Where We Live - RSS/Podcast

Where We Live's Podcast is Sponsored by: New Alliance Bank

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky)

Funding for Where We Live comes from our members and from New Alliance Bank. Offering mortgage specialists who provide guidance, personalized products, and financial expertise for mortgage refinancing. Do your thing. NewAllianceBank.com - member FDIC, equal housing lender.

A Secret In The Suburbs

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:52:39 EST

Poverty is a problem you tend to think of affecting very urban and very rural areas of america. But a new Brookings study shows a shocking fact: that over the last decade, the poor population in the suburbs has grown by about 60 percent. That national trend follows the same path as local metro areas are seeing, and the numbers aren’t just due to the effects of the economic downturn.

We ex...

A Slower Than Usual Commute

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:50:34 EST

For many commuters, Friday evening's ride on Metro-North was uneventful at first.

“The train was moving along, I guess there was no reason to suspect anything," said Frank Bilotti to the New Haven Register. "Everybody was just daydreaming and passing the time away and all of a sudden, there was a sudden crash. So there’s no warning, no sirens, no whistles or anything.”

The National Tran...

How To Survive "Present Shock"

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:54:49 EST

As our gadgets move into the future, we’re moving into the past. That email you just received? It was written seconds, minutes or hours ago. The tweets you’re catching up on? That’s old news by the time you read it. This radio show? Even if you're listening "live," you're not really listening the moment it happens because of a delay.

In a way, this has always been the case. The newspaper yo...

Government, Why Bother?

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:12:53 EST

It seems that money and power always get in the way of democracy. Compromise can water down idealism, but no compromise results in gridlock. So, a lot of people ask, what’s government good for?

Professor Douglas Amy, author of a book called Government is Good: An Unapologetic Defense of a Vital Institution, said, “Government really plays a vital and necessary role in our society. It’s reall...

Where We Drive: Chain Stores, Strip Malls and Sprawl

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:11:04 EST

Why is it that Americans are so fiercely individualistic...so protective of their rights to be “different," but yet we all shop at the same few stores with the same products, in places that look the same?

If you’ve got a morning commute down a commercial thoroughfare, just look around...how many Dunkin’ Donuts do you pass? How many Walgreens or Subways? How did we get to a place where chain...

Chris Donovan's Former Campaign Finance Director on Trial

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:00:34 EST

Last year’s congressional race in Connecticut’s 5th District was flipped on its head when former speaker Chris Donovan’s campaign finance director was indicted for hiding illegal campaign contributions.

The investigation into Donovan’s campaign eventually derailed the former Democratic Speaker of the House’s run. He lost the primary to Elizabeth Esty who would go on to win the general elect...

Labeling GMOs and Toxic Chemicals in Connecticut

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:03:10 EST

Vegetables that are genetically modified to resist pests have become a part of our daily diet, whether we like it or not. Several states have been considering legislation that would require the labeling of GMO products, but Connecticut could be the first to pass such a law. Opponents of the bill say there’s no health risk, and a law like this would pass on higher prices to consumers.

Other...

The Skills Gap

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:43:32 EST

President Obama said in his second inaugural address that he believes America’s growth rests “upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class” - he wants everyone to find independence and pride in his or her work. But is there a job for everyone? Is our working population ready?

"Middle skills" jobs - which require more than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year degree - could...

What's Up With Stuff?

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:46:10 EST

Seventeen days after a garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh, a woman was pulled alive from the rubble. But more than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead in the tragedy.

This has renewed questions about where all the stuff we buy in America comes from.

NPR’s Planet Money has been trying to tackle this question for the last three years by making their own t-shirt.

We’ll be joined...

Suicide and Mental Health

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:52:04 EST

Suicide rates have risen dramatically for middle-aged Americans in the last 10 years - the highest jump is for men aged 50-54.

In a report released last week, the CDC says that more people aged 35-64 die from suicide than from car accidents, and they have been since 2009.

Today, we’ll look at what might be behind this trend - and what resources are available for Connecticut reside...