Podcasts about washington university

My guest on the show today is Tuhin Chakrabarty, an assistant professor of computer science at Stony Brook University and the culprit behind my first ever trigger warning on eminent Americans.Here we go: if a big part of your identity is vested in being a writer, and you are already experiencing existential dread about the prospect of AI getting better than you at writing, you may want to not listen to this podcast, or at least you may need to take a Xanax or a gummy before listening. Because Tuhin's work, training AI to produce super high quality samples of high literary writing, is existentially threatening. It goes right at the heart of what we wordsmiths do. Just to give a sense, here's a passage from a New Yorker article by Vauhini Vara that explores what Tuhin has found:I asked Chakrabarty to run an informal version of his experiment on my writing, with a twist: I would pit his model directly against me. To start, he fine-tuned a model on my published writing, much as he'd done in the formal experiment. Then I sent him four short excerpts from a novel that I'm currently writing. No one else had read these excerpts; they had never been published or circulated. There was no way that a large language model could have seen them before.The narrator of my novel in progress is an Indian American ex-journalist. She runs a nonprofit that publishes stories from immigrant and refugee women, but it's strapped for funding, so she courts an Indian American venture capitalist as a potential donor. Chakrabarty used an L.L.M. to create content summaries of the excerpts I'd sent him. (One representative sentence, from a summary about the narrator's journaling habit, explains, “A pivotal memory is introduced: in ninth grade, the narrator's mother read this journal, an act seen as a profound betrayal.”) Finally, he gave the summaries to his fine-tuned model, and he asked it to compose passages “in the style of Vauhini Vara.”Going into all this, I was self-assured, even smug. I'd always felt that my style was original and, more important, that my books were totally distinct from one another. I figured that, even if the A.I. model could imitate my past books, it couldn't predict the style of the novel in progress. So, when Chakrabarty sent me the A.I.-generated imitations, I was genuinely confused. Like Díaz and Nunez, I found lots of stylistic details—rhythm, verbiage—annoying. But the text produced by the model was eerily close to mine. Reading some of its lines next to my own, I couldn't remember which was which. Unlike Díaz or Nunez, I even preferred some of the doppelgänger's versions. My style seemed to be more consistent across projects than I'd realized.I sent four passages to some readers who'd liked my previous books, explaining that half were mine and half were the model's. I wanted them to guess which were which. … The first of my readers to respond was Dana Mauriello, my best friend from college and an accomplished tech entrepreneur. “Truth: this was terrifying!” she wrote. “I was so nervous that I would say that AI wrote something that you wrote, and you would be insulted!!!” Her anxiety, it turned out, was justified. She didn't get any of them right.Dana blamed this partly on her not being a writer. But, of my seven readers, none correctly identified more than half the passages. One of the last people I heard from was the novelist Karan Mahajan, a professor of literary arts at Brown University. He and I learned to write together in college, along with Tony Tulathimutte, and have been sharing drafts with each other ever since. He's among the most perceptive writers and readers I've met. “Oof, this was really confusing and mindmelting,” Karan wrote. Then he, too, misidentified all four excerpts.To be clear, Tuhin isn't claiming that AI, except under the very specific, rather contrived circumstances of his experiments, can already match the best human writers. And he doesn't know if they ever will be able to match or surpass us. I don't know how much consolation that affords, though; what he has done is threatening enough. Moreover, in this episode we're doing what is sometimes the most anxiety producing thing of all when it comes to fraught questions: We're sitting in the uncertainty, and poking at it. How does his method work? What does and doesn't it prove? Why did he think to do it in the first place? What are its implications? What technical challenges would need to be solved for it to move from short samples, where detailed plot points and themes are provided by a human, to actually generating a full book with just a short prompt or a broad outline? And what are we human writers owed if it's our work, used as training data, that creates the conditions for being superseded by AI? Etc.I wrote a long essay, not too long ago, about my intuition that most of the fiercest responses to AI out there, both from the hardcore boosters and the hardcore haters, are flip sides of the same coin. They're dysfunctional manifestations of the anxiety that so many of us have right now in the face of what may be an extinction level event not so much in the Skynet takes over the world sense but of a more existential sort. We may soon be deprived of some of the core ways we've understood what it means to be distinctively human, how we've constructed our unique purpose as humans.Because of this fear, Tuhin has gotten a bit of hate for what he's done and shown, but from my perspective he's dealing with the existential threat we face in exactly the right way, the psychologically functional way. He's looking directly at it. He's rejecting both utopian boosterism and head in the sand denialism as strategies of evasion. He's being creative with the thing itself. And he's thinking in super pragmatic ways about how to best serve human interests in the long run. And not just thinking about that but doing something concrete and positive about it, collaborating with legal scholars on how to think about and craft policies that protect and compensate authors.So I'm sorry to stoke your anxieties, dear listeners, if that's what we do, but I'm not sorry I had Tuhin on the show. He's a fascinating and flexible thinker, a hard core computer scientist and a true lover of literature.Also: Eminent Americans, my sweet baby, is now produced in collaboration with the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, and is distributed through its publication, Arc Magazine. You can find all of Arc's podcasts and much more online at arcmag.org.Hope you enjoy the show, and that the radiant beams of humanity and thoughtfulness that Tuhin and I generate between us don't just soothe your anxiety but ultimately help you to process it.Peace. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danieloppenheimer.substack.com/subscribe

Each year, more than 10 million visitors make their way to Branson, Missouri. Over many decades, the once-small hillside town developed a reputation for being the U.S. capital for performances with overtly religious and patriotic themes, and sometimes, a Christian nationalist bent. We revisit a conversation with Joanna Dee Das, an associate professor of dance at Washington University and author of the book, “Faith, Family and Flag: Branson Entertainment and the Idea of America.” Her book explores how conservative values and politics have played out on Branson's stages and with audiences. She also describes what makes Branson an important site for the performing arts and how its presentation of American history, values and politics is far more complicated than its reputation suggests.

What separates family businesses that thrive for generations from the ones quietly falling apart inside? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Peter Boumgarden, Koch Professor of Practice for Family Enterprise at Washington University's Olin Business School, to talk trust, structure, and why family members often have to work harder than outsiders to earn credibility.We also dig into a fascinating study on father-son succession: the more capable the next generation becomes, the more an owner's ego can tighten its grip. Peter shares why non-family leaders like Larry Hofstetter at Schaeffer Manufacturing can become "more family than family," and what it really takes to define a business's purpose before it's too late.

Washington University professor and pastor Ryan Burge, creator of the Graphs About Religion Substack and author of The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us, examines the impact of President Trump on potential Gen Z churchgoers and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Mark is joined by Jordan Duecker, a Former Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Manhattan Institute and a Former Aide in the offices of Missouri Governors Mike Parson and Eric Greitens. He's also an MBA Graduate from Washington University in St Louis. They discuss his latest piece in the City Journal, "A Decade After Michael Brown, Activists Still Rule Ferguson."

In hour 3, Mark is joined by John Ziegler, the Co-Host of the podcast, “The Death of Journalism” and a former Mediaite Columnist. He reacts to Dr Anthony Fauci testifying again before Congress on Wednesday following the release of his personal diary with entries involving the pandemic. Mark is joined by Jordan Duecker, a Former Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Manhattan Institute and a Former Aide in the offices of Missouri Governors Mike Parson and Eric Greitens. He's also an MBA Graduate from Washington University in St Louis. They discuss his latest piece in the City Journal, "A Decade After Michael Brown, Activists Still Rule Ferguson." They wrap up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark is joined by 97.1 FM Talk Chief Meteorologist to discuss the record heat that the St Louis area is currently experiencing. Mark is then joined by Lt. General Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army veteran, Co-Chair of American Security at The America First Policy Institute and a former Assistant to the President & Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine during President Trump's second term. He shares the latest on the pause in military attacks on Iran. Mark is joined by Melissa Price Smith, the Prosecuting Attorney of St Louis County. She is running for her first full term as Prosecutor and discusses her work to date and her future plans. In hour 2, Sue hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day and more. Mark is joined by Phil Holloway, the Host of the Megyn Kelly True Crime Show and a Former Assistant District Attorney and Former Police Officer. He reacts to Brian Kohberger seeking to withdraw his guilty plea in the Idaho killings. Mark is joined by KSDK Sports Director Frank Cusumano. He discusses the Cardinals disappointing weekend series against the Reds, Joe Buck's induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and more. In hour 3, Mark is joined by John Ziegler, the Co-Host of the podcast, “The Death of Journalism” and a former Mediaite Columnist. He reacts to Dr Anthony Fauci testifying again before Congress on Wednesday following the release of his personal diary with entries involving the pandemic. Mark is joined by Jordan Duecker, a Former Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Manhattan Institute and a Former Aide in the offices of Missouri Governors Mike Parson and Eric Greitens. He's also an MBA Graduate from Washington University in St Louis. They discuss his latest piece in the City Journal, "A Decade After Michael Brown, Activists Still Rule Ferguson." They wrap up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

Playing Through The Noise: Athletes, Social Media, And Mental Health College and professional athletes face pressure from every direction and social media makes it nearly impossible to tune out the criticism. Two football players discuss the benefits and pitfalls of being online, and how athletes can protect their focus and well-being beyond the game. Guests:  Joshua Perry, former linebacker, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers Johnny Davidson, senior quarterback, Washington University in St. Louis. Host: Marty Peterson Producers: Amirah Zaveri and Annie Krall   Linktr.ee | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | SpotifyFacebook: @ViewpointsOnlineX: @viewpointsradioInstagram: @viewpointsradioFull ArchiveContact UsAffiliates & National Syndication Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Murder Rates Are Falling. Solving It Is Another Story The country's sharp drop in homicides is welcome news, but it hides a more complicated reality: a large number of murders still go unsolved. We explore how data, staffing and overlooked patterns could help lead to higher solve rates. Guest: Thomas Hargrove, former journalist, founder, Murder Accountability Project.   Playing Through The Noise: Athletes, Social Media, And Mental Health College and professional athletes face pressure from every direction and social media makes it nearly impossible to tune out the criticism. Two football players discuss the benefits and pitfalls of being online, and how athletes can protect their focus and well-being beyond the game. Guests:  Joshua Perry, former linebacker, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers Johnny Davidson, senior quarterback, Washington University in St. Louis. Linktr.ee | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | SpotifyFacebook: @ViewpointsOnlineX: @viewpointsradioInstagram: @viewpointsradioFull ArchiveContact UsAffiliates & National Syndication Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Backyard gardens flush with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers where bees buzz and chickens scratch. Beyond, a forest filled with blackberries and jewelweed. Inspired by childhood memories of his grandmother's overflowing backyard garden, author Andrew Flachs has embarked on a multi-continent, decades-long look at agriculture and its value. The dominant view of agriculture has focused only on what we produce. It sees value in terms of capital gains or yield efficiency, masking how our global food system produces tremendous amounts of food commodities while failing to feed people, support rural communities, or enhance ecological well-being. Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields (University of Arizona Press, 2026) asks us to look more deeply and more humanely at what we perceive to be most valuable in our agricultural systems. This book draws on fifteen years of anthropological research, taking readers to fields in South India, Eastern Europe, and North America, where people are already feeding the future amid global change. From these fields, Flachs shows us how a radical rethinking of the value of small farms and farmers is already happening. Bringing together conversations in agriculture, economics, anthropology, and the environmental humanities, Flachs deftly shows how small farms reproduce social and ecological relationships that are the only sustainable path forward. For anyone who is curious about the food on their plate and the people who helped to get it there, Feeding the World as if People Mattered will offer a new way to find value in the food we grow and the people who grow it. Dr. Andrew Flachs researches food and agriculture systems, exploring genetically modified crops, heirloom seeds, and our own microbiomes. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, he graduated from Oberlin College with dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees in 2010. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in April 2016 and was a 2016-2017 Volkswagen Exchange Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Heidelberg University Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies. He is currently an associate professor of anthropology at Purdue University. His work among farmers in North America, the Balkans, and South India investigates ecological knowledge and technological change in agricultural systems spanning Cleveland urban gardens and Indian GM cotton fields. His research has been supported by public and private institutions including the Department of Education, the National Geographic Society, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Social Science Research Council, while his writing on agricultural development has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as public venues including Sapiens, Salon, and the National Geographic magazine. His work has been recognized by eight international awards, including most recently as a finalist for the Society for Economic Anthropology Kate Browne Creativity in Research Award and the International Convention of Asia Scholars' Book Prize. Sandra Elizabeth is a graduate student enrolled at the Department of Sociology in Shiv Nadar University, Delhi- NCR. She looks at rice farmers' and their way of life in Kuttanad, Kerala—which is dubbed as the state's rice granary. She can be reached out on X.   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

Backyard gardens flush with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers where bees buzz and chickens scratch. Beyond, a forest filled with blackberries and jewelweed. Inspired by childhood memories of his grandmother's overflowing backyard garden, author Andrew Flachs has embarked on a multi-continent, decades-long look at agriculture and its value. The dominant view of agriculture has focused only on what we produce. It sees value in terms of capital gains or yield efficiency, masking how our global food system produces tremendous amounts of food commodities while failing to feed people, support rural communities, or enhance ecological well-being. Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields (University of Arizona Press, 2026) asks us to look more deeply and more humanely at what we perceive to be most valuable in our agricultural systems. This book draws on fifteen years of anthropological research, taking readers to fields in South India, Eastern Europe, and North America, where people are already feeding the future amid global change. From these fields, Flachs shows us how a radical rethinking of the value of small farms and farmers is already happening. Bringing together conversations in agriculture, economics, anthropology, and the environmental humanities, Flachs deftly shows how small farms reproduce social and ecological relationships that are the only sustainable path forward. For anyone who is curious about the food on their plate and the people who helped to get it there, Feeding the World as if People Mattered will offer a new way to find value in the food we grow and the people who grow it. Dr. Andrew Flachs researches food and agriculture systems, exploring genetically modified crops, heirloom seeds, and our own microbiomes. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, he graduated from Oberlin College with dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees in 2010. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in April 2016 and was a 2016-2017 Volkswagen Exchange Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Heidelberg University Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies. He is currently an associate professor of anthropology at Purdue University. His work among farmers in North America, the Balkans, and South India investigates ecological knowledge and technological change in agricultural systems spanning Cleveland urban gardens and Indian GM cotton fields. His research has been supported by public and private institutions including the Department of Education, the National Geographic Society, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Social Science Research Council, while his writing on agricultural development has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as public venues including Sapiens, Salon, and the National Geographic magazine. His work has been recognized by eight international awards, including most recently as a finalist for the Society for Economic Anthropology Kate Browne Creativity in Research Award and the International Convention of Asia Scholars' Book Prize. Sandra Elizabeth is a graduate student enrolled at the Department of Sociology in Shiv Nadar University, Delhi- NCR. She looks at rice farmers' and their way of life in Kuttanad, Kerala—which is dubbed as the state's rice granary. She can be reached out on X.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

Backyard gardens flush with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers where bees buzz and chickens scratch. Beyond, a forest filled with blackberries and jewelweed. Inspired by childhood memories of his grandmother's overflowing backyard garden, author Andrew Flachs has embarked on a multi-continent, decades-long look at agriculture and its value. The dominant view of agriculture has focused only on what we produce. It sees value in terms of capital gains or yield efficiency, masking how our global food system produces tremendous amounts of food commodities while failing to feed people, support rural communities, or enhance ecological well-being. Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields (University of Arizona Press, 2026) asks us to look more deeply and more humanely at what we perceive to be most valuable in our agricultural systems. This book draws on fifteen years of anthropological research, taking readers to fields in South India, Eastern Europe, and North America, where people are already feeding the future amid global change. From these fields, Flachs shows us how a radical rethinking of the value of small farms and farmers is already happening. Bringing together conversations in agriculture, economics, anthropology, and the environmental humanities, Flachs deftly shows how small farms reproduce social and ecological relationships that are the only sustainable path forward. For anyone who is curious about the food on their plate and the people who helped to get it there, Feeding the World as if People Mattered will offer a new way to find value in the food we grow and the people who grow it. Dr. Andrew Flachs researches food and agriculture systems, exploring genetically modified crops, heirloom seeds, and our own microbiomes. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, he graduated from Oberlin College with dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees in 2010. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in April 2016 and was a 2016-2017 Volkswagen Exchange Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Heidelberg University Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies. He is currently an associate professor of anthropology at Purdue University. His work among farmers in North America, the Balkans, and South India investigates ecological knowledge and technological change in agricultural systems spanning Cleveland urban gardens and Indian GM cotton fields. His research has been supported by public and private institutions including the Department of Education, the National Geographic Society, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Social Science Research Council, while his writing on agricultural development has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as public venues including Sapiens, Salon, and the National Geographic magazine. His work has been recognized by eight international awards, including most recently as a finalist for the Society for Economic Anthropology Kate Browne Creativity in Research Award and the International Convention of Asia Scholars' Book Prize. Sandra Elizabeth is a graduate student enrolled at the Department of Sociology in Shiv Nadar University, Delhi- NCR. She looks at rice farmers' and their way of life in Kuttanad, Kerala—which is dubbed as the state's rice granary. She can be reached out on X.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Backyard gardens flush with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers where bees buzz and chickens scratch. Beyond, a forest filled with blackberries and jewelweed. Inspired by childhood memories of his grandmother's overflowing backyard garden, author Andrew Flachs has embarked on a multi-continent, decades-long look at agriculture and its value. The dominant view of agriculture has focused only on what we produce. It sees value in terms of capital gains or yield efficiency, masking how our global food system produces tremendous amounts of food commodities while failing to feed people, support rural communities, or enhance ecological well-being. Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields (University of Arizona Press, 2026) asks us to look more deeply and more humanely at what we perceive to be most valuable in our agricultural systems. This book draws on fifteen years of anthropological research, taking readers to fields in South India, Eastern Europe, and North America, where people are already feeding the future amid global change. From these fields, Flachs shows us how a radical rethinking of the value of small farms and farmers is already happening. Bringing together conversations in agriculture, economics, anthropology, and the environmental humanities, Flachs deftly shows how small farms reproduce social and ecological relationships that are the only sustainable path forward. For anyone who is curious about the food on their plate and the people who helped to get it there, Feeding the World as if People Mattered will offer a new way to find value in the food we grow and the people who grow it. Dr. Andrew Flachs researches food and agriculture systems, exploring genetically modified crops, heirloom seeds, and our own microbiomes. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, he graduated from Oberlin College with dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees in 2010. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in April 2016 and was a 2016-2017 Volkswagen Exchange Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Heidelberg University Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies. He is currently an associate professor of anthropology at Purdue University. His work among farmers in North America, the Balkans, and South India investigates ecological knowledge and technological change in agricultural systems spanning Cleveland urban gardens and Indian GM cotton fields. His research has been supported by public and private institutions including the Department of Education, the National Geographic Society, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Social Science Research Council, while his writing on agricultural development has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as public venues including Sapiens, Salon, and the National Geographic magazine. His work has been recognized by eight international awards, including most recently as a finalist for the Society for Economic Anthropology Kate Browne Creativity in Research Award and the International Convention of Asia Scholars' Book Prize. Sandra Elizabeth is a graduate student enrolled at the Department of Sociology in Shiv Nadar University, Delhi- NCR. She looks at rice farmers' and their way of life in Kuttanad, Kerala—which is dubbed as the state's rice granary. She can be reached out on X.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/food

Backyard gardens flush with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers where bees buzz and chickens scratch. Beyond, a forest filled with blackberries and jewelweed. Inspired by childhood memories of his grandmother's overflowing backyard garden, author Andrew Flachs has embarked on a multi-continent, decades-long look at agriculture and its value. The dominant view of agriculture has focused only on what we produce. It sees value in terms of capital gains or yield efficiency, masking how our global food system produces tremendous amounts of food commodities while failing to feed people, support rural communities, or enhance ecological well-being. Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields (University of Arizona Press, 2026) asks us to look more deeply and more humanely at what we perceive to be most valuable in our agricultural systems. This book draws on fifteen years of anthropological research, taking readers to fields in South India, Eastern Europe, and North America, where people are already feeding the future amid global change. From these fields, Flachs shows us how a radical rethinking of the value of small farms and farmers is already happening. Bringing together conversations in agriculture, economics, anthropology, and the environmental humanities, Flachs deftly shows how small farms reproduce social and ecological relationships that are the only sustainable path forward. For anyone who is curious about the food on their plate and the people who helped to get it there, Feeding the World as if People Mattered will offer a new way to find value in the food we grow and the people who grow it. Dr. Andrew Flachs researches food and agriculture systems, exploring genetically modified crops, heirloom seeds, and our own microbiomes. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, he graduated from Oberlin College with dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts degrees in 2010. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis in April 2016 and was a 2016-2017 Volkswagen Exchange Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Heidelberg University Karl Jaspers Centre for Advanced Transcultural Studies. He is currently an associate professor of anthropology at Purdue University. His work among farmers in North America, the Balkans, and South India investigates ecological knowledge and technological change in agricultural systems spanning Cleveland urban gardens and Indian GM cotton fields. His research has been supported by public and private institutions including the Department of Education, the National Geographic Society, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Social Science Research Council, while his writing on agricultural development has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed publications as well as public venues including Sapiens, Salon, and the National Geographic magazine. His work has been recognized by eight international awards, including most recently as a finalist for the Society for Economic Anthropology Kate Browne Creativity in Research Award and the International Convention of Asia Scholars' Book Prize. Sandra Elizabeth is a graduate student enrolled at the Department of Sociology in Shiv Nadar University, Delhi- NCR. She looks at rice farmers' and their way of life in Kuttanad, Kerala—which is dubbed as the state's rice granary. She can be reached out on X.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

Carl Jenkins is Managing Director and Group Head of Community Capital Solutions for BMO Financial Group.  Using a $3 billion allocation of balance sheet capital, the business unit invests in private funds that support lower middle market companies and community-centric real estate.  The business also provides construction loans for multifamily affordable housing. Both equity and debt commitments further the Community Reinvestment Act objectives of BMO in the central and western United States.   Equity investments are primarily limited partnerships in conventional private real estate funds and private equity funds licensed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.  Sponsors include private investment managers, for-profit developers, not-for-profit organizations and community development financial institutions.   Additionally, Carl chairs the board of directors for BMO Private Equity (U.S.), Inc., the BMO subsidiary that originates mezzanine debt and equity investments directly to operating companies.  He earned his bachelor's degree in architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and holds an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina. He serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including the Disability Opportunity Fund, Enterprise Community Investment, and the Goodman Theatre of Chicago. Carl also serves on the advisory board of multiple lower middle market private equity and credit funds.   Disclosure: Banking products are subject to approval and are provided in the United States by BMO Bank N.A. Member FDIC

I had the good fortune to be joined on this episode by the redoubtable Sheila Heti, award-winning novelist, avant-garde memoirist, incisive essayist, and all-around Canadian woman of letters. I asked Sheila to come on the show after I read “Good Medicine,” her recent essay in Granta, which is the report of her experience taking a series of guided psychedelic trips. It is also, though she didn't set out with this in mind, a kind of midlife crisis essay, reflecting on where she's been, where she's going, what's left for her, and so on.One thing that really struck me about the essay is that it really is, in the most basic way, a report on her experience. It's here's what she did, here's what she felt, here's who she met, here's what came up psychologically during her trips, here's what she felt like in its aftermath. And when a piece of writing feels so plain but so effortlessly holds your interest and propels you through the length of it, you know, if you're somebody who's tried your hand at writing yourself, that you're in the hands of someone who has an exquisite command of language, and also that it's who doesn't need to prove it to you with every sentence she writes or every essay or story or novel. So I just appreciated that. I appreciated the craft of it. It also just vibed for me because a lot of the issues that she ends up confronting during the course of her trips are ones that I face, too. We also had some great conversation about other topics of interest to both of us, including clothing and fashion, class, money, success, and our mutual affection for the late, great essayist and critic Dave Hickey, who was a benevolent, generous, cantankerous spirit in both of our lives. So I really enjoyed this conversation, which was the official first episode of the second phase of an anticipated eight-phase journey of this podcast. As of this episode, Eminent Americans is produced in collaboration with the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, and is distributed through its publication, Arc Magazine . You can find all of Arc's podcasts and much more online at arcmag.org. This won't change much about what I'm doing here. You'll now get some dulcet-toned promos for Arc and its flagship podcast. The occasional guest on my podcast will be someone who's written something recently for the magazine, or otherwise has something interesting or compelling to say about a topic the magazine has covered. Otherwise, though, we'll keep on keeping on Eminent Americans style. Peace. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danieloppenheimer.substack.com/subscribe

Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) — Free. Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: ⁠⁠https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join⁠ Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2121: Laura Stack explains how brief, upright discussions can improve focus, encourage collaboration, save time, and add light physical activity to the workday. Her practical guidance helps teams introduce the format comfortably, accommodate individual needs, and find a productive balance between sitting and standing. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://theproductivitypro.com/blog/2015/12/stand-up-guys-the-virtues-of-standing-meetings/ Quotes to ponder: “Studies show standing meetings average 33% shorter than sitting meetings on the same subjects, proceed more efficiently, and usually end early or on time.” “Interestingly, a Washington University study reveals that people act less territorial and more collaborative in stand-up meetings; this may be one reason stand-ups are shorter than traditional meetings.” “Some things you can do standing definitely boost your productivity.” Episode references: IKEA Standing Desks: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/standing-desks-55008/ Get Up, Stand Up: The Effects of a Non-Sedentary Workspace on Information Elaboration and Group Performance: https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550614538463 Microsoft PowerPoint: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/powerpoint Richard Branson: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Teddy Wayne is the author of the novels The Au Pair, The Winner, The Great Man Theory, Apartment, Loner, The Love Song of Jonny Valentine, and Kapitoil. He is the winner of a Whiting Writers' Award and an NEA Creative Writing Fellowship as well as a finalist for the Young Lions Fiction Award, PEN/Bingham Prize, and Dayton Literary Peace Prize. A former columnist for the New York Times and McSweeney's and a frequent contributor to The New Yorker, he has taught at Columbia University and Washington University in St. Louis. Teddy joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk about what he needs to know before he begins writing, voice, fiction that makes a big statement, stakes, plotting via character relationships, the midpoint, finding sources, theme, and much more. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. (Recorded on June 19, 2026) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie Stone Music: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)  

On this episode, we are joined by Lorna Kahn, a physical therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who specializes in treating nerve injuries of the upper extremity. Lorna discusses the multidisciplinary team she works with in assessing and treating these patients, and how she implements therapeutic interventions to improve functional abilities for patients who have experiences traumatic or compressive nerve injuries. Guest bio: Lorna Kahn PT, CHT is a certified hand therapist with the Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center at Washington University. As clinical liaison to Washington University's Center for Nerve Injury and Paralysis for the past 20 years, Lorna has developed a sub-specialty in peripheral nerve injuries and nerve transfers. She has presented both nationally and internationally on rehabilitation for nerve transfers. In addition to numerous papers, she recently edited and co-wrote a comprehensive clinical manual on nerve transfer rehabilitation. -The views and opinions expressed in the Hands in Motion podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ASHT. Appearance on the podcast does not imply endorsement of any products, services or viewpoints discussed.

My guest on the show today is returning guest and all-around friend of the pod David Sessions, a Boston-based freelance writer and the co-host, along with Blake Smith, of the relatively new Off Christopher Street Podcast and and Substack newsletter, about the history and present of gay male life and culture in America. David, Blake and I have recorded a crossover episode of Eminent Americans that focuses on their new endeavor, which should be out in the next month or two or three, but on this episode David and I are talking pornography, its ubiquity, the effect it may or may not have on our culture and kids, and related issues around technology, moral panic, and modern life. A few key differences between the two of us structure the discussion. One is our ages. David is 40. I'm now 50, and though it's not a huge difference from one angle, it represents a fundamentally different generational growing up experience when it comes the internet, social media, and smart phones, none of which I basically had growing up, all of which David got relatively early on.Another is kids. I have three of them. David doesn't have any. And a third is our backgrounds. I'm from a liberal secular Jewish home in the northeast where sex was discussed pretty openly, and porn wasn't permitted but wasn't really stigmatized either. David grew up in what he describes as a deeply conservative, Christian-nationalist home. He went to a Christian college, married a good Christian woman, and then came out as gay in his mid-thirties.One consequence of that background, for David, is that he's unusually attuned to some of the ways that mainstream discourse around issues like porn, smart phones, the internet, and social media has been influenced by savvy right wing Christian groups, who recognized pretty early on that if they wanted to move the mainstream they would have to find rhetorical frames that weren't aversive to establishment media. So instead of sin and god and traditional values they talk about public health harms, addiction, exploitation, objectification of women, etc.So David comes to these debates with an awareness of how they've often been covertly shaped by religious groups and motives. He also has the experience, as a gay man, of living a pretty flourishing social life that is enabled in all sorts of positive ways by the technologies that a concerned parent like me can easily fall into perceiving as purely pernicious.And one last thing I want to bring up, which I think is important as context for this conversation, is that so many of the discussions around the effects of tech on kids lack a real perspective on how it plays out differently depending on the socioeconomic class of the kids in question. Who is really speaking for, or from, the kids who aren't living with the kind of social and cultural capital that David and I both, albeit in very different ways, had growing up. Two parent homes, relatively intact communities, financially secure, high parental investment, and so on. David and I, and my kids, and his kids if he has them, have been or will be raised with psychological protective factor layered on top of psychological protective factor. What about the kids who don't have all that? Are we condescending to their parents in imagining that their kids are just at the mercy of the evil tech gods, that they're not able to sufficiently protect and nurture them. Or, alternatively, are we just basically ignoring them when we have these discussions, as elites, as though their kids are just like our kids, having basically the same experiences. I don't know, and David doesn't either, and – and this is maybe the worst part – who would I even turn to to help me answer it? So that's in the background of this conversation too.Two quick housekeeping notes. The first is a thanks to Joshua Howard for manfully editing this episode, as he has the last few. The second is that this the last episode of what I will retrospectively refer to as the scrappy, underground, indie era of this podcast. Starting in a week or two, I'll be launching a partnership with Arc Magazine, which is published out of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. I'll say more about that when we officially launch, but one thing I'll say now is that Arc's touch on the content and vibe of the show will be very very light. Occasionally I'll have on a guest who is doing something for the magazine, there will be brief promos for other Arc content, and I hope to do some fun experiments that I didn't have the bandwidth to do when it was just me and producer Robert. For the most part, though, I'm going to go about my business as I've done for the last few years. I'll have on whoever I want. We'll talk about whatever I want. And I'll swear whenever I fucking want.Peace. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danieloppenheimer.substack.com/subscribe

Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 7-16-2026: Dr. Dawn dissects a June 2026 JAMA Internal Medicine paper that claimed simultaneous flu and COVID vaccination in veterans reduced cardiac events, arguing the retrospective natural-experiment design cannot support causal conclusions. The 20% versus 2% dropout rates between groups signal fundamentally non-comparable populations, and the divergence in cardiac events starting within a month of vaccination is clinically implausible—suggesting an X-factor other than vaccine effect is driving the numbers. Dr. Dawn delivers a pointed critique of a major chain pharmacy—part of a vertical healthcare monopoly—for creating deliberate friction around controlled-substance prescriptions through claims of stock shortages, unnecessary prior authorizations, and phantom "clarification" requests. She acknowledges the real paperwork burden of DEA compliance (quarterly reporting, six-month inspections, legitimate-need documentation) but argues chains are pushing pain patients away rather than doing due diligence, while independent pharmacies are closing at alarming rates in California. Following up on last week's Kampo medicine caller, Dr. Dawn reports research on Goshajinkigan showing it suppresses voltage-gated sodium channels at the motor end plate, functioning as a muscle relaxant used clinically in Japan for low back pain, extremity numbness, and chemotherapy- and diabetic-induced neuropathy. An emailer asks about a case report of an 80-year-old woman with 10-year Alzheimer's whose function dramatically improved after 5g oral psilocybin (Enigma strain), regaining conversation, continence, and autonomous dressing. Dr. Dawn notes plausible mechanisms (neuroplasticity, anti-inflammatory action, elevated BDNF) but cautions the diagnosis was clinical rather than confirmed with imaging or CSF markers, and recommends the emailer pursue exercise and sleep optimization for word-finding difficulties instead. An emailer asks how to reassure her chemically-hypersensitive adult son that their remediated apartment is safe. Dr. Dawn recommends commercial ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) testing along baseboards where spores concentrate, plus urine mycotoxin testing on the parents themselves to demonstrate objectively low exposure levels. Drosophila fruit-fly males produce sperm longer than their own 2mm bodies—40 times longer than human sperm—with thousands packed inside. Fluorescent-dye imaging shows the sperm remain unusually still and coordinated, moving in synchronized slow waves like flocking birds or kelp in tides, preventing tangling. A Washington University study of 154,000 UK and 10,000 US participants used nine blood biomarkers to calculate biological age, finding people born in the 1990s show accelerated biological aging compared to those born three decades earlier. The gap between biological and chronological age correlated with increased risk of lung, colon, and uterine cancers—all rising in younger populations. A University of Pennsylvania study of 493 mouse litters found germ-free mice had shorter reproductive lifespans, more ovarian scarring, and accelerated loss of primordial follicles. Introducing gut bacteria at birth or weaning reversed these effects, as did supplementation with short-chain fatty acids alone (butyrate, isobutyrate, acetate). Dr. Dawn suggests ghee as a readily available butyrate source for those interested in the theoretical fertility-preservation benefit.

Washington University hosted a series of lectures called "1776: Then and Now." This lecture examined the reasons behind the Declaration of Independence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few years ago, Ian Bogost wrote what he thought was a throwaway Atlantic piece about how electric vehicles would finally kill the manual transmission. It went off like a bomb — and the reaction told him people weren't mourning a car part. They were mourning the feeling of dropping a gear into place, a small moment of sensory connection quietly disappearing without anyone choosing to give it up. Find the full episode and bonus content on our Substack: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/ian-bogost That feeling is the subject of his new book, The Small Stuff. Ian calls it gratification — distinct from happiness or satisfaction, it's the immediate sensory delight of communing with ordinary things: the ridged coffee cup, the click of an elevator button, the tink of ice in a water bottle. And he diagnoses what he calls dematerialization: the slow way efficiency, automation, and software have severed us from the physical texture of daily life. A game designer, longtime Atlantic contributor, and philosopher of the everyday at Washington University in St. Louis, Ian has spent his career — across books like Persuasive Games and Play Anything — arguing that the systems we build carry values whether we intend them to or not. Here he turns that lens on the ordinary objects most of us stopped noticing long ago. For designers, this is becoming more and more relevant. Ian argues that somewhere between the mid-90s and now, user-centered design quietly mutated into outcome-oriented design — we kept the language of user experience while the goals drifted toward the organization instead of the person. But this isn't nostalgia or a plea for friction. Gratification, he insists, is easy. It's already happening to you all the time. The designer's job isn't to add friction, but to notice where the sensory life has quietly drained out of the things we build, and to re-introduce it. And the challenge he leaves us with is deceptively simple: get curious. The Small Stuff is out now. You can find Ian at bogost.com. Dr. Ian Bogost is a writer, designer, and scholar of media and technology. He is the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor and Assistant Vice Provost at Washington University in St. Louis. At WashU, he is appointed in three colleges and the co-executive director of the Office of Public Scholarship. Bogost is also a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the founding partner of Persuasive Games LLC, a game and design studio. He is the author of 11 books, most recently The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life. Bogost's award-winning games and artworks, which include Cow Clicker and A Slow Year have been played by millions of people and held in permanent collections around the world, including at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. *** Premium Episodes on Design Better This ad-supported episode is available to everyone. If you'd like to hear it ad-free, upgrade to our premium subscription, where you'll get an additional 2 ad-free episodes per month (4 total). Premium subscribers also get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books. New premium subscriber benefit: we've launched a private Slack workspace…join now to connect with designers, product leaders & creative practitioners in our community. And get a behind-the-scenes pass to every episode with The Roundup, where each week we bring you insights and actionable tactics from recent episodes. You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan, Medical and Research Director, Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center, Washington University in St. Louis, discusses evidence-based approaches for treating spasticity and dystonia management. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41464]

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan, Medical and Research Director, Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center, Washington University in St. Louis, discusses evidence-based approaches for treating spasticity and dystonia management. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41464]

As part of the 2026 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan, Medical and Research Director, Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center, Washington University in St. Louis, discusses evidence-based approaches for treating spasticity and dystonia management. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41464]

You've heard people say, "Good things come to those who wait." Most of us absorbed that lesson somewhere along the way — save the good stuff, delay the pleasure, wait until you've earned it. But my guest today says that idea backfires. My guest is Ian Bogost, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a professor at Washington University in St. Louis. His new book is The Small Stuff. Some of the things we discuss are: The three different types of contentment — and why we tend to overlook the most available one What the famous marshmallow test actually got wrong about delayed gratification Why saving the perfume, the outfit, or the "good china" for a special occasion might be backfiring The one-step trick to noticing small pleasures without having to add anything new to your routine Why gratification isn't the same as mindfulness — and why Ian has issues with how mindfulness gets sold to us How modern life has quietly stripped away small sensory pleasures (Ian calls it "dematerialization") Why you don't have to choose between being present and taking a picture — you can do both How stacking tiny moments of gratification can build a buffer that makes hard days hurt less The Therapist's Take: My top three strategies for finding more small pleasures starting today Related Episodes ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠322 — This 60-Second Mental Strength Play Will Help You Stop Procrastinating (And It Doesn't Require Willpower)⁠ 270 — You Don't Need More Self-Discipline: 2 Strategies to Succeed Without It Links & Resources The Small Stuff Connect with the Show Buy a copy of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on Instagram —⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AmyMorinAuthor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign Up for My Newsletter —⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amymorinlcsw.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors Helix Sleep —Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠helixsleep.com/STRONGER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 20% off sitewide   AirDoctor — Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AirDoctorPro.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today! One Skin — Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠oneskin.co/STRONGER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code stronger to get up to 30% off your first 3 subscription orders Quince — Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/stronger⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! Boll & Branch — Get 20% off sitewide at ⁠⁠BollAndBranch.com/stronger⁠⁠ with code stronger. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mentally Stronger Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for exclusive content like weekly bonus episodes, mental strength challenges, and office hours with me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grief is not a problem to be solved or something we simply "get over." In this profound conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with philosopher and grief expert Thomas Attig about mourning as a lifelong process of relearning how to live in a world forever changed by loss. Drawing on decades of scholarship and personal insight, Thomas explains how grief can deepen our love, strengthen resilience, and help us find wisdom and meaning in life's most difficult transitions. This episode offers compassionate guidance for anyone grieving a loved one or supporting someone through loss. Thomas Attig is an internationally recognized philosopher, educator, and authority on grief, death, and bereavement. He earned his BA and PhD in philosophy from Northwestern University and Washington University in St. Louis. During his career at Bowling Green State University, he helped establish the world's first PhD program in applied philosophy. He is a Fellow of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. Dr. Attig is the author of several influential books, including How We Grieve and Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows. Episode Timeline  00:00 – Welcome and introduction  00:30 – Why grief is central to healthy aging and emotional well-being  04:06 – Tom Attig's early experiences with death and family loss  08:45 – Teaching the first university course on death and dying  11:30 – Grief as relearning how to live in the world  13:11 – Dr. Gillian shares the loss of her husband  15:44 – Grief reaction versus grief response  18:00 – Learning to love in separation  22:00 – Moving from sorrow to gratitude  24:52 – The purpose and structure of Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows  27:00 – Problems versus mysteries in life and grief  31:42 – One essential truth for anyone who is grieving   Connect with Thomas Attig PhD Book: Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows: Collected Writings on How We Grieve  Publisher: Oxford University Press  Website: Thomas Attig Author Page  30% Discount Code: AUFLY30  Dr. Lockitch Call to Action  Subscribe to Growing Older Living Younger on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to help others discover the show. Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community  Connect with Dr. Gillian Lockitch at https://www.askdrgill.com/ or email: askdrgill@gmail.com  Download Guide to Nature's Colorful Antioxidants 2026 

Ian Bogost shares why everyday moments are the foundation of a gratifying life–at work and beyond.— YOU'LL LEARN — 1) Why small moments matter so much2) How dematerialization is hurting you–and what to do about it3) Tiny upgrades that enhance every day Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1166 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT IAN — Dr. Ian Bogost is a writer, designer, and scholar of media and technology. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor and Assistant Vice Provost at Washington University in St. Louis, and a founding partner at Persuasive Games LLC. His latest book is The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life.• Book: The Small Stuff: The Sensory Enchantment of Everyday Life• Website: SmallStuffBook.com• Website: Bogost.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker• Past episode: 1133: The Philosophy of Scores: How to Measure What Truly Matters and Stop Playing Someone Else's Game with C. Thi Nguyen— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Shopify. Sign up for your free trial at Shopify.com/awesomepod• Monarch. Get 50% off your first year with code AWESOME at Monarch.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gabe Moskoff fell in love with hip-hop as a teen in Madison, WI and dreamt of going to college on the East Coast where his favorite hip-hop acts are from. He ended up in St. Louis instead to study at Washington University, and his response to an email and access to WashU's student radio station led to Moskoff becoming Trackstar the DJ:a member of the acclaimed group Run the Jewels who has toured across the world, and worked with Wu Tang Clan, Rage Against the Machine, and Dave Chappelle. Trackstar is bringing local and national DJs to MATI for his Trackstar and Friends set at Sophie's Artist Lounge, and joining Killer Mike at the Big Top on Saturday, July 18.

“I crack the tab open, and I feel the cold metal… I hear the tink and give of the aluminum. And maybe when I'm done, I crush it into a small patty.” — Ian Bogost on the everyday enchantment of a Diet Coke can Don't sweat the small stuff is one of the most persistent (and annoying) mantras of the self-help industry. But the counter-intuitive Atlantic columnist Ian Bogost advises the opposite. In his new book, The Small Stuff, Bogost suggests that gratification lies in our appreciation of small stuff like the crinkle of empty Diet Coke cans and the foldability of plane tickets. Max Weber argued that disenchantment was the defining quality of modernity, but in The Small Stuff, Bogost maps a way back to it. What we need to get away from, he says, is “optimization” — metrics, feedback loops, money as a proxy for a place in heaven. Rather than the cult of delayed gratification, pick up that empty coke can and revel in its architectural glory. Or lick a tree. That's how to be enchanted in postmodernity. Five Takeaways •       Sweat the Small Stuff. Bogost inverts three decades of self-help orthodoxy: the small stuff is precisely what we should be sweating. The crack of a Diet Coke tab, the cold metal warming in your hand, the can crushed into a patty before the recycling bin — these sensory encounters are not where deep purpose lives, and Bogost never claims they are. But they recur every day, sometimes several times a day, and accepting them as meaningful rather than as noise to get through delivers what he calls a surprising payload of engagement and enchantment. For some it's Diet Coke; for others, woodworking, gardening, or the gear shift of a manual transmission. •       Dematerialization: How We Lost the World. The book's central diagnosis is what Bogost calls dematerialization — the slow disconnection from the physical world driven by convenience technologies. The QR code that replaced the concert ticket you might have pinned to a bulletin board. The automatic faucet you wave at awkwardly in the public restroom — which never works, and doesn't even save water; it just makes buildings easier to manage. The process is decades old, hardly limited to computers, and it stripped the texture from everyday life so gradually that nobody noticed what was being given up. •       It's Sensory, Not Physical — and Not Anti-Tech. This is not a go-touch-grass book. Bogost insists the small stuff is sensory rather than physical, and that smartphones are compelling precisely because they are delightful — the smooth glass that demands to be touched, the thunderstorm animation in the weather app. Everything is technology, including the clothes on your body and the language in your mouth. He gave his twelve-year-old a smartwatch rather than banning screens, because parenting means living in the same world as your kids — and kids must live a contemporary life to become the adults who invent the next one. •       We Already Got Rid of God — So Meaning Had to Move. Pressed on Weber and the Protestant ethic, Bogost argues that secularization emptied out the place where meaning used to live — good works justified by an infinite time in heaven — and replaced it with happiness, purpose, and wealth as proxies. The result is a hyper-optimized, future-oriented culture in which everything worth doing is worth doing for some later payoff. Bogost admits he struggles with this himself: the health wearable he wears while writing a book against quantification. What he loves about his morning walk isn't the step count. It's the twigs crunching underfoot. •       The Quietism Charge — and the AI Twist. Isn't this stoicism for the age of Trump, the same charge leveled at Heidegger's silence before the Nazis? Bogost anticipates the critique: we are and must be both political creatures and creatures who live moment to moment in our bodies — he asks no one to abandon the fight, only to stop missing the life underneath it. And the timing is no accident. As AI takes over the big stuff, Bogost suspects it may push us back into the sensory world — he consults ChatGPT about fixing his range thermostat, then goes and fixes it with his hands. About the Guest Ian Bogost is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the author of eleven books, including The Small Stuff and Play Anything. He is the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, where he teaches computer science and engineering, film and media studies, and art and design. He is also an award-winning game designer whose work is held in collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He is the author of The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life (Simon & Schuster, July 7, 2026). References: •       The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life by Ian Bogost (Simon & Schuster, July 7, 2026). The New Yorker: “Bogost's joy is infectious.” •       Play Anything: The Pleasure of Limits, the Uses of Boredom, and the Secret of Games (2016) — Bogost's earlier book, the subject of his June 2020 appearance on the show. •       Alien Phenomenology, or What It's Like to Be a Thing (2012) — Bogost's “straight up philosophy book” where he first explored the idea of wonder. •       Max Weber — the German sociologist who identified disenchantment as the defining quality of modernity, and whose The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism frames the discussion of delayed gratification and the afterlife. •       Matthew Crawford — mutual friend of host and guest, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft and The World Beyond Your Head, earlier explorers of the same terrain. •       Martin Heidegger — the philosopher whose ideas of thrownness and being-in-the-world haunt the book, though his name never appears in it, and whose Nazi-era quietism frames the political critique. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 3,000 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. Website Substack 

For twenty years, Christian Wiman has lived with a rare, incurable cancer. In the fall of 2022, during a stretch when the illness was especially bad, he wrote to his friend and Yale colleague Miroslav Volf: “I don't know what faith means anymore. I'm a 56-year-old with a pile of books behind me and an experimental bone marrow transplant ahead of me, and I don't know what faith means.” That letter became the seed of an extended correspondence between the poet and the theologian, now published as Glimmerings: Letters on Faith between a Poet and a Theologian. In this special collaboration with Arc Magazine, editor Mark Oppenheimer sits down with Volf and Wiman to unpack the letters that grew out of their long friendship and years of walking together through New Haven. They discuss what it means to love God, why doubt and absence might be constitutive elements of faith and presence rather than its opposite, and how a terminal diagnosis changed what each of them was willing to say and how freely they said it. They also trace the thinkers who shaped their thinking along the way, from Simone Weil's account of attention to Etty Hillesum's wartime writing, to Abraham Joshua Heschel's theology of the prophets, and they wrestle openly with where their understandings of Jesus Christ converge and diverge. Along the way, Wiman reflects on writing from a hospital room at Massachusetts General, on discovering that his fear was never death itself but the fear of dying without God, and on why grief, not fear, is what remains even after that fear falls away. Episode Highlights I don't know what faith means anymore. I'm a 56-year-old with a pile of books behind me and an experimental bone marrow transplant ahead of me, and I don't know what faith means. I sometimes find it hard to think what it means to love God. I don't know how to love God. Faith is what matters. Belief seems to me a matter of the institution and ascending to creeds and things like that. I think most of my theological thinking is existentially motivated. It's motivated by the kind of inner logic of the trust in which I'm involved. Most of the books that I wrote, I've written for myself. I'm one of those writers who doesn't have an audience. There is grace in my life if I can just keep my eyes open enough to see it. His mistake in some ways lets him see that the world is right, that there's a rightness to the world. What becomes clear is one's longing for God. Everything is stripped away and very little else seems to matter. What I want most in my life is the presence of God. And I fear dying without that. Just being alone at the moment of death. I was worried that he won't have God in that situation of need because attention might be lacking. About Miroslav Volf and Christian Wiman Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. He is the author of Exclusion and Embrace, the NYT bestseller Life Worth Living (with Ryan McAnnally-Linz and Matt Croasmun), The Cost of Ambition, and more than twenty other books. Christian Wiman is the Clement-Muehl Professor of Communication Arts at Yale Divinity School. He has written and edited numerous volumes of poetry. He has lived with a rare blood cancer, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, for more than twenty years, an experience he wrote about in his memoirs My Bright Abyss and Zero at the Bone. Helpful Links and Resources Glimmerings: Letters on Faith between a Poet and a Theologian, the book discussed in this episode: https://bookshop.org/p/books/glimmerings-letters-on-faith-between-a-poet-and-a-theologian-christian-wiman/1a13ad79a59080d1 Miroslav Volf, faculty bio at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/people/miroslav-volf Christian Wiman, faculty bio at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/people/christian-wiman Arc: Religion, Politics, Et Cetera, the magazine that co-produced this episode: https://arcmag.org/ John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis: https://rap.wustl.edu/ My Bright Abyss, Christian Wiman's earlier memoir on faith and his cancer diagnosis: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374534370/mybrightabyss/ Miroslav Volf: Disagreeing With You Feels Like Disagreeing With Myself, a Christianity Today profile of the two friends (by Andrew Hendrixson): https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/01/miroslav-volf-disagreeing-with-you-like-disagreeing-with-myself-christian-wiman/ Show Notes Summer break announcement, past-episode recap Special crossover episode with Arc Magazine Mark Oppenheimer, Arc's editor, hosts this conversation Origin story: a brief email exchange in fall 2022 Wiman's diagnosis, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, and a bone marrow transplant Twenty years of friendship, marked by weekly walks in New Haven The letter that started it: not knowing what faith means anymore What does it mean to love God? Faith versus belief: creeds compared to a personal relationship Doubt as a constitutive element of trust, not its opposite Absence and presence, sorrow and joy, held together Theology as existentially motivated rather than academic exercise Writing for an audience of one, and how that shapes honesty Whether a book contract changes how freely you write Simone Weil's idea that attention is what makes God present Disagreement over how central Jesus Christ is to each man's sense of God Volf's Pentecostal upbringing, Wiman's Southern Baptist roots Volf's sense of God as behind and underneath, not face to face Wiman's youthful epiphany and a memory of his grandmother's death A misread wildflower, a Richard Wilbur poem, grace found in error Shai Held's blurb and why Jewish thinkers rarely appear in Christian theology Etty Hillesum, her wartime diaries, her postcard thrown from the train Abraham Joshua Heschel's influence through Sabbath and The Prophets Heschel's idea that faith is fidelity to the moments you once had it A letter written from a hospital room at Massachusetts General Miroslav's fear that his letters carried condescension toward a friend in crisis Whether a cancer diagnosis changes the fear of death itself Grief, not fear, as what remains once the fear of dying is gone How the two friends met: through Volf's wife's poetry class Letter-writing as a lifelong practice for both men beyond this book #Glimmerings #MiroslavVolf #ChristianWiman #Faith #Doubt #Theology #YaleDivinitySchool #ArcMagazine Production Notes This podcast featured Christian Wiman and Miroslav Volf with Mark Oppenheimer Special thanks to David Sugarman and Arc Magazine Edited and Produced by Evan Rosa Hosted by Evan Rosa Production Assistance by Noah Senthil A Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/about Support For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Technology has made a lot of things better and more convenient — but somewhere along the way, it's also made some parts of everyday life a little less satisfying. In this episode, Washington University professor Ian Bogost discusses his new book, “The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life.” Bogost argues modern technology has stripped away many of the small, everyday experiences that once brought us joy. Rather than advocating for a return to the past, he encourages us to pay closer attention to simple moments that can still bring gratification and a greater sense of connection to the world around us.

We have all become desensitized. Every place is like every other place, every experience is happening at a remove and on a screen. And Ian Bogost, a Washington University professor and a writer at The Atlantic, argues that this "dematerialization" is making our life worse. Ian joins David to explain how to once again commune with the world. He tells us of the magic of paper tickets, why he's kind of obsessed with the rubber on his water bottle, and why you don't need to throw phone into the ocean — but you should probably watch more ASMR videos. The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life The Cult of Delayed Gratification Is a Lie Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Ian Bogost, a writer, designer, media scholar, contributing writer at The Atlantic, and professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Together, they explore the concept of "dematerialization" and the core ideas behind his latest book, This Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life. Ian shares how his multifaceted career, navigating both software design and cultural criticism, functions as a dialectical machine for understanding how human meaning is constructed. He challenges contemporary design dogmas around "frictionlessness" and outcomes-based UX, offering a refreshing invitation for designers to embrace mundane constraints, celebrate accidental experience, and reconnect with the sensory enchantment of everyday life.In This EpisodeThe designer-critic dialectic. Ian describes his career as a perpetual cycle between making and criticizing. For him, creating an object or game is a method of asking a question, while writing criticism is a vehicle for answering it—both serving the ultimate mystery of how humans derive meaning. Happiness vs. satisfaction vs. gratification. Ian breaks down three tiers of contentment. While happiness looks at long-term macro circumstances, satisfaction focuses on the pride of completing a project, and gratification is the fleeting, immediate sensory enchantment of the present moment—like ice clinking in a water bottle. The "wicked problem" of the modern door. Revisiting Don Norman's famous concept, Ian argues that modern doors don't fail due to bad design, but from an accumulation of competing successes. Fire codes, ADA compliance, and motorized automation layer, so many good intentions that the physical object ends up resisting us. The outcome trap of experience design. Ian observes that as design became heavily filtered through the computing sector, fields like interaction and UX design slowly stopped prioritizing actual experience. Instead, they focused intensely on business outcomes and optimized targets for organizations. Why "meaningful friction" is the wrong answer. Addressing the push to bring back "meaningful friction" to combat ultra-smooth glass screens, Ian calls the trend wrongheaded. Users don't want a task to be harder; they want a tactile loop of sensory connection to the machine, like a knob turning in defined physical increments. The vicarious gratification of ASMR. Reflecting on digital phenomena like ASMR and online "drain-clearing" videos, Ian views these creators as heroes. By treating ordinary objects with deep respect, they model a curiosity that can transform how viewers interact with their own everyday environments.  Living life sideways through orthogonality. Ian advocates for "orthogonality"—diversifying one's diet of sensory encounters by crossing boundaries into entirely different fields. True innovation arises from deeply exploring secondary constraints and productively marrying two completely unrelated domains. ResourcesIan Bogost's Official Website – https://bogost.com/This Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life by Ian Bogost – https://amzn.to/4ypiHBRThe Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman – https://amzn.to/4gWhSd8 Persuasive Games: The Expressive Power of Videogames by Ian Bogost – https://amzn.to/4p5IQBf Play Anything: The Pleasure of Limits, the Uses of Boredom, and the Secret of Games by Ian Bogost – https://amzn.to/4eZwgyD Julian Bleecker – https://julianbleecker.com/ Bruce Sterling – https://bruces.medium.com/ Listener feedback and voicemails – podcast@aiga.org 

Highlights: Our co-host Sholem Beinfeld, who is Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University, St. Louis, gives a historic, and Jewish, perspective on the United States of America in observance of the upcoming 4th of July, 2026, holiday. Later in the program, we play a series of songs in honor of America written and performed by a variety of performers and songwriters. Our featured guest is Anna Halberstam Rubin, talking about her life, including her youth before and during the Holocaust, which she wrote about in her memoir Just a Little Girl: Despair and Deliverance (1993, 1994, 2018 AHR Books, Palo Alto). Anna was born in Poland but grew up in Slovakia, the daughter of Rav Yechezkel Shraga Halberstam, and the granddaughter of two rabbis, Rav Naftali Rubin of of Nowy Wiśnicz, Poland, and Rabbi Menachem Mendele Halberstam of Stropkov, Slovakia, The Stropkover Rebbe. During the war, Anna comes of age and narrowly escapes death on multiple occasions. Eventually, she makes it out of danger by joining one of the remarkable rescue convoys organized by Rudolf Kastner, escaping from Hungary to Switzerland. Her convoy was separate from the better-known Kastner train, which also brought Jewish refugees to safety, including the Satmarer Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum. After the war, she eventually moved to the United States and married Israel Rubin, a sociologist, a foremost expert on Hungarian Jewry and author of the book Satmar: An Island in the City. We spoke to Anna at the home of her daughter Haya Rubin in the Lakewood, NJ area in August, 2024. Music Ben Gailing: Star Spangled Banner Mandy Patinkin: Nem Mikh Mit Tsu Dem Balgeym / Got, Bentsh Amerike Steven Skybell, Joel Gray and the cast of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish: Got, Bentsh Amerike Daniel Kahn, Sarah Gordon, Lorin Sklamberg, Patrick Farrell, Sveta Kundish, Michael Alpert, Linda Gritz: Dos Land Iz Dayn Land Cantor Leibele Waldman: Ikh Dank Dir Got Far Amerike Mandy Patinkin: American Tune in Yiddish (Words and Music by Paul Simon) The Yiddish Philharmonic Chorus: Neil Diamond’s “America” in Yiddish, in 4-part harmony instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: July 1, 2026

John Hancock and Michael Kelley fill in for Chris and Amy as they prepare for tomorrow's America 250 celebration and Fourth of July weekend while recapping the Cardinals' series win over the Atlanta Braves. Washington University history professor Peter Kastor joins the show to discuss the defining moments leading to America's 250th anniversary, followed by Y98 and St. Louis CITY SC pregame host Jen Siess with the latest from the FIFA World Cup. The show also features KMOX's Dave Glover reflecting on his radio career and journey to KMOX, before retired U.S. Army Colonel Jeff McCausland breaks down the latest developments involving Iran, Ukraine, and other global issues.

In 2006, Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado moved to St. Louis to teach Mexican literature as part of Washington University's Latin American Studies program. Twenty years later, that program has expanded immensely. As Ignacio prepares to leave St. Louis for a new role at Cornell University, we talk with him about his work building WashU's Latin American Studies Program, AI in the classroom, and the importance of — and challenges facing — humanities programs across the country.

Much of the stress involved with taking an important exam is related to testing in a proctored environment surrounded by your anxious peers. What happens when you shift to more familiar ground? Amy and Mike invited educator Brian Eufinger to explore the experience and implications of taking a high-stakes test at home. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What are the technical and logistical requirements of an in-home exam? What security measures prevent widespread cheating? What are the benefits of taking a high-stakes test in your home? What are the downsides of taking a high-stakes test in your home? How does the CLT compare to the SAT or ACT? MEET OUR GUEST Brian Eufinger graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2004. While an undergrad, he enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for Political Science 101, a resident advisor (RA), and as a volunteer paramedic with WashU's Emergency Support Team. Brian is frequently invited to speak about test prep, college admissions, and scholarships at PTSA meetings at Atlanta-area high schools as well as Edison Prep's free parent meetings. Brian serves on the Board of Directors of the National Test Prep Association. He is an active member of Washington University's Young Alumni chapter in Atlanta, as well as the WashU Alumni Admissions Interviewer Program. Brian was our guest to discuss THE REALITY OF GRADE INFLATION (#28), SELF-PREP FOR THE SAT & ACT (#131), and SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WRITING TEST? (#271) TESTING GAMEPLAN FOR THE CLASS OF 2025 (#432) and STATE OF TEST-OPTIONAL ADMISSIONS IN 2024 (#550), and THE ROLE OF TEST SCORES IN COLLEGE MERIT AID (#593). He hosted the show CELEBRATING OUR 500TH EPISODE and facilitated our 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR IN REVIEW (#100). Find Brian at https://www.edisonprep.com. LINKS CLT RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE CLT? HOW DOES REMOTE PROCTORING ACTUALLY WORK? SUCCESS IN COMPUTER-BASED TESTING ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright, Roots2Words, and College Eagle. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, get in touch through our contact page.  

Washington University hosts a series of lectures called "1776: Then and Now" with the first exploring religion in Revolutionary America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it true that the moderates are a vanishing breed, both in the culture and the church? Who are the religious moderates and what are the implications of their disappearance? How has religion shifted from a faith journey to a tribal identity? We'll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr Ryan Burge, from his new book, The Vanishing Church.Ryan Burge is professor of practice at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of 6 books and has written for the New York Times, POLITICO, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also appeared in a number of other media outlets including, the CBS Evening News, as well as 60 Minutes which called him, “one of the country's leading data analysts on religion and politics."==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.   Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.   To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.  

In this special compilation episode of The Burn Podcast, Ben Newman sits down with three powerhouse leaders who have taken lessons from the field and turned them into lasting impact—proving that true leadership extends far beyond the game.First, we hear from Kaleb Thornhill, a trailblazer in the NFL's player engagement and development space. With over 15 years of front office experience, Kaleb created the groundbreaking “Business Combine,” a transformational off-field experience for current and former NFL players. As Co-Founder of the Pro Athlete Community (PAC), he's dedicated to investing in athletes' futures, accelerating growth, and building community that lasts long after the final whistle.Next, we revisit my conversation with Ted Rath, who at the time was Head Strength Coach for the LA Rams and Sean McVay's famous “get back coach.” Now the VP of Player Performance for the Philadelphia Eagles, Ted shares his inspiring journey into the NFL, the mindset required to build championship culture, and the lessons learned from guiding elite athletes at the highest level.Finally, we close with Tyler Owens, former Alabama player turned championship-caliber strength and conditioning coach. From working alongside legendary coaches at Alabama to leading programs at the University of Arizona and now Washington University, Tyler breaks down what it really takes to coach, develop, and prepare teams to perform when it matters most. His story is a masterclass in grit, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.This episode is a deep dive into leadership, preparation, and building a legacy that outlasts the scoreboard.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0bfsmU76pPU

Mark Corbett sits down with Genelle Garverick to explore the rich sports history of Tampa's Palmetto Beach, Ybor City, and DeSoto Park communities, with a special focus on Genelle's legendary mother, Mochine Mercedes Fernandez.Growing Up in Palmetto Beach, DeSoto Park & Ybor CityGenelle attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH), a K-12 Catholic school in Ybor CityBegan playing city/playground sports around age 6OLPH fielded competitive girls' volleyball and basketball teams despite small rosters (10-12 players)Memorable road trip to St. Leo to play on a sloped outdoor cement basketball court; missed shots rolled downhillTampa's City Playground Sports SystemTampa Parks Department ran a highly competitive playground league with citywide championships in softball and basketballKids traveled across the city to compete at other playgroundsSummer championship days featured a wide variety of sports: baseball, softball, marbles, and moreGenelle reflects that this community-centered model was one of the best environments for children's development**Mochine Mercedes Fernandez | A Legendary Sports LeaderServed as Park Director at DeSoto Park for approximately 20 yearsMulti-sport athlete: basketball, volleyball, softball; played into her 40sMochine named Tampa Bay Sportswoman of the Year (1963)Earned all-state honors in basketballPlayed on the Sea Breeze-sponsored softball teamCompeted against retired professional men baseball players at Al Lang Field on SundaysKnown for her tenacity at home plate as a catcher; once tagged out a sliding player and then got a congratulatory hugCompared to legendary catchers-turned-leaders like Al Lopez and Kevin CashThe Trip to Havana, Cuba (~1953)Mochine organized and funded a trip for a girls' softball team to compete in HavanaRaised $1,000 (no small feat in 1953) entirely through community donations; businesses had their names printed on the team's uniformsThe team stayed in private homes in an affluent Havana neighborhood, free of charge while traveling in HavanaDefeated all the Cuban girls' teams, and then beat the boys' teams tooFor most players, it was their first time on a plane and outside of FloridaCommunity Pillars: Spicola Family & Sea Breeze RestaurantThe Spicola family lived across from DeSoto Park; they sponsored a softball team and supported community families in needSea Breeze Restaurant (Licata family) was a beloved neighborhood seafood spot, famous for fresh shrimp and devil crabsGenelle's family had a standing Friday dinner-and-drive-in tradition at Sea BreezeJean Cerra ConnectionJean Cerra (previous podcast guest) and Genelle attended OLPH togetherThey reunited by chance in a Columbia, Missouri grocery store years laterCerra became head of physical education at Stephens College, then the first Associate Women's Athletic Director at the University of MissouriCerra was instrumental in early Title IX organization efforts at the national levelWomen's Sports Then & NowGenelle worked in women's athletics administration at Purdue University post-graduate schoolAttended a pivotal early meeting in Colorado where women's sports leaders debated joining the NCAA; concerns centered on losing autonomyTitle IX marked a turning point, but Genelle believes women's sports still needs greater investment, media coverage, and professional opportunitiesReflects fondly on the Tampa Tribune's extensive coverage of local playground sports, a contrast to today's fragmented media landscapeThe Garverick Family's Athletic LegacyGenelle and her husband Alan have three children: two daughters and a son (Phil)All three became competitive swimmers due to their oldest daughter's asthma treatmentPhil swam on scholarship at University of Missouri and now coaches a swim team in CanadaAllison was accepted at Duke; Stacy swam for Washington University in St. LouisNotable Mentions- Senaida "Shoo Shoo" Worth | Ybor City native who played for South Bend Blue Sox- Margaret Magadan Piniella | Lou Piniella's mother; also appeared frequently in Tampa sports archives- Olympia Diaz | another Tampa-area sports woman who became a park director elsewhere- Al Lopez | Tampa native catcher who managed the White Sox and Cleveland Indians to the World Series- Sue Zipay | organized a women's baseball showcase in Sarasota featuring Olympic-caliber women baseball playersResources mentioned in showArticle about Mochine Fernandez by Janet Ball Watts, published in Cigar City MagazinePrevious episode featuring Jean CerraUSA Women's Baseball Tournament | Rockford, Illinois (home of the Rockford Peaches)Closing Thought Mochine Fernandez exemplified community leadership through sport: feeding families, funding travel, coaching reluctant players out of bed, and opening doors for girls who had never left Florida. Her legacy lives on through the women she inspired, including Jean Cerra's Title IX work and Genelle Garverick's own career in collegiate sports administration.

There's a quiet crisis running through IT leadership that nobody names in the meeting: the certainty that you're in over your head, and that any minute now, someone's going to find out. It comes with the job. And for women in tech, there's a second layer underneath.In this episode of The Catalyst, from Softchoice, a World Wide Technology Company, host Katey Teekasingh sits with three women who've lived imposter syndrome from every altitude: an IT director who wasn't the first pick for her role, a five-time CTO who argues the field itself is the problem, and an MIT scientist who built a whole technology field while the engineering world dismissed her work — then won one of its highest honors.Their answers about how to lead through doubt without faking it will reframe what most IT leaders quietly carry.Key takeawaysWhy getting promoted for being the best engineer sets you up to feel like a fraud — and why it's structural, not personalThe second layer of doubt women in tech describe — the “merit, or a box to check?” question that follows them into every roomHow a top scientist reacted to winning one of engineering's highest honors (hint: her first thought was “is this a scam?”)Three different strategies for leading through uncertainty — without pretending it isn't thereGuest credentialsRosalind Picard, ScD — Founder and Director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab; co-founder of Empatica and Affectiva; 2026 recipient of the IEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology.Meri Williams — Chief Technology Officer at Pleo; five-time CTO across fintech, retail, banking, and biotech; previously scaled the team that built GOV.UK at the UK's Government Digital Service.Julie Szaj — Director of Organizational Change Management at Washington University; 25+ years across education, learning design, and technology leadership.About Our SponsorThis episode is brought to you by HP, in partnership with Softchoice. HP helps organizations shape the future of work with AI-powered solutions across devices, printing, and services. Learn more at https://www.softchoice.com/technology-partners/hpHashtags#TheCatalyst #Softchoice #HP #ITLeadership #ImposterSyndrome #WomenInTech #CTO #DigitalTransformation #MidMarketITShow Notes & ResourcesConnect with our guests:Rosalind Picard — MIT Media Lab Affective Computing Group: media.mit.edu/groups/affective-computingMeri Williams — Pleo: pleo.ioJulie Szaj — Washington University in St. Louis: wustl.eduReferenced in the episode:Affective Computing (1997) by Rosalind Picard — the founding text of the fieldIEEE Medal for Innovations in Healthcare Technology — 2026 recipient: Rosalind PicardEmpatica — wearable health technology co-founded by Picard: empatica.comLearn more about HP's partnership with Softchoice: https://www.softchoice.com/technology-partners/hpThe Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology. 

Today we're diving into the complex and often overwhelming world of allergies, asthma, and related conditions—and what it really takes to support kids (and families) living with them. My guest is Dr. Zachary Rubin, a double board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist who's known for making allergy science accessible and understandable to millions. He's also the author of the new book, All About Allergies, which is a clear, compassionate guide to managing allergic diseases. In our conversation, Dr. Rubin breaks down how the immune system responds in different allergic scenarios, what's behind the rise in things like pollen counts and food allergies, and how conditions like asthma fit into the bigger picture. We also talk about practical strategies for managing symptoms, supporting kids in everyday life, and reducing some of the stress and uncertainty that can come with allergies.   About Dr. Zachary Rubin Dr. Zachary Rubin is a double board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist who practices at Oak Brook Allergists in the Chicago area. A nationally recognized medical educator and public health advocate, he shares evidence-based, accessible information on allergies, asthma, and public health with over 3 million followers under the handle @rubin_allergy. Dr. Rubin earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, completed his pediatrics residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, and his allergy/immunology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. Outside of medicine, he enjoys swimming, hiking, golfing, hula hooping, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and three German Shepherds. All About Allergies is his first book, offering a clear, compassionate guide to managing allergic diseases.   Things you'll learn from this episode How allergies work in the body and how the immune system responds across different triggers and scenarios Why the connection between allergies and neurodivergence is gaining attention, despite ongoing research gaps How environmental changes, including climate factors, are contributing to rising allergy prevalence Why understanding diagnosis, prevention, and emergency planning is essential for managing food allergies How asthma functions as an allergic lung condition and what that means for long-term health Why addressing the emotional, social, and practical realities of living with allergies is key forsupporting kids and families Resources mentioned Dr. Zachary Rubin's Substack All About Allergies: Everything You Need to Know About Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More by Zachary Rubin, MD Dr. Zachary Rubin on Instagram Dr. Zachary Rubin on Threads Dr. Zachary Rubin on Facebook Dr. Zachary Rubin on YouTube   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After decades of decline, many church leaders believe that religious life is on the upswing as some younger Americans flock to Christianity — including Vice President JD Vance, whose new book on his Catholic conversion drops this week. But the fuller picture is more complicated. Coming up, we'll talk to religion reporters and a church leader about what may be driving this shift, and what its lasting impacts could be. Guests: Michael O'Loughlin, executive editor, National Catholic Reporter; O'Loughlin has covered the Catholic church for both the Boston Globe and Crux; author, "Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear" Lauren Jackson, deputy editorial director for newsletters and the host of “Believing," The New York Times Ryan Burge, professor of practice at the John C. Danforth Center, Washington University; author, “Graphs about Religion” Danté Stewart, author, “Shoutin' in the Fire: An American Epistle;” an ordained minister at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Genes or money — which shapes a child's brain more? Michael revisits the classic nature-versus-nurture debate, but with a modern twist. Prompted by new research from Washington University in St. Louis, he examines evidence suggesting that socioeconomic factors—including income, neighborhood conditions, stress, sleep, and screen time—may have a profound impact on measurable brain development in children. He also connects the findings to economist Raj Chetty's work on economic mobility and the power of cross-class friendships. Is money really the key factor, or is it a proxy for something larger: opportunity, connection, and social capital? Listen here, then vote, and be sure to rate, review and share this podcast! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Dr. Malcolm Townes breaks down how WashU is building a more execution-focused commercialization engine through its Gap Fund, designed to advance non-drug, non-therapeutic technologies by funding the technology (not startups) to avoid conflicts and drive sharper development decisions. He shares why hands-on, milestone-based funding and rigorous customer discovery are essential to uncovering “unknown unknowns,” preventing expert blindness, and aligning products with real clinical workflows. The conversation also explores how WashU leverages EIRs and Venture Fellows to add commercialization horsepower, why “coachability” is the strongest predictor of success, and what innovators most often miss: FDA clearance isn't enough—market access and reimbursement require different proof, data, and strategy.Dr. Malcolm Townes LinkedInWashington University in St. Louis Gap Fund WebsiteDuane Mancini LinkedInProject Medtech WebsiteProject Medtech LinkedInThank you to our sponsors: Ward Law and JumpStart Inc.

OpenAI has officially joined the IPO race with its confidential S-1 filing, but fellow AI lab Perplexity is planning to go public in 2028, . After the Senate's vote-a-rama to pass the reconciliation bill that funds immigration enforcement, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) discusses the DC agenda and elections in Texas and Maine. Apple has unveiled Siri AI at its Worldwide Developers Conference, and CNBC's Dan Murphy reports on President Trump's confidence in a deal with Iran. Plus, the Spurs may have beat the Knicks in Game 3, but Washington University in St. Louis sports business director Patrick Rishe underscores the importance of the playoffs for NYC's economy.    Murphy - 04:53 Thune - 15:49 Rishe - 36:15   In this episode: Dan Murphy, @dan_murphy Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Cameron Costa,  @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he covers today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Monday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, Bryan reveals that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reportedly offered his resignation, admitting the IRGC, not the civilian government, is now firmly in control of Iran and its stalled peace talks with President Trump. Bryan tracks satellite images showing Iran using the ceasefire to dig out buried missiles and drones, a US Hellfire strike on a cargo ship running the naval blockade, and warnings from Chevron, Exxon, and Aramco that global oil supplies could hit a panic-buying breaking point in just two to three weeks, with prices potentially spiking past $150 a barrel. He also covers Israel's deepest push into Lebanon in 25 years and the capture of the Crusades-era Beaufort Castle, then makes the case that Trump's best play now is a bare-bones Iran deal so he can pivot to the bigger threat at home: an Islamo-Marxist Democrat movement organizing violent ICE protests with funding from Roy Singham and George Soros. Plus, Bryan unpacks the concept of Taqiyya and what it means for vetting figures like Zohran Mamdani, a screwworm case creeping toward Texas cattle country, a promising new blood test that distinguishes four forms of dementia with 92% accuracy, and surprising research on how multiple AI chatbots can fact-check each other to deliver better medical answers. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32   Keywords: Bryan Dean Wright, The Wright Report, Monday Headline Brief, Masoud Pezeshkian resignation, IRGC control Iran, Iran peace talks, Trump Iran deal, Strait of Hormuz blockade, Hellfire missile cargo ship, oil supply crisis, $150 oil price, Chevron Exxon Aramco warning, Israel Lebanon invasion, Beaufort Castle, Hezbollah disarm, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gaza war, drug boat strikes, Caribbean cartel operations, screwworm outbreak Texas, Eileen Wang Arcadia California, Chinese Communist infiltration, Roy Singham, George Soros, Hassan Piker, Delaney Hall ICE protests, Brandon Greer, New Jersey ICE attacks, Mikie Sherrill, Markwayne Mullin self deportation, Zohran Mamdani, Fadhel Al-Sahlani, taqiyya, political Islam, dementia blood test Washington University, CBD nerve pain study, AI medical chatbots, ChatGPT Gemini Llama health accuracy