Weekday Podcast

Police Reform In New Orleans And Former US Senator Bill Bradley

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:05:00 -0700

Policing The Police: This week, Seattle city officials are expected reply to Department of Justice recommendations for reforming the Seattle Police Department. It's expected that the DOJ will suggest a "consent decree" to solve problems in the Police Department. How does a consent decree actually work, what does it cost, and how might Seattle's version of it hold up in comparison with other cities?

Bill Bradley Says 'We Can All Do Better:' Former three–term US senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley sees a decline in America's future if we don't change course. What can one person do when it comes to rebuilding the country? Bill Bradley joins for a discussion of his new book, "We Can All Do Better."

More Women Losing Enthusiasm For HPV Vaccine: Human papillomavirus, better known as HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the nation — even after a vaccine was developed in 2006. In most cases, HPV clears up by itself within two years, but it can also cause cervical cancer. A recent study finds that the number of women completing the series of shots that would protect them against HPV is low and getting lower. What is it about the vaccine that women are not committing to, and how can that change?

Sound Of The Day: Is today's sound human or machine? What do you think? Hear an interesting sound? Record it, and send it to weekday@kuow.org with "Sound of the Day" in the subject line.

Canada, Culture And Commerce: Vaughn Palmer, Robert Horton, Jon Talton

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:05:00 -0700

Vancouver Sun political correspondent Vaughn Palmer brings us the latest in news from Canada. Film critic Robert Horton previews the Seattle International Film Festival, beginning this Thursday. Then, The Seattle Times columnist Jon Talton discusses the region's economic climate. The housing market could hit bottom this year. What will the "new normal" look like?

Writers William Dietrich And Amitav Ghosh

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:05:00 -0700

William Dietrich: Author William Dietrich's work ranges from environmental history to Napoleonic adventure thrillers. He joins Steve Scher to talk about intrigue, adventure and writing.

'Weekday' Archive — Amitav Ghosh: Amitav Ghosh is a Bengali Indian author whose current trilogy explores India, China and the opium trade in the 19th century. He joined us on "Weekday" in October of last year to talk about "River of Smoke," the second book in the series, following the first installment, "Sea of Poppies."

Sound Of The Day: Can you say the President's name three times fast? Hear an interesting sound? Record 30 seconds and email it to weekday@kuow.org with "Sound of the Day" in the subject line.

The Weather And Hike Of The Week: Michael Fagin suggests a hike to match the week's weather forecast.

John Urquhart, Clean Cosmetics, And Greendays Gardening

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:05:00 -0700

King County Sheriff Candidate John Urquhart: Former King County Sheriff's Office spokesman John Urquhart was the department's public liaison for more than 20 years, until he retired last September. Now he's back and running for Sheriff. He'll face interim King County Sheriff Steve Strachan in November's election. We'll ask John Urquhart why he wants the job.

Safe DIY — More On Dangerous Beauty Products: We assume common body–care products are safe and regulated, but they often aren't. Lotions often contain propylene glycol, used to make antifreeze. Common sunscreens contain ingredients known to cause cancer. Following up on last week's conversation about the dangers we should be looking for, today we'll learn what safe, clean products we can make so we're sure what is going in our bodies.

Greendays Gardening Panel: Open Phones! The Greendays panel offers their guidance for your gardening projects. We've had sun and warm weather and plants are doubling in size. What gardening projects do you have going on? We'll take your questions at 1.800.289.KUOW (5869).

Ask Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:05:00 -0700

The city of Seattle faces a Wednesday deadline to respond a Justice Department plan for reforming the Seattle Police Department. The mayor and SPD, meanwhile, are pursuing their own 20–point, 20–month reform agenda. Mayor Mike McGinn says he's trying to negotiate a mutually agreeable solution. We'll ask him about it. We'll also talk about his call to ease development rules as well as the city's decision to pull the plug on its broadband network. Have a question for the mayor? Call 800.289.5869 or email "Weekday."

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:05:00 -0700

Will A Bad $2B Bet Bring Greater Financial Regulation?: JPMorgan Chase Chief Investment Officer Ina Drew has retired following the bank's $2 billion trading loss last week. The surprising loss has galvanized those calling for greater oversight of "too big to fail" financial institutions and led to calls for the resignation of JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. We'll hear more about the calls for stricter financial regulation from MIT's Simon Johnson.

Weekday Archive: Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky: A poem may not always have rhyme and meter, but it always has a bit of music. Robert Pinsky's poems are inspired by the energy and the tension of jazz. He's even written a libretto for an opera called "Death and the Powers." Pinsky used his time as poet laureate to be an ambassador for the presence of poetry in American culture and in our everyday lives. We listen back to some of our conversation with three–time poet laureate Robert Pinsky.

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire: Governor Chris Gregoire will not seek reelection this November. Still, decisions she makes through the end of her term will have an impact whoever becomes governor. We'll ask her about current negotiations with state employee unions as well as her challenge to her potential successors to find new revenue for education. Have a question for the governor? Email "Weekday."

Eurozone Crisis, Seattle Schools Consider An Earlier Start, And Mom's Apple Pie

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:05:00 -0700

Europe, Austerity And Growth: If you needed an illustration of just how interconnected the members of the Eurozone now are, think about the last 10 days there. A socialist president in elected in France, uncertainty about who'll form the next Greek government — and suddenly when it comes to the future of the Eurozone, all bets are off, again. The talk now is about "austerity with growth." But can Europe square that circle, and why should the US care?

Seattle Schools Consider Earlier Start Times: Parents of Seattle Public Schools students are up in arms about a district plan to save $1 million by starting classes up to an hour earlier and consolidating bus routes. School officials say it's an inconvenient but necessary move to cut transportation costs. Opponents say it will throw early morning routines into disarray and could even wind up leaving students sleep deprived and unready to learn. Would you be affected by the change? Give us a call at 206.543.5869.

Saying 'Thanks, Mom' With Apple Pie: Did you know Mother's Day falls on National Apple Pie Day this year? It's true — a collision of joy. To celebrate, we talk to two pie bakers about moms.

Weekend Weather Forecast: Nick Bond joins us with a look at the weekend weather.

Your Take On The News

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:05:00 -0700

Once again, it is Friday. Time to talk over the week's news. What stories caught your attention? What hasn't been covered enough? What happened this week that made your blood boil? What's your take on the news?

The President Backs Gay Marriage, Will Young Voters Turn Out In 2012? And ExxonMobil's 'Private Empire'

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:05:00 -0700

Will The Youth Vote Show Up In 2012? Gay marriage has been called the uniting cause of the younger generation, and President Obama's announcement of his personal support for same&ndas;sex marriage equality has brought the issue to the fore. But polling on the 2012 election suggests a significant drop in electoral enthusiasm among young voters. Will presidential campaigns be able to rock the "youth–quake" again this year? Why is the youth vote important? How will local races and issues effect voter turnout?

The Inner Workings Of ExxonMobil: Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Steve Coll calls ExxonMobil "one of the most powerful businesses ever produced by American capitalism." In his new book, "Private Empire: ExxonMobil And American Power," Coll explains how the company derived its power and how it uses it to influence everything from foreign policy to the climate change debate.

Novelist Brandon Jones, And A Radio Retrospective

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:05:00 -0700

Weekday Archive: Stephen Greenblatt: How much influence can a poem have? Quite a bit, it turns out. An ancient poem discovered in a remote monastery in 1417 led to the dawn of secular thought that fueled the Renaissance. The poem, by Lucretius, claimed that the universe was not ruled by gods, that matter is composed of tiny particles, and influenced the thinking of everyone from Galileo to Thomas Jefferson to Charles Darwin. Author Stephen Greenblatt describes the poem's influence in his book, "The Swerve: How The World Became Modern."

'All Woman And Springtime:' "All Woman And Springtime" is the debut novel from author and former metal sculptor Brandon Jones. The story follows the lives of two young women in North Korea, and tackles big issues like political repression and human sex trafficking. Brandon Jones joins us to explain how he was able to craft such a vivid, realistic narrative with no direct personal experience.

Radio Retrospective: Censored! There are seven words you can't say on the radio — the FCC has seen to that. Today we take a listen to a 1937 radio broadcast starring Mae West that outraged listeners and had thousands calling for tighter censorship of the airwaves.

Recommended Eating: Food writer Sara Dickerman offers her weekly restaurant recommendation. Prefer to cook? She also has a pick for a great cookbook!