Podcasts about WPA

Send us a textThis coming Saturday evening in Bristol, TN the most fans ever to attend an MLB game are predicted to watch the Reds and Braves. HOF inductions took place Sunday in Cooperstown where it was as hot as it always is for those ceremonies. Dave Parker's son spoke eloquently about him and Dick Allen's widow Willa gave a moving tribute to an all-time great. Billy Wagner, C.C. Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki all very deserving, were celebrated.  The MLB trade deadline is Friday this week and there have yet to be big-time deals but there's still time. This week in baseball's biggest story on the field was Nick Kurtz's amazing game for the A's vs. the Astros in Houston. 6 for 6 with 4 HR's and a record-tying 19 total bases! Shawn Green has company!  We talk about Win Probability Added - WPA, which catalogs which players are the ones that contribute to a team's winning chances the most. Barry Bonds, HOFers Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams are the top three with Willie Mays and Henry Aaron right behind on the all-time list and on the pitching side Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson, and Roger Clemens lead the pitchers in WPA and nobody should b surprised.  The stats list a ton of HOFers and a few that should be HOFers!It is the Braves that have three pitchers w initials DD not the Rangers. Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com.  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your frienwww.almostcooperstown.com

At first glance, the idea of deporting 30 million undocumented immigrants sounds logistically absurd. It seems politically suicidal, morally grotesque, and economically unviable. And that's precisely the point. For years, the unspoken strategy among progressive immigration advocates and Democratic administrations has been to overwhelm the system. The assumption was simple: if you allow enough people in, undercut enforcement, delay asylum proceedings, and stretch ICE past the breaking point, the machine will collapse under its own weight. Amnesty—if not by law, then by inertia.But this strategy misread the nature of the American state. It assumed that cost would be the limiting factor. It assumed that there was some point where the budget said “no.” But America doesn't fear large-scale expenditures—it industrializes them. Just as the military-industrial complex learned to turn every war into a jobs program, the deportation-industrial complex is now preparing to turn mass removal into its own domestic surge.This isn't about politics. It's about procurement. The logic of wartime spending, redirected inward. If there are 30 million people to remove, then every law enforcement agency, detention facility, border town, federal contractor, and software vendor just found itself a 10-year growth plan. The more people there are to deport, the more money gets spent trying. And when there's money to be spent, there's power to be built.It will look familiar. Local police departments will get new funding under “immigration task forces.” Counties will expand jail capacity “for processing purposes.” Private contractors will bid to provide buses, surveillance software, interpretation services, and biometric tracking. ICE will become the new VA. CBP will get its own public relations office, veteran hiring initiatives, and branded recruitment campaigns. Every piece of the federal deportation puzzle will scatter across congressional districts—just like defense spending. Just like fighter jets built in 50 states to guarantee buy-in.Even the intelligence community will find its place. The Five Eyes alliance won't stop at terrorists—they'll offer data-sharing agreements to help root out visa overstays, border jumpers, and cartel networks. Domestic surveillance, long a third rail, will find new life under the banner of “immigration enforcement.”It's not that the political class wants to deport 30 million people—it's that someone told them they could. And more importantly, that there's money in it. The idea that scale would act as a deterrent was always a gamble. But now it's starting to look like an accelerant.The deeper irony is that, in trying to overwhelm the system into mercy, open-borders ideologues may have instead created the greatest federal jobs program since the WPA. Not in green energy or infrastructure, but in the mechanized removal of the very population they sought to protect. And every mayor, governor, and senator who once cried about federal neglect will now see an influx of cash and contracts—just so long as they play their role in the machinery.What's coming isn't just about law and order. It's about full-spectrum mobilization. The same way the New Deal turned dams, railroads, and murals into work for millions, the deportation-industrial complex will do the same—with detention centers, court dockets, and field agents.You thought mass deportation was impossible because it was too big? In Washington, that's a feature, not a bug. When you give the federal government a problem too large to solve cleanly, it builds an industry around failing slowly. And it keeps the checks flowing.

Fish Fries, political BBQs, family reunions — during the 1930s writers were paid by the government to chronicle local food, eating customs and recipes across the United States. America Eats, a WPA project, sent writers like Nelson Algren, Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, and Stetson Kennedy out to document America's relationship with food during the Great Depression.When we were searching for Hidden Kitchens and stories about how people come together through food we opened up a phone line on NPR and asked the nation for their ideas. Mark Kurlansky, author of Choice Cuts: Food Writing from Around the World and Throughout History told us about America Eats, a federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) program in the 1930s that sent writers throughout the country to document foodways.Each region had its own America Eats team. Their writings, photographs and even some scripts for a proposed weekly radio program are tucked away in collections around the country — at the New York Municipal Archive, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the University of Iowa Library, and the State Library and Archives of Florida, as well as at the Library of Congress.Producer Jamie York and The Kitchen Sisters follow the story to the Library of Congress and beyond.Produced by Jamie York and The Kitchen Sisters. Mixed by Jeremiah Moore. In collaboration with Tim Folger, Jay Allison, Laura Folger, Kate Volkman, Melissa Robbins, Viki Merrick, Sydney Lewis, Chelsea Merz and Susan Leem.The Kitchen Sisters Present is produced by The Kitchen Sisters (Nikki Silva & Davia Nelson) with Nathan Dalton and Brandi Howell. We're part of Radiotopia from PRX, a curated network of  podcasts created by independent producers — some of the best stories out there. Find out more at Radiotopia.fm and kitchensisters.org.

Trump didn't come back to bomb Iran. He came back to slap tariffs on China and build a domestic economy around mass deportation. That's not hyperbole—it's his vision of American greatness: inward-looking, job-creating, and built on enforcement infrastructure rather than foreign adventurism.He never needed war to stimulate the economy. He needed ICE hiring sprees. He needed biometric tracking. He needed a federal payroll surge to support the logistical nightmare of deporting 20 to 30 million undocumented immigrants. It's brutal, yes—but in Trump's eyes, it's also stimulative. Multi-trillion-dollar spending. Boots on the ground. Judges, pilots, cooks, medics, drones, buses, detention centers. A kind of anti-welfare WPA.But every lever was blocked. Judges intervened. Blue states refused cooperation. Cities nullified enforcement. Activists, NGOs, billionaires who rely on $5/hour lettuce pickers—all resisted. Trump's domestic economic agenda—tariffs and deportations—was systematically jammed.So he escalated.Last week, B-2 bombers dropped bunker-busting bombs on Iranian nuclear sites. Tomahawks rained down on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This wasn't strategy—it was inevitability. If you deny a strongman peaceful tools, you don't make him quit. You make him fight on less peaceful terms.And now, we inch toward a wartime draft.Under U.S. law, the Selective Service can be activated during conflict. Normally, it's for 18–25-year-olds. But in wartime? That can expand. And today, unlike Vietnam, you don't need a draft board to guess who's “trouble.” You have Palantir.Palantir knows who protested. Who donated. Who posted. Who agitates. Your dissent has a data profile. You don't need a conviction—you just need a pattern. And suddenly, “sending criminals to the front” becomes “sending enemies of the state to the sand.”This isn't hypothetical. This is logistical feasibility meeting political grievance.Opposition to Trump may have believed they were resisting fascism. But they may have done worse: cornered him into escalation. Like with Putin in Ukraine, everyone knew: if you don't give him an off-ramp, he'll burn everything. Trump is built the same way. Not culturally. Not ideologically. But structurally. He does not de-escalate. He retaliates. He must “win”—or remake the board until it looks like he did.And if his domestic agenda is paralyzed, his only remaining lever is war. And the only tool he can freely use under that banner? The draft.If you think you're safe, you're not. Not if you're tagged, flagged, profiled, surveilled, or archived. Not if your face appears next to “Free Palestine,” or “Never Trump,” or “Antifa,” or “Pride.” Those might not land you in jail—but they could land you in a sandpit, with a rifle, wondering how your hashtag became your unit patch.It didn't have to be this way. Trump wanted tariffs and buses—not bombers and troop carriers. But if you deny him every tool but war, don't be surprised when he reaches for it.

Today we are discussing Porter Peach Festival in Porter, Oklahoma. The Porter Peach Festival celebrates the area's legacy crop of peaches with a myriad of activities and events perfect for a summer day with the family. You can shop for fresh, juicy peaches, peach products and other produce at Livesay Orchards, located three miles south of Porter, then get your fill on tasty peach desserts at The Peach Barn, approximately seven miles east of Porter. On Porter's downtown Main Street you can shop at many arts and crafts vendors, enjoy street games, live music and taste a wide variety of fair food. Come out on Thursday for a talent show, while Friday's events include a culinary contest. On Saturday, there will be a peachy parade, free peaches and ice cream, and a prize peach auction. Porter, Oklahoma, established in 1903 along the Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma Railroad, is a historic town between Muskogee and Tulsa, known for its rich agricultural heritage and vibrant community spirit. Named after Pleasant Porter, a Creek Nation chief born in nearby Clarksville, the town was incorporated in 1905 and thrived with farming, ranching, and coal mining. Its fertile lands between the Verdigris and Arkansas rivers attracted settlers, fostering a bustling early economy. Despite a devastating 1919 tornado that caused significant economic loss, Porter rebounded during World War II, with its WPA building (now Town Hall) serving as a subcamp for German and Italian POWs who worked on local farms. The town's agricultural legacy shines through its peach industry, sparked by Creek allottee Ben Marshall in the 1890s. His award-winning peaches at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition cemented Porter's reputation, leading to the annual Porter Peach Festival, a highlight since 1967. This festival, still celebrated today, draws visitors with its celebration of local peaches, including a notable moment when Porter peaches were presented to First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson at the White House. Porter offers a charming blend of history, culture, and agricultural pride, making it a unique stop for visitors seeking small-town Oklahoma charm. For more details, check local tourism resources or visit during the Peach Festival for a taste of Porter's legacy. Also discussed Livesay Orchards, The Peach Barn, KOCO, Moore Norman Technology Center, Broken Bow Travel Sisters, Luke's BBQ and Cafe 75 Special Thanks to our partner, Think Ability Inc. Want some Only in OK Show swag? #PorterPeachFestival #porterok #peach #festival #technologycenter #stem #space #lonniepaxton #cafe75 #brokenbowtravel #onlyinokshow #Oklahoma #podcast #traveloklahoma #historic #travel #tourism

We speak with Lauren Arrington about her forthcoming book on women artists in the Federal Arts Project. The Great Depression rendered 140,000 women and girls across the United States homeless. In 1935, Franklin Delano Roosevelt founded the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that employed 8.5 million people over the course of eight years. Soon, the WPA instituted a landmark ruling forbidding sexual discrimination. As a result, between thirty and forty percent of newly hired artists on federal projects were women. This equity of opportunity enabled women to rise to positions of leadership and have access to resources that had a lasting effect on national institutions and on the history of art. In her book, Arrington challenges the popular memory of WPA art as a story of straight white men. Instead, she argues that the works of art that many women created under the Federal Arts Project made visible Black, immigrant, and women's lives in a way that challenged segregationist, xenophobic, and sexist structures intrinsic in the nation's institutions. During our conversation, Arrington explores the extraordinary achievements and tribulations of New Deal women artists and administrators. Among them include Alice Neel, Gwendolyn Bennett, Augusta Savage, Georgette Seabrooke, Lenore Thomas, and Pablita Velarde. Along the way, we track how these women and the Federal Art Project more broadly came under fire from local and national government officials who attempted to censor or suppress their radical work, to fire them from their jobs or force their resignations from projects, and to investigate them for “un-American” activity. We contemplate the challenges of writing histories of lost and often deliberately destroyed archives. And we consider the lessons of women's participation in the Federal Arts Project for the future politics of public arts provisioning.Lauren Arrington is Chair and Professor of English at University of South Florida. Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/MoLsuperstructureMusic by Nahneen Kula: www.nahneenkula.com

What if your wellness business could run with a waitlist of ideal clients—without hustle or burnout? In this episode, Cate Stillman talks with Jennifer Orechwa, CEO of Salt Marketing, about how storytelling, clear strategy, and aligned offers can transform your marketing and attract the right people—consistently. Jennifer shares practical frameworks to move from transactional selling to transformational client relationships, why so many wellness pros struggle with conversions, and how you can create a system that keeps your calendar full. ✅ What you'll learn: How story-based marketing builds trust and demand Steps to create offers that naturally generate a waitlist The role of strategic clarity in scaling your business Common marketing mistakes wellness pros make—and how to fix them

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA Trade Show marked the third consecutive one for Serafin de Cuba. This year, Serafin de Cuba introduced a new limited-edition cigar. Unfortunately, before the Trade Show, they had to swiftly rebrand this product to Reserva 2506 to avoid a potential trademark issue. Fortunately, Serafin de Cuba completed the rebranding and was able to highlight this new release at the 2025 Trade Show. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wPa  

The 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA Trade Show marked the third consecutive one for Serafin de Cuba. This year, Serafin de Cuba introduced a new limited-edition cigar. Unfortunately, before the Trade Show, they had to swiftly rebrand this product to Reserva 2506 to avoid a potential trademark issue. Fortunately, Serafin de Cuba completed the rebranding and was able to highlight this new release at the 2025 Trade Show. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-wPa

What if the secret to revitalizing today's creative workforce lies in a forgotten 1970s government program?In a time when society urgently seeks sustainable ways to support artists and strengthen communities, in this episode, the second of two, we revisit the CETA Arts Program—a bold experiment that transformed artists into public servants. You'll hear how this unexpected initiative is influencing today's creative policy landscape and how its legacy is being reimagined in pandemic-era artist relief efforts.Learn how CETA's community-centered structure inspired programs like Creatives Rebuild New York, blending public service with creative employment.Discover the crucial real-world skills—like negotiation, humility, and adaptability—that artists must master but never learn in art school.Hear compelling personal stories of missteps, breakthroughs, and the often invisible work of artists who repair, reimagine, and rebuild community infrastructure.Tune in to uncover timeless lessons and practical tools from an unsung chapter in U.S. history that's helping shape the future of art and civic engagement today.Notable Mentions:Here's alist of People, Events, Organizations, and Publications mentioned in the episode, each with a brief description and clickable links to learn more. P1. PeopleVirginia Maksymowicz – Sculptor, longtime CETA artist (1978–1979), and co-director of the CETA Arts Legacy Project based in Philadelphia Blaise Tobia – Photographer, CETA participant documenting the NYC project, professor at Drexel, and co-director of the CETA Arts Legacy Project Ted Berger – Arts advocate, former Executive Director of NYFA, and early leader in NYC's CETA program John Kreidler – Architect of San Francisco's first CETA Artists program in 1974, helped shape putting federal funds into art Ruth Asawa – Renowned sculptor and educator who helped launch the first CETA Arts experiment in San Francisco Sarah Calderón – Director of Creatives Rebuild New York who consulted with Virginia and Blaise on CETA models Molly Garfinkel – City Lore archivist who has supported the CETA Arts Legacy Project since 2017 2. Events / ProgramsCETA Artists Project (1978–1979) – Part of the federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, this was the largest artist employment initiative since the WPA. Artists served in community centers, schools, prisons—and shaped public life through art CETA Arts Legacy Project – An initiative by former CETA artists (Virginia, Blaise, and others) to document and preserve the

The Pack Horse Library Project was part of the WPA's attempt to relieve rural poverty in Kentucky.  Since many people in Appalachian Kentucky didn't have access to books, the "book ladies" of the Pack Horse library brought books to them in remote areas via packhorses.  The librarians would haul hundreds of books into the back country via horseback, serving rural communities and promoting literacy and education in communities that didn't have any books.  Women would ride routes that covered over 100 miles as then rotated through communities, sharing books and homemade "instructive literature". At the end of the WPA funding in 1943 the communities were again cut off from library access until the advent of the bookmobile in the 1950s.

Matt Bomberg is my guest today and he talks about the brand new club coming to Richmond, Indiana, in 2026. The expansion franchise will play out of McBride Stadium and be a whole new era of baseball at the historic WPA venue. We discuss what will be done and who will be involved with the day-to-day operations in Richmond.

Episodes Summary: A beautiful and powerful art exhibition is touring the country right now, called Pictures of Belonging, which explores three artists of Japanese descent - Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi and Miné Okubo. The exhibition puts these artists and their work in their rightful place in the history of American art. For this bonus episode, producer and lead writer David Taylor visits the exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and shares his insights about Miné Okubo, who was featured in Episode 9: Is This Land Your Land? She was a painter who was working with Diego Rivera on murals for the WPA when she was detained and sent to an incarceration camp during World War 2. She used her artwork to bear witness to the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during the war. Links and Resources:Pictures of Belonging: Japanese American National MuseumPictures of Belonging: Smithsonian American Art MuseumCitizen 13660 - a short film from the National Park ServiceSincerely, Miné Okubo - a short biography from the Japanese American National MuseumFurther Reading: Citizen 13360 by Miné OkuboMiné Okubo: Following Her Own Road by Greg Robinson Peaceful Painter: Memoirs of an Issei Woman Artist by Hisako HibiThe Other American Moderns: Matsura, Ishigaki, Nora, Hayakawa by ShiPu WangCredits: Director: Andrea KalinProducers: Andrea Kalin, David A. Taylor, James MirabelloEditor: Amy YoungFeaturing music from Pond5Produced with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Florida Humanities, Virginia Humanities, Wisconsin Humanities, California Humanities and Humanities Nebraska. For additional content, visit peoplesrecorder.info or follow us on social media: @peoplesrecorder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EARLIER POTUS CONFRONTING THE COURTS: 4/8: Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal by  David Pietrusza  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Roosevelt-Sweeps-Nation-Landslide-Triumph/dp/1635767776 Award-winning historian David Pietrusza boldly steers clear of the pat narrative regarding Franklin Roosevelt's unprecedented 1936 re-election landslide, weaving an enormously more intricate, ever more surprising tale of a polarized nation; of America's most complex, calculating, and politically successful president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, at the very top of his Machiavellian game; and the unlocking of the puzzle of how our society, our politics, and our parties fitfully reinvented themselves. With in-depth examinations of rabble-rousing Democratic US Senator Huey Long and his assassination before he was able to challenge FDR in '36; powerful, but widely hated, newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, who blasted FDR's “Raw Deal”; wildly popular, radical radio commentator Father Coughlin; the steamrolled passage of Social Security and backlash against it; the era's racism and anti-Semitism; American Socialism and Communism; and a Supreme Court seemingly bent on dismantling the New Deal altogether, Roosevelt Sweeps Nation is a vivid portrait of a dynamic Depression-Era America. 1936 WPA

In this episode, we tell the inspiring story of the packhorse librarians, a group of determined women who brought literacy and hope to the remote hollers of Eastern Kentucky during the Great Depression. As families struggled to survive, these brave librarians on horses (and mules) navigated rugged terrain to deliver books and educational materials to isolated communities where access to the written word was scarce.Joining us for this story is our special guest Nicki Jacobsmeyer, author of "Kentucky's Packhorse Librarians," who shares her insights and research on this remarkable chapter of Appalachian history.Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to catch all our stories.You can also support our storytelling journey and access exclusive content by becoming a patron here:  https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stories-of-appalachia--5553692/supportThanks for listening!

Hello Interactors,It's March Madness time in the states — baskets and brackets. I admit I'd grown a bit skeptical of how basketball evolved since my playing days. As it happens, I played against Caitlin Clark's dad, from nearby Indianola, Iowa! Unlike the more dynamic Brent Clark, I was a small-town six-foot center, taught never to face the basket and dribble. After all, it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's era of back-to-the-hoop skyhooks. By college, however, I was playing pickup games in California, expected to handle the ball, shoot, dish, or drive. Just like Caitlin! The players around me were from East LA, not Indianola. Jordan was king, and basketball wasn't just evolving — it was about to explode. It's geographic expansion and spatial dynamism has influenced how the game is played and I now know why I can't get enough of it.BOARDS, BOUNDARIES, AND BREAKING FREEThere was one gym in my hometown, Norwalk, Iowa, where I could dunk a basketball. The court was so cramped, there was a wall right behind the backboard. It was padded to ease post layup collisions! But when I timed it right, I could run and jump off the wall launching myself into the air and just high enough to dunk. This old gym, a WPA project, was built in 1936 and was considered large at the time relative to population. It felt tiny by the time I played there during PE as a kid and on weekend pickup games as a teen — though it was still bigger than anything my parents experienced in rural Southern Iowa.Basketball began as a sport of spatial limitation. James Naismith invented the game in 1891 — 45 years prior to my dunk gym's grand opening. The game was invented to be played in a YMCA gym in Springfield, Massachusetts. This building dictated the court's dimensions, movement, and strategy. Naismith's original 13 rules emphasized order—no dribbling or running, only passing to move the ball. Early basketball wasn't about individual drives but about constant movement within a network of passing lanes, with players anticipating and reacting in real time.The original peach baskets were hung ten feet high on a balcony railing, with no backboards to guide shots. Misses bounced unpredictably, adding a vertical challenge and forcing players to think strategically about rebounding. Since the baskets had bottoms, play stopped after every score, giving teams time to reset and rethink.Soon the bottom of the basket was removed, and a backboard was introduced — originally intended to prevent interference from spectators batting opponents shots from the balcony. The backboard fundamentally altered the physics of play. Now a player could more predictably bank shots of the backboard and invent new rebounding strategies.When running while dribbling was introduced in the late 1890s, basketball's rigid spatial structure loosened. No longer confined to static passing formations, the game became a fluid system of movement. These innovations transformed the court into an interactive spatial environment, where angles, trajectories, and rebounds became key tactical elements. According to one theory of spatial reformulation through human behavior, structured spaces like basketball courts evolved not solely through top-down design, but through emergent patterns of use, where movement, interaction, and adaptation shape the space over time.By the 1920s, the court itself expanded—not so much in physical size but in meaning. The game had spread beyond enclosed gymnasiums to urban playgrounds, colleges, and professional teams. Each expansion further evolved basketball's spatial logic. Courts in New York's streetball culture fostered a tight and improvisational style. Players developed elite dribbling skills and isolation plays to navigate crowded urban courts. Meanwhile, Midwestern colleges, like Kansas where Naismith later coached, prioritized structured passing and zone defenses, reflecting the systemic, collective ethos of the game's inventor. This period reflects microcosms of larger social and spatial behaviors. Basketball, shaped by its environment and the players who occupied it, mirrored the broader urbanization process. This set the stage for basketball's transformation and expansion from national leagues to a truly global game.The evolution of basketball, like the natural, constructed, and cultural landscapes surrounding it, was not static. Basketball was manifested through and embedded in cultural geography, where places evolve over time, accumulating layers of meaning and adaptation. The basketball court was no exception. The game burst forth, breaking boundaries. It branched into local leagues, between bustling cities, across regions, and globetrotted around the world.TACTICS, TALENT, AND TRANSNATIONAL TIESThe year my ego-dunk gym was built, basketball debuted in the 1936 Olympics. That introduced the sport to the world. International play revealed contrasting styles, but it wasn't until the 1990s and 2000s that basketball became a truly global game — shaped as much by European and African players as by American traditions.Europe's game focused on tactical structures and spatial awareness. In the U.S., basketball was built within a high school and college system, but European basketball mimicked their club-based soccer academy model. It still does. In countries like Serbia, Spain, and Lithuania, players are taught the game from a tactical perspective first — learning how to read defenses, move without the ball, and make the extra pass. European training emphasizes court vision, spacing, and passing precision, fostering playmakers wise to the spatial dynamics of the game. Geography also plays a role in the development of European basketball. Countries like Serbia and Lithuania, which have a strong history of basketball but relatively smaller populations, could not rely on the sheer athletic depth of players like the U.S. Instead, they had to refine skill-based, systematic approaches to the game. This helped to ensure every player developed what is commonly called a “high basketball IQ”. They also exhibit a high level of adaptability to team-oriented strategies. European basketball exemplifies this, blending the legacy of former socialist sports systems — which prioritized collective success — with contemporary, globalized styles. This structured process explains why European players like Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo often arrive in the NBA with an advanced understanding of spacing, passing, and team concepts. Jokić's story is particularly revealing. Growing up in Serbia, he didn't just play basketball — he played water polo, a sport that demands high-level spatial awareness and precision passing. In water polo, players must make quick decisions without being able to plant their feet or rely on sheer speed. Although, at seven feet tall, Jokić could probably sometimes touch the bottom of the pool! These skills translated perfectly to his basketball game, where his passing ability, patience, and ability to manipulate defenders make him one of the most unique playmakers in NBA history. Unlike the American model, where taller players are often pushed into narrowly defined roles as rebounders and rim protectors (like I was), European training systems emphasize all-around skill development regardless of height.This is why European big men like Jokić, Gasol, and Nowitzki excel both in the post and on the perimeter. Europe's emphasis on technical education and tactical intelligence fosters versatile skill sets before specialization. This adaptability has made fluid, multi-positional play the norm, prioritizing efficiency and team success over individual spectacle.If European basketball emphasizes structure, the African basketball pipeline fosters adaptability and resilience — not as inherent traits, but as responses to developmental conditions. Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu popularized this as habitus, where individuals unconsciously shape their skills based on their social and material environments. With limited formal infrastructure, many African players learn in fluid, improvised settings, refining their game through necessity rather than structured coaching.Unlike U.S. and European players, who train in specialized systems from an early age, African players often develop versatile, positionless skill sets. Their careers frequently involve migrating through different leagues and coaching styles. A great example is Joel Embiid. He didn't start playing basketball until he was 15. Growing up in Cameroon, he initially played soccer and volleyball. These sports both contributed to his basketball development in unexpected ways. Soccer helped him refine elite footwork, now a required trait of the post game, while volleyball sharpened his timing and hand-eye coordination — hence his dominance as a shot-blocker and rebounder. This multi-sport background is common among African players. Many grow up playing soccer first, which explains why so many African-born big men in the NBA — Hakeem Olajuwon, Serge Ibaka, and Pascal Siakam — have exceptional footwork and agility.Like Jokić's water polo background shaped his passing, soccer's fluidity influences how many African players move on the court. Beyond skills, migration plays a key role, as many leave home as teens to develop in European leagues or U.S. schools. Constant adaptation to new environments builds mental resilience, essential for professional sports. (just ask Luka Dončić after suddenly being traded to the Lakers!) Anthropologist Arjun Appadurai describes this as evolving ethnoscapes and how globalization drives global cultural flows. Practices, traditions, and ideas reshape both new destinations and home cultures as identities become blended across cultures and borders. African players embody this, adapting their games across multiple basketball traditions.Look at Embiid moving from Cameroon to the U.S., adapting to American basketball while retaining his cross-sport instincts. Or Giannis Antetokounmpo, he was born in Greece to Nigerian parents, played soccer as a kid, and now blends European teamwork and fancy footwork with NBA strength training and explosiveness. Like the game itself, basketball is shifting as players from diverse domains deliver new directions, playing patterns, and philosophies.CULTURE, COURTS, AND CROSSOVERSThe influx of European and African players has not only changed the NBA, it's also changed how American players play overseas.Sports psychologist Rainer Meisterjahn studied American players in foreign leagues, revealing struggles with structured European play and coaching. Initially frustrated by the lack of individual play and star focus, many later gained a broader understanding of the game. Their experience mirrors that of European and African players in the NBA, proving basketball is now a shared global culture.While the NBA markets itself as an American product, its style, strategies, and talent pool are increasingly internationalized. The dominance of ball movement and tactical discipline coupled with versatility and adaptability have fundamentally reshaped how the game is played.Media has help drive basketball's global expansion. Sports media now amplifies international leagues, exposing fans (like me) to diverse playing styles. Rather than homogenizing, basketball evolves by merging influences, much like cultural exchanges that shaped jazz (another love of mine) or global cuisine (another love of mind) — blending styles while retaining its core. The game is no longer dictated by how one country plays; it is an interwoven, adaptive sport, constantly changing in countless ways. The court's boundaries may be tight, but borderless basketball has taken flight.Basketball has always been a game of spatial negotiation. First confined to a small, hardwood court, it spilled out of walls to playgrounds, across rivalrous cross-town leagues, to the Laker-Celtic coastal battles of the 80s, and onto the global stage. Yet its true complexity is not just where it is played, but how it adapts. The game's larger narrative is informed by the emergent behaviors and real-time spatial recalibration that happens every time it's played. Basketball operates as an interactive system where every movement creates new positional possibilities and reciprocal responses. Player interactions shape the game in real time, influencing both individual possessions—where spacing, passing, and movement constantly evolve — and the global basketball economy, where styles, strategies, and talent migration continuously reshape the sport.On the court, players exist in a constant state of spatial adaptation, moving through a fluid network of shifting gaps, contested lanes, and open spaces. Every pass, cut, and screen forces a reaction, triggering an endless cycle of recalibration and emergence. The most elite players — whether it's Nikola Jokić manipulating defensive rotations with surgical passing or Giannis Antetokounmpo reshaping space in transition — don't just react to the game; they anticipate and reshape the very structure of the court itself. This reflects the idea that space is not just occupied but actively redefined through movement and interaction, continuously shaped by dynamic engagement on and off the court.This logic of adaptation extends to the community level where basketball interacts with urban geography, shaping and being shaped by its environment. Urban basketball courts function as micro-environments, where local styles of play emerge as reflections of city life and its unique spatial dynamics. The compact, improvisational play of street courts in Lagos mirrors the spatial density of urban Africa, just as the systemic, team-first approach of European basketball reflects the structured environments of club academies in Spain, Serbia, and Lithuania. As the game expands, it doesn't erase these identities — it integrates them. New forms of hybrid styles reflect decades-old forces of globalization.Basketball's global expansion mirrors the complex adaptive networks that form during the course of a game. Interconnected systems evolve through emergent interactions. And just as cities develop through shifting flows of people, resources, and ideas, basketball transforms as players, styles, and strategies circulate worldwide, continuously reshaping the game on the court and off. The court may still be measured in feet and lines, but the game it contains — psychologically, socially, and geographically — moves beyond those boundaries. It flows with every fluent pass, each migrating mass, and every vibrant force that fuels its ever-evolving future.REFERENCESHillier, B. (2012). Studying cities to learn about minds: Some possible implications of space syntax for spatial cognition. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design.Naismith, J. (1941). Basketball: Its Origins and Development. University of Nebraska Press.Baur, J. W. R., & Tynon, J. F. (2010). Small-scale urban nature parks: Why should we care? Leisure Sciences, Taylor & Francis.Callaghan, J., Moore, E., & Simpson, J. (2018). Coordinated action, communication, and creativity in basketball in superdiversity. Language and Intercultural Communication, Taylor & Francis.Meinig, D. W. (1979). The Interpretation of Ordinary Landscapes: Geographical Essays. Oxford University Press.Andrews, D. L. (2018). The (Trans)National Basketball Association: American Commodity-Sign Culture and Global-Local Conjuncturalism.Galeano, E. (2015). The Global Court: The Rise of International Basketball. Verso.Ungruhe, C., & Agergaard, S. (2020). Cultural Transitions in Sport: The Migration of African Basketball Players to Europe. International Review for the Sociology of SportAppadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. University of Minnesota Press.Meisterjahn, R. J. (2011). Everything Was Different: An Existential Phenomenological Investigation of U.S. Professional Basketball Players' Experiences Overseas.Ramos, J., Lopes, R., & Araújo, D. (2018). Network dynamics in team sports: The influence of space and time in basketball. Journal of Human Kinetics.Ribeiro, J., Silva, P., Duarte, R., Davids, K., & Araújo, D. (2019). Team sports performance analysis: A dynamical system approach. Sports Medicine. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

So who, exactly is government. It's the question that Michael Lewis and an all-star team of writers address in a particularly timely new volume of essays. Who is Government? According to the Montana based Sarah Vowell, author of “The Equalizer”, an essay in the volume about the National Archives, government enables all American citizens to find stories about themselves. Vowell praises the modesty of most government employees. But she warns, the work of public servants like the National Archives' Pamela Wright is anything but modest and represents the core foundation of American democracy. Vowell's message is the antidote to the chainsaw. Essential listening in our surreal times.Here are the five Keen On America takeaways in this conversation with Vowell:* The National Archives as a democratic resource: Pamela Wright's work at the National Archives focused on digitizing records (over 300 million so far) to make them accessible to all Americans, regardless of where they live. This democratization of access allows people to bypass intimidating physical buildings and access their history from anywhere.* Public servants are often modest and unsung: Sarah describes how government workers like Wright tend to be modest, team-oriented people who focus on doing their job rather than seeking recognition. This stands in contrast to more visible or self-promoting public figures.* Personal connections to national archives: The conversation reveals how Americans can find their own family stories within government records. Sarah discovered her own family history, including her grandfather's WPA work and connections to the Cherokee Nation's Trail of Tears through archival documents.* Government's impact on opportunity: Sarah emphasizes how government programs like the Higher Education Act of 1965 created opportunities that changed her family's trajectory from poverty to professional careers through access to public education and financial assistance programs.* The interconnectedness of government services and American life: The conversation concludes with Sarah's observation about how government services form an "ecosystem of opportunity" that impacts everything from education to outdoor recreation jobs in Montana, with each part connected to others in ways that aren't always visible but are essential to how society functions.Sarah Vowell is the New York Times bestselling author of seven nonfiction books on American history and culture. By examining the connections between the American past and present, she offers personal, often humorous accounts of American history as well as current events and politics. Her book, Lafayette in the Somewhat United States, explores both the ideas and the battles of the American Revolution, especially the patriot founders' alliance with France as personified by the teenage volunteer in George Washington's army, the Marquis de Lafayette. Vowell's book, Unfamiliar Fishes is the intriguing history of our 50th state, Hawaii, annexed in 1898. Replete with a cast of beguiling and often tragic characters, including an overthrown Hawaiian queen, whalers, missionaries, sugar barons, Teddy Roosevelt and assorted con men, Unfamiliar Fishes is another history lesson in Americana as only Vowell can tell it – with brainy wit and droll humor. The Wordy Shipmates examines the New England Puritans and their journey to and impact on America. She studies John Winthrop's 1630 sermon “A Model of Christian Charity” and the bloody story that resulted from American exceptionalism. And she also traces the relationship of Winthrop, Massachusetts' first governor, and Roger Williams, the Calvinist minister who founded Rhode Island – an unlikely friendship that was emblematic of the polar extremes of the American foundation. Throughout she reveals how American history can show up in the most unexpected places in our modern culture, often in poignant ways. Her book Assassination Vacation is a haunting and surprisingly hilarious road trip to tourist sites devoted to the murders of presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. Vowell examines what these acts of political violence reveal about our national character and our contemporary society. She is also the author of two essay collections, The Partly Cloudy Patriot and Take the Cannoli. Her first book Radio On, is her year-long diary of listening to the radio in 1995. She was guest editor for The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2017. Most recently she contributed an essay for Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service by Michael Lewis (Riverhead, March 18, 2025). Vowell's thirty years as a journalist and columnist began in the freewheeling atmosphere of the weekly newspapers of the 1990s, including The Village Voice, the Twin Cities' City Pages and San Francisco Weekly, where she was the pop music columnist. An original contributor to McSweeney's, she has worked as a columnist for Salon and Time, a reviewer for Spin, a reporter for GQ, and a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, where she covered politics, history, education and life in Montana. She was a contributing editor for the public radio show This American Life from 1996-2008, where she produced numerous commentaries and documentaries and toured the country in many of the program's live shows. Her notable side projects have included a decade as the founding president of 826NYC, a nonprofit tutoring and writing center for students aged 6-18 in Brooklyn; producing a filmed oral history series commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Montana Constitutional Convention of 1972; and occasional voice acting, including her role as teen superhero Violet Parr in Brad Bird's Academy Award-winning The Incredibles, and its sequel, Incredibles 2, from Pixar Animation Studios.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting the daily KEEN ON show, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy interview series. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Georgette Seabrooke, also known as Georgette Seabrooke Powell, (1916-2011) was an American muralist, artist, illustrator, art therapist, and community educator. She is best known for her mural Recreation in Harlem at Harlem Hospital, which she made while working for the WPA in 1936. A true lifelong learner, Seabrooke was educated at the Harlem Community Art Center, and studied at the Cooper Union, Fordham University, and Howard University, and many other institutions. For Further Reading: Georgette Seabrooke Powell At Harlem Hospital, Murals Get a New Life At the Feet of a Master: What Georgette Seabrooke Powell Taught Me About Art, Activism, and the Creative Sisterhood “Recreation in Harlem” This Black History Month, we’re talking about Renaissance Women. As part of the famed cultural and artistic Harlem Renaissance movement, these women found beauty in an often ugly world. History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should. Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures. Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. Original theme music composed by Miles Moran. Follow Wonder Media Network: Website Instagram Twitter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this interview I talk with artist and activist Art Hazelwood about art as political action versus politics as a subject. We start with his journey as a printmaker in San Francisco in the early 90s, where he engaged in political art through the Street Sheet newspaper. He elaborates on the distinction between social commentary and political action, emphasizing his active role in various causes including homelessness and union support. We also talk about his work with the San Francisco Poster Syndicate and teaching drawing at San Quentin prison, highlighting the importance of art as a transformative tool within the prison system. Additionally, we talk about his involvement in Mission Gráfica, a print studio, and his efforts in cataloging artists' estates. The conversation touches on the evolving role of artists, the value of ephemeral art, and the challenges and opportunities within the art world today. Episode image by James Hazelwood https://www.arthazelwood.com/ https://www.arthazelwood.com/impresario/publications/mission-grafica-book.html https://www.arthazelwood.com/impresario/publications/hobos-to-street-book.html Bainbridge Island Museum of Art video on Tipping Point by Art Hazelwood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx7VNp6sBoo Platemark website Sign-up for Platemark emails Leave a 5-star review Support the show Get your Platemark merch Check out Platemark on Instagram Join our Platemark group on Facebook Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Strike!, 2023. Screenprint. 19 x 12 ¾ in. San Francisco State University California Faculty Association Strike poster. Courtesy of the Artist. Installation shot of Hobos to Street People: Artists' Responses to Homelessness from the New Deal to the Present. The California Historical Society, February 19–August 15, 2009. Installation shot of Hobos to Street People: Artists' Responses to Homelessness from the New Deal to the Present. The California Historical Society, February 19–August 15, 2009. Installation shot of Hobos to Street People: Artists' Responses to Homelessness from the New Deal to the Present. The California Historical Society, February 19–August 15, 2009. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Hobos to Street People: Artist' Responses to Homelessness from the New Deal to the Present. San Francisco: California Historical Society, 2008. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Mission Gráfica: Reflecting a Community in Print. San Francisco: Pacific View PR, 2022. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Die Aktion #70, Grimmiger Jäger / Grim Hunter, 500,000, 2021. Screenprint. 16 3/4 x 11 in. Marking the grim milestone of 500,000 dead of Covid in the US. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). New Masses #64, Last Tango, January 6, 2020, 2021. Screenprint. 17 x 12 in. Marking the attempted coup on January 6, 2020. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). The Road to Fascism: It's No Game,  2024. Screenprint. 17 1/2 x 21 ½ in. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Iraqopoly, 2006. Screenprint. 20 1/2 x 28 1/2 in. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Fascist Mix 'N Match, 2024. Screenprint. 9 x 10 ¾ in. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Le Charivari #76, July 19, 2024, Candidat a la Presidentielle 2016–2024, 2024. Screenprint. 17 x 11 1/4. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). A Sea of Blood, 2022. Woodcut. 19 ¾ x 14 in. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Culture Street / Gentrification Lane, 2016. Woodcut. Each panel: 36 x 24. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Must We Always Have This? Why Not Housing?, 2023. Screenprint. 16 3/4 x 11 ½ in. Created for Western Regional Advocacy Project's director Paul Boden and his 40 years of activism. Text is from a WPA poster from New York 1930s. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Tipping Point, 2021. Artist's book with screenprints (binding and design by Asa Nakata). Overall: 12 x 9 x 1 3/8. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Tipping Point, 2021. Artist's book with screenprints (binding and design by Asa Nakata). Overall: 12 x 9 x 1 3/8. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood street printing with San Francisco Poster Syndicate, 2023. Photo courtesy of David Bacon. Steamroller, six formerly incarcerated men and three of their teachers created a 3-foot square linocut print and printed it with a steamroller at Diablo Valley College, CA, in March 2024. Photo courtesy of Peter Merts. Steamroller, six formerly incarcerated men and three of their teachers created a 3-foot square linocut print and printed it with a steamroller at Diablo Valley College, CA, in March 2024. Photo courtesy of Peter Merts. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Ayudantes Animales del Sudoeste: Un Guía Para Viajeros Jóvenes / Animal Helpers of the Southwest: A Guide For Young Travelers, 2015. Artist's book with 12 woodcuts with screenprint borders and text. Sheet: 18 x 18 in. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). End Overdose Now, 2023. Screenprint. 18 1/2 x 11 1/8 in. Created for SF AIDS Foundation, HIV Advocacy Network and city budget fight. Courtesy of the Artist. Art Hazelwood (American, born 1961). Support Our Libraries, 2023. Woodcut. 19 1/4 x 12 1/2. Courtesy of the Artist.    

Part 2 of 2: WPA writer William Haight's oral history interview with Gertrude Balch Ingalls, sister of legendary frontier Columbia Gorge writer Frederic Balch (author of The Bridge of the Gods, and probably the first really important author in Oregon history) recalling ghost stories, common superstitions of frontier folk, and some personal memories of attending weeks-long camp revival meetings. (For the transcript, as well as a good bit of additional content such as song lyrics and original poetry by Frederic Balch, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001941/ )

Part 1 of 2: WPA writer William Haight's oral history interview with Gertrude Balch Ingalls, sister of legendary frontier Columbia Gorge writer Frederic Balch (author of The Bridge of the Gods; no known relation to Danford Balch, btw) including details of a childhood in a strict Methodist home, featuring frequent tent revival meetings and such. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001941/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Portland attorney A.L. Veazie, who grew up in Polk County in the late 1800s, recalling what life was like with the Chinese laborers who were working on railroads and other worksites. Not all his recollections are flattering, but they're not super surprising given that the Chinese were nearly all young, socially ostracized peasant men in a foreign land. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001990/ )

This week, Madison is joined by National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Director of Research and Education, Bethany Dodson and Information Literacy Librarian and Professor at Middle Tennessee State University, Jason Vance to discuss 2024 Cowgirl Honoree, The Pack Horse Library Project. The Pack Horse Library Project ran from 1936 to 1943, with librarians on horseback traveling 10,000 square miles of rugged eastern Kentucky to provide reading materials to isolated families, some of the hardest hit by the Great Depression. The WPA “book women” rode out at least twice a month, in all kinds of weather, with each route covering 100 to 120 miles a week. At its height, the program helped serve almost 100,000 people. By the time the Pack Horse Library Project ended in 1943, it had made a lasting impact on the people of rural Appalachia. To learn more about The Pack Horse Library Project, click here: https://www.cowgirl.net/portfolios/thepackhorselibraryproject/ Visit the Cowgirl Museum online at www.cowgirl.net, on social media @cowgirlmuseum, and in person at 1720 Gendy Street in Fort Worth, Texas.

WPA writer William C. Haight's oral history interview with Rev. W.C. Driver, talking about his early life as a Baptist circuit preacher and the railroad chapel car — a Pullman coach kitted out as a church — that he was assigned to for 12 years. He and his wife lived in the car, and various trains would pull it from town to town. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001938/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with the granddaughter of Yamhill County's first sheriff, and daughter of the editress of Oregon City Seminary's school newspaper, The Magnolia. This is Part 2 of 2, comprising primarily a reading of excerpts from The Magnolia. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001980/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with the granddaughter of Yamhill County's first sheriff, and daughter of the editress of Oregon City Seminary's school newspaper, the Magnolia. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001980/ )

For years now the alternative media space has been getting better and better while the mainstream media gets worse and worse. It's really one of the most interesting things happening in America. Now Democrats have discovered this phenomenon in the wake of Trump's victory and are very upset at the professional political consultants for blowing their chances to keep the White House. Van Jones Speaking at the Deal / Book Summit https://x.com/EricAbbenante/status/1867016695581175859 Van Jones and Andrew Yang on CNN with Erin Burnett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0en6s3i_WPA&t=17s

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Mr. and Mrs. Herman Ledding (we are never given Mrs. L's name), talking about Mrs. Ledding's mother and stepfather: Seth and Sophronia Lewelling, respectively the most famous nurseryman in Oregon history and the proprietress of its most influential literary salon. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001981/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Robert Robinson, master violin maker and repairer, talking about his memories of the professional musicians of Portland in the late 1800s. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001994/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Mrs. Annie Cason Lee, reminiscing about her family's Oregon Trail journey and some of the adventures and misadventures that befell them upon arrival ... including a rather priceless anecdote about her father, Hilary Cason, getting in a vicious fistfight with the owner of the Stark Street Ferry on his way to church! (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001961/ )

Another classic! This time with Rick Steadman new owner of ComedySportz Portland! Go check them out! And take a listen as Matt and Jethro finally take advantage of the WPA.Also, GO VOTE!

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Frances Looney Cornell, whose family was on one of the very first wagon trains to arrive in the Willamette Valley from back east. This is part 1 of a 2-part reading of this oral history file. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001970/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's 1939 oral history interview with Mrs. H.A. Lewis, granddaughter of the legendary Tabitha Moffat Brown, officially named the Mother of Oregon by the state Legislature in 1987, talking about her life and experiences in Oregon after her arrival in 1847. This is Part 1 of 2 parts; it will be continued next Monday. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001985/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's 1939 oral history interview with Mrs. H.A. Lewis, granddaughter of the legendary Tabitha Moffat Brown, officially named the Mother of Oregon by the state Legislature in 1987, talking about her life and experiences in Oregon after her arrival in 1847. This is Part 1 of 2 parts; it will be continued next Monday. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001985/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's short but interesting oral history interview with Mrs. John James of Lake Oswego, talking about the difference between life in her childhood versus the then-modern world. Hot and cold running water felt like a miracle the first time she experienced it! (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001972/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Mrs. J.R. Bean, and some excerpts from the reminiscences of one of her in-laws, James Meikle Sharp, who crossed the country on an Oregon Trail wagon train and secured a teacher's certificate in his new Oregon home. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001963/ )

Dean chats with astronomer and artist Dr. Tyler Nordgren. Listen in to hear about how Dr. Nordgren revived the style of vintage WPA posters to raise awareness for night sky preservation in national parks!What are your fave works of art with an astronomy theme? Send us your thoughts at lookingup@wvxu.org or post them on social media using #lookinguppodcastMusic this episode: "SG Transmission," Line Exchange," "Tannis Corner Stall," and "TK Shell," from Blue Dot Sessions VIA the Free Music Archive (CC by NC) as well as "Zion" by SalmonLikeTheFish via the Free Music Archive (CC by NC-SA).Find Us Online: Twitter: @lookinguppod @deanregas, Instagram: @917wvxu @deanregas, Tiktok: @cincinnatipublicradio @astronomerdean, Episode transcript: www.wvxu.org/podcast/looking-up, More from Dean: www.astrodean.com

This is the third and final part of WPA writer William Haight's oral history interview with Mrs. Neil Niven (Haight doesn't give us her first name or maiden name). Mrs. Niven came to the wild Oregon hard-rock mining boomtown of Granite as a schoolteacher, later served as its newspaper's editor, and throughout her time there she was a close and occasionally sarcastic observer of its wild, violent, rootin'-tootin' culture. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001942/ )

This is Part Two of WPA writer William Haight's oral history interview with Mrs. Neil Niven (Haight doesn't give us her first name or maiden name). Mrs. Niven came to the wild Oregon hard-rock mining boomtown of Granite as a schoolteacher, later served as its newspaper's editor, and throughout her time there she was a close and occasionally sarcastic observer of its wild, violent, rootin'-tootin' culture. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001942/ )

WPA writer William Haight's oral history interview with Mrs. Neil Niven (Haight doesn't give us her first name or maiden name). Mrs. Niven came to the wild Oregon hard-rock mining boomtown of Granite as a schoolteacher, later served as its newspaper's editor, and throughout her time there she was a close and occasionally sarcastic observer of its wild, violent, rootin'-tootin' culture. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001942/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Miss Jean Slauson of Oswego and two of her young cousins, sharing some of their family stories, oral and written. Part 1 of 3 parts. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001975/ )

WPA writer William C. Haight's oral history interview with gold miner Carl Hentz, talking about gold mining lore. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001947/ )

Episode 12 of Fragile Juggernaut turns the lens on the situation and activity of white-collar, professional, and creative workers in the 1930s and 1940s. Together with guests Nikil Saval (state senator from Pennsylvania and author of Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace) and Shannan Clark (historian at Montclair State University and author of The Making of the American Creative Class: New York's Culture Workers and Twentieth-Century Consumer Capitalism), Alex and Gabe dig in on a few key sectors: office workers, journalists, academics and scientists, and workers in the culture industries—art, film, radio, theater, and publishing. How did the labor movement and the left conceptualize these kinds of workers and what role they might play? What was the relationship between their organization and struggle, on one hand, and the content and function of their work, on the other?Sonically, this episode is a bit of a concept album, interspersed with excerpts from Marc Blitzstein's 1937 musical play The Cradle Will Rock (actually a higher-quality 1964 recording). Inspired stylistically by the plays of Bertolt Brecht and institutionally sponsored by the WPA (until it panicked and backed out), The Cradle Will Rock is set in Steeltown, USA: a sex worker is thrown in jail after refusing a cop free service. There, she meets academics, artists, and journalists who have been arrested in a police mix-up at a steelworkers' rally, which they were monitoring as members of the anti-union Liberty Committee of steel baron Mr. Mister. While these anti-union professionals and creatives wait for Mr. Mister to come clear things up and bail them out, they explain how he recruited them to the Liberty Committee. Also with them in jail is steelworkers' leader Larry Forman, who warns them that the cozy “cradle” where they sit will soon fall.A correction: Gabe says in the episode that the Disney strike was in 1940. In fact, it was in May 1941.Featured music (besides The Cradle Will Rock): “Teacher's Blues” by Pete Seeger.Archival audio credits: “I Want to Be a Secretary,” Coronet Instructional Films (1941); Dan Mahoney Oral History, San Francisco State Labor Archives and Research Center; Oppenheimer (2023); “WPA Helping Theaters All Black Production of Macbeth”; Isom Moseley oral history, Federal Writers Project (1941); Dumbo (1941).Fragile Juggernaut is a Haymarket Originals podcast exploring the history, politics, and strategic lessons of the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the rank and file insurgency that produced it. Support Fragile Juggernaut on Patreon and receive our exclusive bimonthly newsletter, full of additional insights, reading recommendations, and archival materials we've amassed along the way.Buy Ours to Master and to Own, currently 40% off: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/366-ours-to-master-and-to-own

WPA writer Andrew C. Sherbert's oral history interview with old Portland pharmacist Ross Plummer, discussing Ross's father — pioneering physician, druggist and telegraphy expert O.P.S. Plummer, who helped Western Union connect Portland to the line and had the first telephone in the Beaver State. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001952/ )

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series. I'm your host, Paul Vogelzang, and today we have a fascinating episode lined up for you. We're delighted to have returning guest, Smithsonian Associate David Taylor with us, an acclaimed author and co-producer of the Smithsonian documentary film, “Soul of a People: The WPA Writers' Project Uncovers Depression America.” David is here to share his insights on his upcoming Smithsonian Associates Walking Tour, titled ‘New Deal Projects Walking Tour,' on the New Deal, a transformative period in American history that not only aimed to revive the economy but also left an indelible mark on the arts and culture.Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal was a bold initiative to use government resources to address crucial public services and stimulate economic growth. Yet, Roosevelt himself predicted that in a hundred years, the New Deal would be remembered more for its contributions to the arts than its job relief efforts. Today, we'll explore that intriguing prediction through David's expertise and his engaging walking tour of Washington, D.C.Smithsonian Associate David Taylor will take us on a journey through time, beginning at Judiciary Square, where we'll see public sculptures and dramatic courthouse bas reliefs by notable artists like John Gregory. Our route includes the Henry F. Daly Building, a prime example of Classical Moderne architecture funded by the Works Progress Administration, and the Federal Trade Commission Building, adorned with monumental Art Deco sculptures created by WPA artists. We'll also discuss the renovations of the National Mall and Washington Monument, pivotal projects of the New Deal era.We'll conclude our exploration at the Department of the Interior, home to over 40 New Deal-era murals and photomurals by the legendary Ansel Adams. Smithsonian Associate David Taylor's walking touroffers a unique opportunity to discover these still-visible landmarks and learn about their historical and cultural significance.So, put on your walking shoes and get ready to delve into the rich artistic legacy of the New Deal with our distinguished guest, Smithsonian Associate David Taylor. Join us now for an enlightening conversation on The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series. My thanks to David Taylor and his upcoming Smithsonian Associates Walking Tour, titled ‘New Deal Projects Walking Tour,' on the New Deal, a transformative period in American history that not only aimed to revive the economy but also left an indelible mark on the arts and culture.  My thanks to you our wonderful audience here on The Not Old Better Show Science Interview Series on radio and podcast.  My thanks to Executive Producer Sam Heninger for all his work on audio and making things run smoothly here on the show.  Please be well, be safe and Let's Talk About Better ™.  The Not Old Better Show Science Interview Series on radio and podcast. Thanks everybody and we'll see you next week.

WPA writer Andrew Sherbert's oral history interview with Catholic Sentinel printshop editor George Gibby in December 1938, in which Mr. Gibby fills him in on the state of frontier-community dancing and how it differed from 'modern' (as of 1938) dancing. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001953/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Harvey Starkweather, a garrulous old fellow who grew up surrounded by Oregon Trail pioneers in and around Milwaukie. (Part 2 of 2)(For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001988/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Harvey Starkweather, a garrulous old fellow who grew up surrounded by Oregon Trail pioneers in and around Milwaukie. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001988/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview with Ernest P. Elliott, grandson of the man who homesteaded Meadowbrook (just northeast of Molalla). (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001983/ )

WPA writer Sara B. Wrenn's oral history interview, in January 1939, with a persnickety collector/hoarder of historical artifacts named Miss Mertie Stevens, including some Oregon Trail objects dating back to 1842! As a side note, writer Sara Wrenn does not seem to have liked Miss Mertie very much. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001977/ )