Conversation

Approximately every two minutes, one woman will be raped in the United States. That means about 10 women will be raped by the end of this short 20 minute segment. Of those rapes over half will be committed by someone the victim knows, and the majority will go unreported. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and on the show today Ross spoke with Mary Ellen Stone, the executive director of King County Sexual Assault Resource Center about sexual assault. 

With all the talk about the legalization of marijuana perhaps you’ve been caught in a haze and haven’t been paying attention to what is going on with Washington’s long legal medical marijuana. Well changes are being proposed there too. Washington Senator Ann Rivers has proposed legislation that would task the Liquor Control Board with licensing and regulating medical marijuana dispensaries, processors and growers. Ann Rivers talks to Ross Reynolds about why she thinks further regulation is necessary.

The Seattle Mariners are likely to see an increase in future revenue now that they’ve purchased a controlling interest in ROOT Sports Northwest — the cable network that broadcasts their games. Up until now, the Mariners have been required to share their TV revenue with other major league baseball teams. By controlling their TV rights the Mariners will be able to keep much of that revenue for themselves.

So how will this impact their success on the field? How has this worked out for other teams? Ross Reynolds talks with sports editor for The Nation, Dave Zirin.

It’s not just math anymore, students are falling behind in history and civics too. A new report by independent, non-partisan research organization — the Pioneer Institute — says the state of US history and civics education is so abysmal that it makes “reading, mathematics and science achievement seem robust by comparison.” Washington state’s record isn’t any better. The state received a D grade from educational excellence organization, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, for its quote “meager” US history standards.

To reverse this trend the Pioneer Institute report recommends a simple policy: require high school graduates to pass the US citizenship test. Ross Reynolds talks with Sandra Stotsky, professor of education reform and one of the authors of this report.

We decided to catch up with Tulalip Tribe Chairman Mel Sheldon Jr. and The Bug Chef, David George Gordon, in the KUOW Green Room while they were awaiting their interviews on The Conversation.

A new public service announcement by the state’s Emergency Management Division urges you to always “know your location” just in case you have to call 911. Emergency dispatchers say they often get calls from people who can’t describe where they are or even how to get there. With 70 percent of 911 calls coming from cell phones, it’s much harder for operators to pinpoint a specific location.

Feeling hungry? Bring on the bugs! High in protein and easy to farm, bugs are nutritious and sustainable, and according to some, even delicious.

Ross Reynolds talked to The Bug Chef David George Gordon, the author of "Eat-A-Bug Cookbook." The cookbook covers how to properly find, prepare, and eat everything from scorpions to waxworms. And he brought along some delicacies -- mealworms, caterpillars and crickets -- for brave producers Hannah Burn and Arwen Nicks to enjoy.

Mel Sheldon is chairman of the Tulalip Tribe, but he wasn’t always in politics. Chairman Sheldon fished for 25 years. Before that he worked as a houseboy at two University of Washington sororities. And before that, Sheldon served as a pilot in Vietnam.

Chairman Sheldon says he likes “life on the edge," he likes being busy and he likes working hard. Ross Reynolds talks with Tulalip Tribe Chairman Mel Sheldon about his life, career and hopes for the future.

Pete Holmes is Seattle’s city attorney and that means his clients include the mayor, the City Council, the police and the public. Pete Holmes previously worked as a private attorney in Seattle for almost 25 years before being elected city attorney in November 2009. He was also an original member of the Seattle Police Department's Office of Professional Accountability Review Board (OPARB) and served as chairman from 2003 to 2008. Ross Reynolds talks with Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes about the recent retirement of Police Chief John Diaz, the Department of Justice and what he was doing in Copenhagen. 

According to Nicco Mele the Internet is the great leveler and the age of "big" has ended. Who has power and control when almost everyone has access? Ross Reynolds talks to Nicco Mele about the Internet, the distribution of power and his new book, "The End of Big."