Conversation

What can you tell about a person from the books he or she loves to read? A lot, according to Maggie Taylor, Board President of Friends of the Seattle Public Library.

Taylor invited the city's mayoral candidates to choose a passage from a favorite book and then read it aloud. Eight of the candidates accepted the challenge. They read their selections last night at the Central Library downtown.

The aim of the event was to give voters some insight into the candidates, said Taylor.

How well do you know the candidates for Seattle mayor? See if you can match up the candidates with their favorite books. 

 According to the most recent reports from King County, as of April of this year there are currently more than 7,000 people living with HIV, including AIDS cases, in King County. Those are just the reported cases. Most of the people with HIV in King County are white men between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. That is a different picture than AIDS cases nationally, where more than 50 percent of HIV and AIDS cases are people of color.

David Hyde discusses HIV with Dr. Matt Golden, Director of Public Health at the Seattle & King County HIV/STD Control Program. Plus, hear stories from people who have been diagnosed with HIV.

More Resources

• CDC: 2010 Washington HIV/AIDS Epidemic Breakdown
•  King County Public Health: 2013 Public Health News Releases
• King County Public Health: HIV Surveillance and Epidemiologic Research Program
• Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center

  Mayor Mike McGinn is in Washington, D.C., today to testify against the construction of three coal terminals in Washington state. He voiced his environmental concerns earlier today in front of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Even more concerns have arisen now that the Army Corp of Engineers, which is in charge of reviewing the environmental impact of the terminals, has decided not to investigate green house gas emissions.

EarthFix reporters Ashley Ahern and Katie Campbell discuss the latest coal news with David Hyde. Plus, they preview the upcoming EarthFix documentary, "COAL."

  Birds do it, Bees do it, comic characters use ZZZZs to do it – it's sleep. Some of us get more sleep than others. Some of us are new parents, and we wonder if we will ever catch up on the sleep we missed. Students are some of the most sleep deprived as well. Will we ever get enough sleep? David Hyde gets the answers from Dr. Sarah Stolz, director of the Swedish Sleep Medicine Program.

The New York Times and Slate Magazine journalist Jon Mooallem is the author of "Wild Ones: A Sometimes Dismaying, Weirdly Reassuring Story About Looking at People Looking at Animals in America." Mooallem collaborated with the Portland-based band Black Prairie to create a soundtrack for the book. David Hyde talks to Mooallen about the ever-worsening fate of polar bears, and then Black Prairie provides the musical backdrop with a live, in-studio performance.

 In 2011, Seattle became the third city in the nation to mandate paid sick leave for employees. But the specifics of the law have been very confusing for workers and their employers. Not surprisingly, sick leave isn’t the only employee rights law that causes confusion. In many industries, long hours and sporadic schedules can make employee protection laws pretty murky. Employment lawyer Lindsay Halm answers questions from listeners and talks to David Hyde about the rights of Washington state workers.

For more information, please visit Washington Labor & Industries.

 You’ve probably been warned not to eat too much tuna for fear of mercury poisoning. But new research in the Water, Air and Soil Pollution Journal indicates that mercury might be in more places than just fish. Dr. Jane Hightower is an internal medicine doctor at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and the author of "Diagnosis: Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison." She talks to David Hyde about the dangers of mercury and what it means for our diet.

Washington state voters legalized marijuana last fall, but the drug still remains illegal under federal law. Most of Washington’s congressional members, including Rep. Dave Reichert and Sen. Patty Murry, have not been supportive of I-502. On the other hand, Rep. Denny Heck of Olympia is co-sponsoring a bill that would allow banks to handle transactions for marijuana businesses without being subject to federal charges. Rep. Heck discusses the proposal with The Conversation’s David Hyde.

 Tune in once again for public radio’s 11th most popular news quiz! Listeners weigh in on the news of the week. Do you have what it takes? This week David Hyde finds out who’s been listening closely.

Many people dream of having one successful career, but it’s not enough for comedian Aisha Tyler! She’s an actor, comedian, writer and co-host of the hit CBS daytime talk show "The Talk." Aisha also voices superspy Lana Kane on FX’s edgy hit comedy "Archer." She is the creator, producer and host of the hit podcast “Girl on Guy with Aisha Tyler,” a show about stuff guys love. Aisha talks to David Hyde about her new book and her ongoing stand-up career.