Speaker's Forum Podcast

Thomas Frank: The Wrecking Crew

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:05:00 -0700

Conservatives have run against big government for decades. Thomas Frank says it's no accident then, that when conservatives rise to power, they get to work dismantling it. Frank says the modern conservative movement puts fundraising and patronage ahead of governing. When the public grows cynical over the ensuing waste, fraud and abuse, Frank says it helps to spread the conservative belief that government is the problem. Thomas Frank is founder of The Baffler magazine and author of "What's the Matter With Kansas?" His latest book is "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule." He spoke at University Book Store in Seattle on August 11, 2008.

Tom Farrey: The High Stakes of Youth Sports

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:05:00 -0700

Could your child be the next Tiger Woods? The next Venus or Serena Williams? Tom Farrey is a correspondent and writer at ESPN. He says the push to turn children into all–stars has made youth sports more competitive and organized than ever. Gone are the days of neighborhood pickup games. Farrey says a shot at the varsity team and scholarship money means year–round leagues and travel teams from grade school. He says this high–stakes pressure actually discourages participation, when the goal should be to have as many kids playing sports for as long as possible. Tom Farrey writes about American youth sports culture in "Game On: The All–American Race to Make Champions of Our Children". He spoke at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle on July 7, 2008.

John Gottman: Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:05:00 -0700

The next time your child is feeling frustrated, sad, or angry, be patient. Dr. John Gottman says how parents respond to the emotions of their children has a huge impact on them. Gottman says discouraging or dismissing your child's emotions can be harmful. He explains how being an "emotion coach" for your child can set her up for a healthier, more successful life. John Gottman is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Washington and co–founder of the Gottman Institute in Seattle. His many books include The Relationship Cure and The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Dr. John Gottman spoke at Town Hall in Seattle on March 5, 2008 as part of ParentMap magazine's Pathways lecture series.

Barbara Ehrenreich: This Land Is Their Land

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:05:00 -0700

Barbara Ehrenreich says inequality in America is rising and people need to start paying attention. She says people are working more, bringing home less, and the cost of everything from housing to healthcare is going up. Meanwhile, she says CEO pay is through the roof and the country spends $12 billion a month on the war in Iraq. And what, she asks, are Americans worked up over? Gay marriage and illegal immigration! Barbara Ehrenreich discusses life in America during the George W. Bush years in her latest collection of essays, called This Land Is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation. Barbara Ehrenreich spoke in Seattle at the Central Downtown library on July 17, 2008. Elliott Bay Book Company co–sponsored the talk.

Lawrence Lessig on Google, Microsoft and Innovation

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:05:00 -0700

The more you use Google, the more valuable Google becomes. The search giant thrives on user creativity. But can Google be trusted to protect innovators? Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig says "Don't be evil" may be the Google motto, but the bottom line belongs to shareholders. Lawrence Lessig is a columnist for Wired magazine and founder of the Creative Commons online copyright project. He spoke on November 2, 2007 as part of the Danz lecture series at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Richard Florida: Who's Your City?

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:05:00 -0700

40 million Americans move every year. Many times people relocate for a job, or a relationship. Economist Richard Florida has moved 17 times since college. He says finding the right place to live is the most important decision a person can make, more than choosing a career or a partner. So why do people give more thought to buying a car? Richard Florida is the author of The Rise of the Creative Class. His latest book is Who's Your City?: How the Creative Economy is Making Where You Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life. He spoke at Town Hall in Seattle on June 3, 2008. Town Hall Center for Civic Life and University Book Store sponsored the event.

Chris Carlsson: Nowtopia

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:05:00 -0700

Do you like your job? Do your best ideas and energies go into your work? Chris Carlsson says there's a creative social revolution going on, but not on the job. He says hobbies and side projects are where the real work is being done. Chris Carlsson is the executive director of the Shaping San Francisco history project. He helped launch the Critical Mass bicycle rides in San Francisco in 1992. His latest book is Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant–Lot Gardeners are Inventing the Future Today! He spoke at the Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle on June 22, 2008.

David Sedaris at Elliott Bay Books

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:05:00 -0700

Writer David Sedaris wanted to kick his smoking habit. He heard the best way to quit smoking was to move, so he spent three months in a Tokyo hotel. It worked, and he wound up getting a book title out of the trip, too. David Sedaris is a regular contributor to This American Life and The New Yorker. He won the 2001 Thurber Prize for American Humor for his book Me Talk Pretty One Day. His latest collection of essays is When You Are Engulfed in Flames. He read at Elliott Bay Books in Seattle on June 23, 2008.

Jeremy Scahill: Blackwater in Iraq

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:05:00 -0700

A former Navy SEAL founded Blackwater Lodge in rural North Carolina in 1997. At first, the company trained local police. But after September 11th, government spending on security spiked and Blackwater USA grew. By 2003, the company had government contracts worth millions, mostly to protect the top U.S. ambassador in Iraq. Now, Blackwater's army rivals that of a small nation. Journalist Jeremy Scahill has tracked Blackwater's rise. He calls the Iraq War "the most radically privatized war in U.S. history." Jeremy Scahill has reported from Iraq, Yugoslavia and New Orleans for Democracy Now! and The Nation. His latest book is Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. He spoke at Town Hall in Seattle on June 18, 2008.

Frances Moore Lappe: Getting a Grip

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:05:00 -0700

Writer Frances Moore Lappe says there's a huge gap between the world we want and the world we actually live in. For example, it's common sense that children should not die for lack of sanitation and clean water. Yet thousands do, every day. Does this make any sense? Lappe says problems like these continue only because we go on believing there's nothing we can do to fix them. She calls for cooperation and enthusiasm from the ground up – a 'living democracy' – to overcome our sense of powerlessness. Frances Moore Lappe is the bestselling author of Diet for a Small Planet. Her newest book is Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity and Courage in a World Gone Mad. She spoke at the Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle on October 27, 2007.