assistance programs. He was Director of Design for the SNAP Healthy Incentives Pilot (HIP) evaluation. He has been a member of the National Academy of Medicine's Food Forum and is on the scientific and technical advisory committee for Menus of Change, an initiative to advance the health and sustainability of the restaurant industry. He directs the USDA-funded Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics (RIDGE) Partnership. He received the AAEA Distinguished Quality of Communication Award for his textbook, Food Policy in the United States: An Introduction (Routledge/Earthscan), whose third edition was released in April 2025. 

En este episodio especial de Conversando con Uesebistas – Edición Aniversario, celebramos los 10 años de AlumnUSB con una conversación entre Gabriel Golczer Gatti, Cofundador y Presidente de AlumnUSB, y la invitada especial Magdalena de Luca, Ingeniera en Computación (USB, promoción 73) y CEO de Sybven.

Dr. Craig Bruce Smith and I break down the trailer for the upcoming film, Young George WashingtonAbout our guest:Craig Bruce Smith is Professor of History at National Defense University in the Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS) in Norfolk, VA. He authored American Honor: The Creation of the Nation's Ideals during the Revolutionary Era and co-authored George Washington's Lessons in Ethical Leadership.  Smith earned his PhD in American history from Brandeis University. Previously, he was an associate professor of military history at the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), an assistant professor of history, and the director of the history program at William Woods University, and he has taught at additional colleges, including Tufts University. He specializes in American Revolutionary and early American history, specifically focusing on George Washington, honor, ethics, war, the founders, transnational ideas, and national identity. In addition, he has broader interests in colonial America, the early republic, leadership, and early American cultural, intellectual, and political history.

Jeff Clements is the co-founder and CEO of American Promise. He served twice as Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts, most notably as Chief of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau, where he led more than 100 attorneys and staff in critical law enforcement areas, including consumer protection, antitrust, and unfair trade practices. A frequent national speaker and author of a 2014 book called the "definitive guide to overturning Citizens United," Jeff's commentary has appeared in major outlets including The New York Times, Financial Times, and Newsweek. Get his 2014 book Corporations Are Not People here: https://amzn.to/48WFKJV Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island.

Catherine Grace Katz is a Chicago-born writer and historian. She earned a BA in History from Harvard (2013) and an MPhil in Modern European History from Cambridge (2014), focusing on counterintelligence origins. After working in finance in New York, a bookstore visit inspired her return to history and writing. She is currently pursuing her JD at Harvard Law School. Get her brilliant book The Daughters Of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War here: https://amzn.to/3WtWW20 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island.

Get started with 1 month free of Superhuman today, using my link: https://try.sprh.mn/briankeating What if cells from your own trachea sitting in a petri dish right now, could spontaneously organize into swimming robots that heal brain tissue? What if frog skin cells with no genetic modification whatsoever, could build copies of themselves from spare parts lying around? This isn't science fiction. This is the work of Michael Levin at Tufts University and is completely rewriting the rules of biology. Michael Levin's research challenges our fundamental understanding of what life is and where biological properties emerge from. Michael Levin is a distinguished biologist at Tufts University and director of the Allen Discovery Center, whose groundbreaking research on bio electricity and regenerative biology is reshaping our understanding of how biological systems process information and pursue goals. His Xenobots, living robots built from frog cells, swim around, work together, and reproduce in ways that have never existed on Earth. What does this tell us about consciousness, intelligence, and the nature of life itself? KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 "Bioelectricity: Nature's Cognitive Glue" 04:57 Neuronal Voltage Gradients Enable Computation 08:17 Magnetic Fields and Living Systems 11:43 "Voltage, Membranes, and Injury Signals" 14:51 "Bioelectric Properties in Cells" 15:59 Cell Circuits and Networks 19:31 "Ion Drugs Overcome Electrode Limits" 22:53 Asymmetric Features in Living Creatures 26:00 Embryo Symmetry Breaking Mechanism 30:11 "Space-Time Effort and Goal Scope" 33:19 "Origins: Universe and Life" 36:29 Causal Integration and Emergence Insights 42:02 Cell Liberation Enables Autonomous Behavior 43:53 "Xenobots: Self-Replicating Robots" 47:04 "Consciousness, Life, and Intelligence" - Additional resources: Levin Lab https://www.drmichaellevin.org/ Follow Michael on X https://x.com/drmichaellevin?s=21 Michael Levin's book: https://a.co/d/dzl9wPQ Please join my mailing list here

Nick Maggiulli is the COO and data scientist at Ritholtz Wealth Management, where he oversees operations across the firm and provides insights on business intelligence. He is the author of two books, Just Keep Buying and The Wealth Ladder, and Of Dollars and Data, a blog focused on the intersection of data and personal finance. His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and the Los Angeles Times. Get his brilliant new NYT bestselling book The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life here: https://amzn.to/4qpBJE5 Also, check out his first absolutely phenomenal book, Just Keep Buying: Proven ways to save money and build your wealth here: https://amzn.to/4nIONSx Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textWe are joined by Professor James Smoliga, who serves as the Director of Research and Faculty Development for Tufts University's, Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Seattle. Professor Smoliga previously held the position of Associate Director of the Human Biomechanics and Physiology Laboratory at High Point University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and was awarded the 2022 Guy Simoneau Excellence in Research Award. With over 175 publications that have been cited nearly 4,000 times, Professor Smoliga brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion. In this episode, we explore the criteria for trustworthy research, the essential questions to ask, and how to apply these principles to proposed concussion mitigation devices such as the Q-Collar. We examine from a physiological and evidence-based perspective, why such devices are ineffective in reducing the risk of concussions. 07:05 – What is Research?13:00 – Ramifications of Unethical Research15:35 – Introduction, Proposed Method of the Q-Collar & the Flaws in These Studies18:27 – Why the Altitude Proposal Does Not Work, the Scientific Reasoning, and the Demonstration of Data Interpretation32:57 – Jugular Compression and Blood Flow37:17 – Does a Woodpecker Have a Relationship with Concussion & the Q-Collar?57:06 – The Increased Risk with Potentially No Benefit & How Did It Get FDA Authorized?1:06:02 – Why Are We Resorting to Possible Protective Equipment for Concussion?1:11:40 – Fun Research Projects by Professor Smoliga – The Taylor Swift EffectHow an FDA cleared “brain protection” device built on shaky science made it to the NFL: https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2028 Dr Mu Yang Episode 55: Academic Research Sleuthing with Dr Mu YangDr James Smoliga: Twitter/X: @jsmoliga Pseudomedicine for sports concussions in the USA:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474442219302509?via%3DihubWoodpeckers don't play football: implications for novel brain protection devices using mild jugular compression: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/20/1262Reconsidering the woodpecker model of traumatic brain injury: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474442218301571?via%3DihubTeam Logo Predicts Concussion Risk Lessons in Protecting a Vulnerable Sports Community from Misconceived, but Highly Publicized Epidemiologic Research: https://journals.lww.com/epidem/fulltext/2017/09000/team_logo_predicts_concussion_risk__lessons_in.17.aspxYou can find all Dr Smoliga's publications here: https://facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/james-smoliga/publications?favouritesFirst=true&perPage=25&sort=dateDesc&startFrom=0

Andrew Liveris is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Dow Chemical Company and former Executive Chairman of DowDuPont. A recognized global business leader with more than 42 years at Dow and experience in manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing, and business and general management. Get a copy of his WSJ bestselling book Leading through Disruption: A Changemaker's Guide to Twenty-First Century Leadership here: https://amzn.to/4pIjZU1 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Oliver is the founder of Atlas Bar, a clean, high-protein snack company built around real ingredients, adaptogenic superfoods, and a purpose-driven mission to help people unlock their full potential. While still a college student at Tufts University, James started experimenting in his kitchen and turned his early prototypes into a multimillion-dollar business that's thriving in the ultra-competitive nutrition space. On this episode we talk about: Why he jumped into an overcrowded market and how he found his niche by making real food first protein bars What it actually costs to start a brand—how he went from $5,000 to $1.5 million in revenue with zero outside funding The “freedom framework” of time, location, and financial choice that drove his entrepreneurial path Why Amazon is his secret weapon for scaling fast without the overhead of traditional retail The power of focusing relentlessly on product quality and iterating one improvement at a time Top 3 Takeaways There's always room for the best—crowded markets reward innovation, not imitation. A small starting capital and strong execution can outperform heavy investment when paired with discipline and product obsession. Great marketing starts with a great product; if people truly love it, word-of-mouth will do the rest. Notable Quotes “I started Atlas with $5,000 and a goal—to build freedom, not just a company.” “Every ingredient you see on the label is something you could find in your own kitchen.” “If you build a great product, people will tell other people about it—it's the purest form of marketing.” Connect with James Oliver and Atlas Bar: Website: atlasbars.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️

Ian Reifowitz is SUNY Distinguished Professor of Historical Studies at Empire State University of the State University of New York. His articles have appeared in the Daily News, Newsday, The New Republic, and In These Times, among other mainstream outlets. He has also published numerous academic articles. Get a copy of his book here Riling Up the Base: Examining Trump's Use of Stereotypes through an Interdisciplinary Lens here: https://amzn.to/4noElPR Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brody Mullins is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. He spent nearly two decades covering the intersection of business and politics for The Wall Street Journal. Get a copy of his brilliant book, The Wolves of K Street: The Secret History of How Big Money Took Over Big Government Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

 Liz Zaborowska, Founder & CEO of Bhava Communications and Spring Catalyst, explores the common fears and misconceptions that lead to resistance against AI adoption. She emphasizes the importance of proper training and support, ensuring that team members feel confident and secure in their use of AI tools. Key Takeaways:  The business benefits of embracing AI, including practical strategies to overcome fears and successfully adopt artificial intelligence throughout your team How AI tools can complement, rather than replace, human creativity The ongoing importance of fact-checking in the digital age Principles of responsible AI use and the policies that support it Ways to maintain authenticity with AI-generated content Guest Bio: Liz Zaborowska is the founder and CEO of Spring Catalyst, where she helps teams optimize performance and navigate AI adoption. With over 20 years in technology and deep expertise in team dynamics, she empowers organizations to transform how they create, communicate, and collaborate in the AI era. Liz has worked with AI companies for more than a decade and served in an advisory capacity for the Responsible AI Institute. Liz is also the founder of Bhava Communications, an award-winning marketing, PR, and social media agency that has helped hundreds of enterprise and consumer technology companies stand out as category leaders. Prior to founding her own companies, she ran technical, product, and corporate marketing on the tech startup side. She studied biology and theater at Tufts University, bringing a unique perspective that combines scientific rigor with creative ideation to help businesses and individuals thrive in our rapidly evolving technological landscape. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte  

We've all heard the familiar buzz of a bumble bee. Their fuzzy bodies fly around looking for pollen and nectar. But where do bumble bees nest? Where do they spend the winter? And how can we support this part of their lifecycle?To talk with us about this topic is Genevieve Pugesek, Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Biologist. Jenny is one of the project managers of the Bumble Bee Atlas, a community science project aimed at tracking and conserving bumble bees. She works with Atlas programs in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. She is broadly interested in conservation biology, land management, and animal natural history. She earned her Ph.D. at Tufts University, where she studied the nesting and overwintering ecology of bumble bees.---Photo: Kent McFarland Flickr CC 2.0Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

Evan Horowitz of Tufts University's Center for State Policy Analysis joins WBUR's Morning Edition to explain why the seemingly sleepy legislation is in the spotlight.

In this episode of The VetMed Mind, Bob Murtaugh joins Shawn McVey and Rachel Teichberg to reflect on his remarkable 40+ year journey in veterinary medicine. From academic leadership to executive positions, he shares the pivotal moments, hard-earned lessons, and shifting perspectives that have defined his impactful career and lasting contributions to the field.Bob Murtaugh, DVM, MS, DACVIM, DACVECC, FCCM, has over 40 years of experience in veterinary medicine, with leadership roles at Tufts University, VCA Animal Hospitals, and Thrive Pet Healthcare. He has played a key role in expanding veterinary services nationwide and currently serves as Chair of Veterinary Medicine at the National Academies of Practice. A passionate advocate for accessible care, Bob is committed to advancing the profession through innovation, collaboration, and bold systemic change.To learn more about Bob Murtaugh's passions in life and work:Follow on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbobmurtaugh/Follow on FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/murtdvmFollow on Twitter - https://twitter.com/MurtDVMCheck out his website - https://www.murtdvm.com/The VetMed Mind is a podcast project about sharing inspirational stories, lessons, and successes from the fantastic people of the veterinary industry.

Robert Hilland is a former police officer and FBI Special Agent who worked in law enforcement for 30 years. He worked a number of high-profile cases including the investigation of serial killer John Smith. John Edward is a psychic medium, lecturer, and multiple New York Times bestselling author who has connected people to Other Side energies for nearly four decades. In 2000, Edward's syndicated Syfy show, Crossing Over with John Edward, launched the now-popular television psychic genre, followed by John Edward Cross Country in 2006 on the WE network. Get their wonderful NYT bestselling book Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent's Search for Hope and Justice here: https://amzn.to/3W3Z2W3 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patrick McGee was the Financial Times's principal Apple reporter from 2019 to 2023, during which time he won a San Francisco Press Club Award for his coverage. He joined the newspaper in 2013, in Hong Kong, before reporting from Germany and California. Previously, he was a bond reporter at The Wall Street Journal. He has a master's degree in global diplomacy from SOAS, University of London, and a degree in religious studies from the University of Toronto. This is, without a doubt, the best business book of 2025! Get your copy of Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company here: https://amzn.to/3IJTxsF Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout history, young people have driven America's major social and political movements, and today is no different. From campus protests to debates over political expression, student activism remains a loud voice. Yet, efforts to silence these voices are also mounting.rnrnThat's why it has never been more critical to protect and foster youth leadership. A 2022 CIRCLE survey by Tufts University's Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found that while 62% of young Americans say their political views are an important part of their identity, only 33% of those aged 18-21 feel well-qualified to participate in politics.rnrnAt the City Club's Youth Forum Council inaugural forum of the 2025-2026 school year, Youth Activism: How Students Can Create Change, we aim to equip students with knowledge and tools to take action on issues that matter to them. We will explore the significance of youth activism, share resources to amplify student voices, and discuss how educators and parents can support this work.

My Conversation with Dr Greer begins at 30 mins Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. This show is Ad free and fully supported by listeners like you! Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 750 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Dr Greer recently appeared with Dr Jason Johnson on Culture Jeopary, more importantly she has published a new book that we talk about. It's called How to Build a Democracy (Elements in Race, Ethnicity, and Politics) The Blackest Question is a Black history trivia game show. Join Dr. Christina Greer as she quizzes some of your favorite entertainers, history makers, and celebrities while engaging in conversations to learn more about important contributions in Black history and Black culture. The Blackest Questions entertains and informs audiences about little-known but essential black history. Topics range from world history, news, sports, entertainment, pop culture, and much more. Christina Greer is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University - Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campus. Her research and teaching focus on American politics, black ethnic politics, urban politics, quantitative methods, Congress, New York City and New York State politics, campaigns and elections, and public opinion. Prof. Greer's book Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream (Oxford University Press) investigates the increasingly ethnically diverse black populations in the US from Africa and the Caribbean. She finds that both ethnicity and a shared racial identity matter and also affect the policy choices and preferences for black groups. Professor Greer is currently writing her second manuscript and conducting research on the history of all African Americans who have run for the executive office in the U.S. Her research interests also include mayors and public policy in urban centers. Her previous work has compared criminal activity and political responses in Boston and Baltimore.  Prof. Greer received her BA from Tufts University and her MA, MPhil, and PhD in Political Science from Columbia University Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Bi Weekly Happy Hour Hangout's !  Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing Gift a Subscription https://www.patreon.com/PeteDominick/gift

My Conversation with Colin begins at 33 mins Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. This show is Ad free and fully supported by listeners like you! Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 750 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Colin Woodard, a New York Times bestselling author, historian and award-winning journalist, is director of Nationhood Lab Salve Regina University's Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy. He is the author of seven books that have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and inspired an NBC television drama. A longtime foreign correspondent, he reported from more than 50 countries on seven continents and, as an investigative reporter at Maine's Portland Press Herald, won a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist for a 2016 Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Politico, The Washington Post, The Economist, Smithsonian, and dozens of other major publications. A graduate of Tufts University and the University of Chicago and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, he lives in Maine. The bestselling author of American Nations reveals how centuries-old regional differences have brought American democracy to the brink of collapse and presents a powerful story that can bridge our cultural divisions and save the republic Our democracy has been purposefully dismantled, first in the states and now at the federal level. With groundbreaking original data and historical insights, Nations Apart is an essential guide to understanding why Americans are so divided on many hot button issues, creating geographic fissures that have been exploited by authoritarians. Colin Woodard shows how colonial era settlement patterns and the cultural geography they left behind are at the root of our political polarization, economic inequality, public health crises, and democratic collapse. Drawing on quantitative research from Woodard's university-based think tank project, Nations Apart exposes the true ideological and cultural divides behind today's struggles over:     * Gun control     * Immigration     * Health policy     * Abortion     * Climate Change     * History     * Authoritarianism and Democracy But there is a road map to right the country: a carefully researched, vigorously tested common story for the country built on the mission set forth for us in the document that first bound our regions together, the Declaration of Independence. Combining compelling storytelling with scholarly vigor, Nations Apart offers a blueprint for bridging the rifts that divide us and ensuring the American dream of democratic self-government will reach its 300th birthday. Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing

In this episode, Dominic Bowen and Dr. Arian Sharifi discuss the events leading to the fall of Kabul in August 2021   and the rise of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan.  Find out more about what the Taliban have implemented in the country, how they managed to secure most of the territory from terrorism, and set a record of complete control of the territory in 50 years since the departure of the US military forces from the country.The conversation also addresses acute human rights violations against the Afghan population and the expected fall of the economy following the ban on opium production. Dominic and Arian also examine the security risks in the region emanating from different terrorist groups (especially the TTP, IS-El-K ) and the ongoing historical fight for dominion over Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Dr Sharifi assesses the way to a sustainable state through negotiations and Hibatullah Akhundzada's change of heart regarding necessary reforms.Dr. Arian Sharifi is an American-Afghan national security professional with two decades of high-level policy and academic experience. While serving as Assistant National Security Advisor for President Ghani of Afghanistan, he advised senior leaders on foreign and security affairs, led the development of over 20 national-level policies and strategies – including the National Security Policy and Counter-terrorism Strategy – and implemented numerous operations, programs, and projects in the security and intelligence sectors. Dr. Sharifi has taught graduate school at Princeton University, conducted specialized research for major organizations, and advised leading institutions including the UN, NATO, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, and others. Sharifi holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Security Studies from Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, a Master's in Public Affairs (MPA) from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs, and a Bachelor's (BA) in Political Science from Wesleyan University. He has published widely in academic and policy journals, and is a frequent commentator on strategic and security issues in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asia.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe's leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe's leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive adTell us what you liked!

This episode first aired in 2023, focusing on the strategies to motivate young voters and we're sharing it again in the wake of the Sept. 10, 2025, assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA.  Kirk, a renowned conservative youth organizer, was shot and killed during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Nothing divides Americans like politics — but young voters continue to matter. Host Trey Kay talks with journalist Kyle Spencer, whose book Raising Them Right traces how conservative organizers spent years building a youth movement on campuses. Spencer says the growth was strategic and well funded. Money can organize power, she notes, though it doesn't force a single, uniform ideology on young people. Kay also talks with Abby Kiesa of Tufts University's Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), who explains how youth participation has shifted in the Trump era and why a deeper problem persists: the political system still struggles to turn young people's  political interest into sustained turnout. Revisiting this Us & Them episode in the wake of Kirk's death offers context for how campus-based organizing — and reactions to it — have shaped youth politics today.

Jake Tapper is a CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent, currently anchoring an award-winning two-hour weekday program, The Lead with Jake Tapper. He is also the best-selling author of six books. Get his latest book, which I learned a lot from Race Against Terror: Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer at the Dawn of the Forever War here: https://amzn.to/48rIQFz Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Preaching for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lynn Cooper offers a reflection on cultivating a spirit of gratitude and belonging: "I invite you to live into the spiritual gift of the grateful Samaritan—how might we embrace the internal transformation that comes from the spiritual practice of cultivating gratefulness, and how might we foster a culture of belonging..."Lynn Cooper is the Associate Director of the University Chaplaincy and Catholic Chaplain at Tufts University. She holds a Doctor of Ministry from Boston University School of Theology. Lynn's first book, "Embracing Our Time: The Sacrament of Interfaith Friendship," came out in May 2025 from Fortress Press. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/10122025 to learn more about Lynn, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Welcome to Perimenopause WTF!, brought to you by ⁠Perry⁠—the #1 perimenopause app and safe space for connection, support, and new friendships during the menopause transition. You're not crazy, and you're not alone!  Download the free Perry App on ⁠Apple⁠ or ⁠Android⁠ and join our live expert talks, receive evidence-based education, connect with other women, and simplify your perimenopause journey.In today's episode, “Breaking the Stigma: Perimenopause & Menopause for Millennials,” Dr. Adrienne Mandelberger and Lauren Tetenbaum, LCSW, explore the Millennial perspective on navigating this life stage. While this generation approaches perimenopause and menopause with more openness, stigma and misinformation still persist. Join us as they answer community questions and discuss how Millennials can help reshape the workplace culture, or their thoughts on hormone blood testing, HRT awareness, menopause education and health support as “standard” in maternity and mental health care.

Leland Vittert is the host of On Balance with Leland Vittert and serves as NewsNation's Chief Washington Anchor. A veteran journalist, Vittert joined NewsNation in May 2021, where he has been pivotal in covering national affairs and delivering special reports across the network's primetime weeknight newscasts. Before joining NewsNation, Vittert worked for Fox News from 2010 to 2021, starting as a foreign correspondent based in Jerusalem and later as an anchor and correspondent in Washington. Get his wonderful new book and help make it a bestseller: Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism here: https://amzn.to/3KrXMtm Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Use Your Investor Voice To Make A Big Impact – Meet Kristin Hull Founder NIA Impact Capital Name: Kristin HullTitle: Founder, CIO AUM: $530MWebsite: www.niaimpactcapital.com Bio:Kristin is the Founder, Chief Investment Officer, and Portfolio Manager of Nia Impact Capital. Kristin oversees research and decision-making for Nia's Flagship Global Solutions portfolio, Nia Growth and Dividend SMA, and Nia's Equity Forward Portfolio, leading company analysis, portfolio design, and criteria setting.Kristin started her investment career at Hull Trading and later Hull Investments, LLC, then combined her worlds of financial markets and systems change in 2007, becoming an early pioneer in the impact investing space after Hull Trading sold to Goldman Sachs.As President and Chair of the Board, Kristin supervised the creation of the first 100% mission-aligned foundation endowment in 2007. She went on to found Nia Community Investments and Nia Community Foundation, the second 100% impact-invested foundation portfolio in 2010.Nia Community is a 100% impact-invested portfolio of companies crossing the entire spectrum of impact investing opportunities from early-stage angel investments to public equities, funds, and loan guarantees. After extensive due diligence on public equity options, Kristin was called to create Nia Global Solutions to offer investors high-quality impact alongside daily liquidity.She spent two years at Domini Social Investments, working on fossil fuel–free portfolio options and building out Nia Global's six solution themes.Kristin is co-founder of Impact Hub Oakland and North Oakland Community Charter School, and she served on the founding board of George Mark Children's House. She currently serves on the advisory board of Limitless Bridge Venture Capital Fund, Emerging Women, How Women Invest, and several non-profit boards.Kristin is a Registered Investment Advisor. She earned her B.A. and teaching credentials from Tufts University in 1990, her M.A. in Research in Bilingual Education from Stanford University in 1995, and her Ph.D. in Urban Education from the University of California at Berkeley in 2006.

Pakistan is once again underwater.In the country's north—specifically the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—torrential monsoon rains dropped 150 millimeters in under an hour. That's six inches of rain, fast enough to overwhelm any drainage system. But here, it didn't just flood streets—it destroyed entire communities. At least 700 people are dead. Over 100 are missing. And in Bishnoi village, 50% of all homes are gone—flattened or washed away.This isn't just bad weather. It's a lethal convergence of natural vulnerability and systemic fragility: hilly terrain, deforestation, poor infrastructure, and collapsing governance capacity. Add climate change, and Pakistan—already one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations—is facing a catastrophe that's becoming alarmingly routine.On today's episode of The International Risk Podcast, we're not just discussing weather patterns. We're talking about how extreme climate events are redrawing the map of risk—impacting state stability, migration flows, food security, and the future of regional cooperation.Today, we are joined by Dr. Erum Sattar, LLB, LLM, SJD, a Pakistani legal scholar specialising in water law amidst global environmental and institutional challenges. She is a lecturer and former Program Director of the Sustainable Water Management Program at Tufts University in Boston. She holds degrees from Harvard Law School, Queen Mary University and the University of London. Dr Sattar is a Member of the Bar of England and Wales, as well as The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn. Her interdisciplinary research examines the impact of water governance and transboundary water sharing on food production, livelihoods and migration, highlighting the legal and institutional adaptation structures required at a global level. She has an upcoming chapter on International Water Law and its history, application and future in Pakistan and is also co-editor of the upcoming The Cambridge Handbook of Islam and Environmental Law. The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe's leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe's leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today's business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.Tell us what you liked!

How can activists strike a balance between fighting for a cause and sustaining relationships with family, friends, and neighbors? In this episode John Mathias joins host Elena Sobrino to talk about Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala (2024, University of California Press). Uncommon Cause follows environmental justice activists in Kerala, India, as they seek out, avoid, or strive to overcome conflicts between their causes and their community ties. John Mathias finds two contrasting approaches, each offering distinct possibilities for an activist life. One set of activists repudiates community ties and resists normative pressures; for them, environmental justice becomes a way of transcending all local identities and affiliations, even humanity itself. Other activists seek to ground their activism in community belonging, to fight for their own people. Each approach produces its own dilemmas and offers its own insights into ethical tensions we all face between taking a stand and standing with others. In sharing Kerala activists' diverse stories, Uncommon Cause offers a fresh perspective on environmental ethics, showing that environmentalism, even as it looks beyond merely human concerns, is still fundamentally about how we relate to other people. Elena Sobrino is an anthropologist studying the emotions and politics of environmental crises and currently working on a book about the Flint water crisis. She is a lecturer in the Science and Technology Studies program at Tufts University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

How can activists strike a balance between fighting for a cause and sustaining relationships with family, friends, and neighbors? In this episode John Mathias joins host Elena Sobrino to talk about Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala (2024, University of California Press). Uncommon Cause follows environmental justice activists in Kerala, India, as they seek out, avoid, or strive to overcome conflicts between their causes and their community ties. John Mathias finds two contrasting approaches, each offering distinct possibilities for an activist life. One set of activists repudiates community ties and resists normative pressures; for them, environmental justice becomes a way of transcending all local identities and affiliations, even humanity itself. Other activists seek to ground their activism in community belonging, to fight for their own people. Each approach produces its own dilemmas and offers its own insights into ethical tensions we all face between taking a stand and standing with others. In sharing Kerala activists' diverse stories, Uncommon Cause offers a fresh perspective on environmental ethics, showing that environmentalism, even as it looks beyond merely human concerns, is still fundamentally about how we relate to other people. Elena Sobrino is an anthropologist studying the emotions and politics of environmental crises and currently working on a book about the Flint water crisis. She is a lecturer in the Science and Technology Studies program at Tufts University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

How can activists strike a balance between fighting for a cause and sustaining relationships with family, friends, and neighbors? In this episode John Mathias joins host Elena Sobrino to talk about Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala (2024, University of California Press). Uncommon Cause follows environmental justice activists in Kerala, India, as they seek out, avoid, or strive to overcome conflicts between their causes and their community ties. John Mathias finds two contrasting approaches, each offering distinct possibilities for an activist life. One set of activists repudiates community ties and resists normative pressures; for them, environmental justice becomes a way of transcending all local identities and affiliations, even humanity itself. Other activists seek to ground their activism in community belonging, to fight for their own people. Each approach produces its own dilemmas and offers its own insights into ethical tensions we all face between taking a stand and standing with others. In sharing Kerala activists' diverse stories, Uncommon Cause offers a fresh perspective on environmental ethics, showing that environmentalism, even as it looks beyond merely human concerns, is still fundamentally about how we relate to other people. Elena Sobrino is an anthropologist studying the emotions and politics of environmental crises and currently working on a book about the Flint water crisis. She is a lecturer in the Science and Technology Studies program at Tufts University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

How can activists strike a balance between fighting for a cause and sustaining relationships with family, friends, and neighbors? In this episode John Mathias joins host Elena Sobrino to talk about Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala (2024, University of California Press). Uncommon Cause follows environmental justice activists in Kerala, India, as they seek out, avoid, or strive to overcome conflicts between their causes and their community ties. John Mathias finds two contrasting approaches, each offering distinct possibilities for an activist life. One set of activists repudiates community ties and resists normative pressures; for them, environmental justice becomes a way of transcending all local identities and affiliations, even humanity itself. Other activists seek to ground their activism in community belonging, to fight for their own people. Each approach produces its own dilemmas and offers its own insights into ethical tensions we all face between taking a stand and standing with others. In sharing Kerala activists' diverse stories, Uncommon Cause offers a fresh perspective on environmental ethics, showing that environmentalism, even as it looks beyond merely human concerns, is still fundamentally about how we relate to other people. Elena Sobrino is an anthropologist studying the emotions and politics of environmental crises and currently working on a book about the Flint water crisis. She is a lecturer in the Science and Technology Studies program at Tufts University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

How can activists strike a balance between fighting for a cause and sustaining relationships with family, friends, and neighbors? In this episode John Mathias joins host Elena Sobrino to talk about Uncommon Cause: Living for Environmental Justice in Kerala (2024, University of California Press). Uncommon Cause follows environmental justice activists in Kerala, India, as they seek out, avoid, or strive to overcome conflicts between their causes and their community ties. John Mathias finds two contrasting approaches, each offering distinct possibilities for an activist life. One set of activists repudiates community ties and resists normative pressures; for them, environmental justice becomes a way of transcending all local identities and affiliations, even humanity itself. Other activists seek to ground their activism in community belonging, to fight for their own people. Each approach produces its own dilemmas and offers its own insights into ethical tensions we all face between taking a stand and standing with others. In sharing Kerala activists' diverse stories, Uncommon Cause offers a fresh perspective on environmental ethics, showing that environmentalism, even as it looks beyond merely human concerns, is still fundamentally about how we relate to other people. Elena Sobrino is an anthropologist studying the emotions and politics of environmental crises and currently working on a book about the Flint water crisis. She is a lecturer in the Science and Technology Studies program at Tufts University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Stories include a cheating scandal at the World Stone Skimming Championships in Scotland, research showing chimpanzees consume the equivalent of two alcoholic drinks daily from fermented fruit, New York City turning food waste into compost at the Staten Island facility, Tufts University offering free tuition for US families earning less than $150,000 starting in 2026, and a new Guinness World Record for the largest pizza party held in New Haven with 4,525 participants.Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. No plug-ins needed!Subscribe now for exclusive shows like 'Palace Intrigue,' and get bonus content from Deep Crown (our exclusive Palace Insider!) Or get 'Daily Comedy News,' and '5 Good News Stories' with no commercials! Plans start at $4.99 per month, or save 20% with a yearly plan at $49.99. Join today and help support the show!We now have Merch!  FREE SHIPPING! Check out all the products like T-shirts, mugs, bags, jackets and more with logos and slogans from your favorite shows! Did we mention there's free shipping? Get 10% off with code NewMerch10 Go to Caloroga.comGet more info from Caloroga Shark Media and if you have any comments, suggestions, or just want to get in touch our email is info@caloroga.com

Michael Levin is a synthetic biologist at Tufts University who believes that asking questions about “life” is a fruitless project. Instead, he argues that we ought to be trying to understand the emergence of cognition - a feature that he believes appears long before cells emerge. As part of this project, Levin has started to pull on a series of threads woven through the origin of life debate that seem to show basic elements of thinking systems - habituation, sensitization, conditioning - can be found in simple physical networks. We dig into how these systems work, what they reveal about life, and how his approach to understanding nature resolves a lot of biological paradoxes.PATREON https://www.patreon.com/c/demystifysciPARADIGM DRIFThttps://demystifysci.com/paradigm-drift-showHOMEBREW MUSIC - Check out our new album!Hard Copies (Vinyl): FREE SHIPPING https://demystifysci-shop.fourthwall.com/products/vinyl-lp-secretary-of-nature-everything-is-so-good-hereStreaming:https://secretaryofnature.bandcamp.com/album/everything-is-so-good-here00:00 Go! 00:05:11 Exploring the Origins and Definitions of Life00:11:30 The Complexity of Defining Life00:14:30 The Limitations of Scientific Categories00:17:58 Re-evaluating Life and Cognition00:19:40 Theoretical Perspectives on Life00:20:08 The Spectrum of Cognition and the Re-enchantment of Nature00:24:09 Experimental Approaches to Understanding Cognition in Networks00:30:14 Feedback Loops in Learning and Causal Emergence00:35:34 The Role of Chemical Interactions in the Origins of Life00:39:27 Discussion on Learning and Molecular Networks00:41:35 The Nature of Complexity and Consciousness00:45:04 Science and the Crisis of Meaning00:49:34 Expanding Compassion in Understanding Life00:54:13 Methodology of Chemical Experimentation00:58:53 Analysis at Different System Levels01:01:56 Causal Powers of Networks01:04:31 Collective Intelligence in Biological Systems#cognition, #bioelectric, #emergent , #complexsystems, #neuroscience, #regenerativemedicine , #origins, #philosophypodcast , #sciencepodcast, #longformpodcastMERCH: Rock some DemystifySci gear : https://demystifysci-shop.fourthwall.com/AMAZON: Do your shopping through this link: https://amzn.to/3YyoT98DONATE: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaDSUBSTACK: https://substack.com/@UCqV4_7i9h1_V7hY48eZZSLw@demystifysci RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rssMAILING LIST: https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySciMUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671

Your support for Open Book has been overwhelming. As an expression of my gratitude, I am committed to recording monthly Q&A sessions where I answer all your questions. If your question hasn't been answered yet, please keep submitting it, and I promise that I will get to it. This Q&A covers a wide range of topics, including politics, economics, crypto, reading, and more. So keep watching and keep the questions coming. Mentioned in this episode: The Fourth Turning by William Strauss and Neil Howe https://amzn.to/4mPO80Z The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown https://amzn.to/4npPKj7 Apple in China by Patrick McGee https://amzn.to/48HOiUA 1942: When World War II Engulfed the Globe by Peter Firtzsche https://amzn.to/4pQvrNi Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman https://amzn.to/46LW8Kf Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elie Honig is CNN's Emmy-nominated Senior Legal Analyst, writes a weekly column for New York Magazine and Cafe.com, hosts podcasts on the law and true crime for Vox Media, is a Rutgers University scholar, and is special counsel to the law firm Lowenstein Sandler. His book is one of the must-read political books of the fall, get it here: When You Come at the King: Inside DOJ's Pursuit of the President, From Nixon to Trump Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island.

Welcome to The Plaidchat- an extension of The Plaidcast where we expand upon conversations in our sport and discuss the most recent issue of The Plaid Horse Magazine. Today, Piper speaks with Dr. Stephen Rich and Eric Siegel about the discovery of a natural and effective tick repellent from that may help our horses fight tick-borne diseases.Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid HorseGuest: Dr. Stephen Rich is a Professor of Microbiology and Executive Director of the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases at the University of Massachusetts (UMass).   Prior to joining the UMass faculty, Dr. Rich was a Professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.  He did his graduate studies at UC Irvine (PhD), Harvard, and University of Vermont (MS).  He is a graduate of St. Lawrence University (BS) and grew up in upstate NY between the Adirondacks and the St. Lawrence River. Guest: Eric Siegel is a graduate student at the university of Massachusetts working for Dr. Stephen Rich. He is also a director of Kabul Small Animal Rescue and a graduate of the royal veterinary college at the university of London. Read the Latest Issue of The Plaid Horse MagazineSubscribe To: The Plaid Horse MagazineSponsors: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services, BoneKare and Great American Insurance Group Join us at an upcoming Plaidcast in Person live event!

Subscribe now to skip ads, get bonus content, and access the entire podcast catalog of 500 episodes. Sudan's civil war, genocide, and famine continue to go mostly unnoticed in the United States. This is even though millions of people are being brutalized, murdered, raped, or displaced in a conflict where there are no good sides, and where democracy is not on the line. In this episode, Tufts University scholar Alex de Waal, one of the world's foremost experts on Sudan and the Horn of Africa, explains why peace and justice are distant possibilities in Sudan's third civil war since its 1956 independence. Further reading: Lineages of Genocide in Sudan by Alex de Waal (Journal of Genocide Research)

Admiral James Stavridis is a 4-Star Navy Admiral who served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Following his military career, he served as Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Currently he serves as Partner and Vice Chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms. He also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation. In this episode we discuss the following: To be a great leader, you have to be in shape. Leaders need energy and health, and sleep is a weapon. If you're not rested, you're not ready for battle. Admiral Stavridis was Captain of a destroyer that failed inspection, it was his peers that had his back and saved him that day. Invest in our peer relationships because they will be honest with us and be unafraid to reach out. Great leaders are great readers. To be a reader is to lead a thousand lives. Every book is a simulator, whether we're learning resilience from The Old Man and the Sea or leadership from the Godfather. Since conducting this interview, I have been reading The Admiral's Bookshelf, and I love learning the lessons he learned from his top 25 books. And because of this conversation I created my own bookshelf of the 25 books that have most influenced me. I've pasted these in the show notes and on my website.   The Admiral's final lesson is timeless. Be humble.  And inspired by The Admiral's Bookshelf, I created my own bookshelf. Nate Meikle's Bookshelf The Book of Mormon & Bible Taught me about Jesus Christ, love, repentance, forgiveness, and endurance Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Reminds me to avoid the superficial Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Motivated me to become a professor Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki The first book to get me excited about personal finance, one of the most important, underappreciated topics IMO. A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt Motivates me to be honest in all things How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Improved my communication skills dramatically Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Warns me of the dangers of infidelity Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Motivates me to live a life of integrity My Personal Best by John Wooden Taught me about servant leadership and to treat friendship like a fine art The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb Made me realize the importance of long tail events Jim Trelease Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease Motivated me to teach my daughter to read at age 2, read tens of thousands of books to her (and our subsequent 3 children), and ultimately write my own book (Little Miss) about how to inspire children to love reading Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath Taught me the importance of storytelling and how to tell great stories The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield Taught me about Buddhism, and the three causes of human suffering (Grasping, Aversion, Delusion) A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine Taught me about Stoic Philosophy and the value of negative visualization and wanting the things we have The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt Taught me to not coddle my children and the dangers of cognitive distortions (and the value of cognitive behavioral therapy) The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweill (published in 2005) Made me realize that AI is likely the most important invention ever, and persuaded me that Artificial General Intelligence will arrive during my lifetime Poor Charlie's Almanack, by Charlie Munger The greatest collection of wisdom I've ever come across related to investing (specifically) and decision making (generally) Thinking In Bets by Annie Duke Taught me about the dangers of resulting / outcome bias (judging a decision by the outcome rather than the process) Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Taught me the importance of seeing a negotiation from the other person's point of view, and constantly showing them that you understand their position (by labeling, mirroring, and using an accusations audit) Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson Taught me about elite ambition, determination, and focus Endurance by Alfred Lansing Taught me about unflinching leadership Good Energy by Casey Means Persuaded me to eliminate processed foods and exercise 5-6 days per week Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card Reminds me how capable children are Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan Inspires me to be courageous The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Reminds me to try to laugh every day, in every class, in every conversation

In this explosive edition of Joe Untamed, we dive deep into the latest court revelations in Tina Peters' case, including testimony from a Venezuelan government official confirming that the same election system used in Venezuela—and admitted to being manipulated—has been implemented in Colorado. We'll break down the implications for election security and what it means for American democracy, alongside key commentary on the escalating rhetoric and violence affecting our political landscape. Joining us to navigate these complex issues is Kenneth S. Abramowitz, Co-Founder of NGN Capital, Chairman of Citizens for National Security, and author of The Multifront War: Defending America From Political Islam, China, Russia, Pandemics, and Racial Strife. With decades of experience in finance, healthcare, and national security, Abramowitz brings unmatched insight into the intersection of international policy, domestic threats, and the evolving balance of free speech in America. He'll weigh in on everything from the Charlie Kirk assassination, domestic terrorism, and the role of social media in shaping today's volatile environment, to America's foreign policy challenges and the Ukraine-Russia conflict. We'll also tackle the surge in politically motivated violence and the left's escalating rhetoric, highlighted by JD Vance and Senator Ted Cruz's recent statements on ICE and law enforcement. Backed by compelling research on political ideology and mental health from Tufts University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, we'll examine how ideological stressors and public messaging influence behavior. Don't miss this critical conversation that connects election integrity, national security, and the fight for truth in a polarized America.  

James Holland is the author of Cassino '44, The Savage Storm, Brothers in Arms, Sicily '43, Normandy '44, Big Week, The Rise of Germany, and The Allies Strike Back in the War in the West trilogy, Burma '44, and Dam Busters. He has written and presented the BAFTA shortlisted documentaries Battle of Britain and Dam Busters for the BBC. He is also the co-host of the brilliant WW2 Pod with Al Murray. Get a copy of his brilliant book Cassino '44: The Brutal Battle for Rome, you won't regret it: https://amzn.to/4gB8OZ2 Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/34VlAepHmeloDD76RX4jtc?si=6695d3eef52944c0 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Holland is the author of Cassino '44, The Savage Storm, Brothers in Arms, Sicily '43, Normandy '44, Big Week, The Rise of Germany, and The Allies Strike Back in the War in the West trilogy, Burma '44, and Dam Busters. He has written and presented the BAFTA shortlisted documentaries Battle of Britain and Dam Busters for the BBC. He is also the co-host of the brilliant WW2 Pod with Al Murray. Get a copy of his brilliant book "Victory '45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders", you won't regret it: https://amzn.to/3IlwaW3 Listen to the podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/34VlAepHmeloDD76RX4jtc?si=6695d3eef52944c0 Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of SkyBridge, a global alternative investment firm, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He is the host of the podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci. A graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Law School, he lives in Manhasset, Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest:Neil Blumenthal Co-founder and Co-CEO of Warby ParkerWebsite:https://www.warbyparker.com/Ticker: $WRBYBio:Neil Blumenthal is a co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker, a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand focused on vision for all. Since day one, over twenty million pairs of glasses have been distributed through the company's Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. Neil has been named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company. He serves on the board of directors of Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG), as well as the nonprofit organizations Robin Hood, Tech: NYC, the Partnership Fund for New York City, and the Warby Parker Impact Foundation. Neil also sits on the leadership council of Responsible Innovation Labs, and he serves as a General Partner of Good Friends LLC, an early stage venture capital firm. A native of New York City, Neil received his BA from Tufts University and his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

It's no secret that the American workplace is constantly changing. The last few years alone have witnessed major trends, from “job hugging” and a focus on mental health at work to Gen Z entering the labor force amidst a backlash against DEI initiatives. Such shifts have left business leaders struggling to navigate their new reality in a way that promotes business, inspires employees, and makes us all feel better about our jobs.   Business attorney Katie Rinkus welcomes Beth Ridley, a workplace culture consultant and the CEO of Ridley Consulting Group, to dissect these various workplace trends, explaining their effects on businesses and employees alike. Together, they shine a light on how some leaders have responded to new trends—and it's not always for the better. Often, businesses have “over-rotated,” or dramatically course-corrected in ways that have had toxic effects on company culture.   In this episode, Katie and Beth explore:    The new focus on productivity as opposed to a “culture of belonging” What a “belonging” looks like and why it's important at work  ·        Over-rotation vs. a “both/and” long-term sustainable approach to change The underlying factors of the “leadership trust crisis”   How workplace trends like “quiet quitting” and “job hugging” affect employee morale  Questions that leaders can ask themselves about the impact of their work  What it means to prioritize “workplace emotional safety”  Generational tension at work and ways to manage it    If you're an employee who feels overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the current climate, Beth and Katie provide a new perspective. If you're a business leader feeling the same, this episode offers insight on how to sustainably respond to the changes and still reach desired results. Tune in for a few tips on problem-solving, even when you don't have all the answers.     Beth Ridley   Beth Ridley is a former corporate executive turned workplace culture consultant, speaker, author, and CEO of Ridley Consulting Group. She helps organizations turn culture into a true competitive advantage.   Drawing on 25 years of global leadership and management consulting experience—and expertise in change management and positive psychology—Beth equips HR teams and people managers with practical roadmaps and tools to build resilient, change-ready, high-performing teams without burning people out. A recognized thought leader on leadership and workplace culture, Beth's insights are featured in national publications, on television, and from stages at events worldwide.   Beth holds degrees from the University of Virginia, Tufts University, and Columbia University, and has lived in London, Tokyo, Johannesburg, and Bangkok. She now calls Milwaukee, Wisconsin home, where she lives with her husband and three children.   Stay connected and learn more   Follow Beth Ridley on LinkedIn   Join Beth's newsletter   Visit Beth's Holistic Performance Management System website   Read Beth's article, “The Leadership Trust Crisis: Why Employees Are Tuning Out—And How to Win Them Back”   Learn more about Katie Rinkus   Visit The Prinz Law Firm