Where We Live - Podcast

WWL: Hard Choices

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:40:35 -0500

07/02/2009 - For months, Governor Rell and lawmakers have been talking about the “tough choices” the budget deficit is presenting. And some of those choices have been tough – like cuts to Medicaid and social services... some could be tough, like whether to raise the income tax rate... but some seem relatively easy. Like borrowing a billion dollars to plug last year’s hole. Today where we live, we’ll talk about the difficult decisions at the state capitol, now that a new fiscal year is underway…without a state budget in place. We’re joined by WNPR’s Capitol Region Reporter Anna Sale and Keith Phaneuf of the Journal Inquirer. We’ll also hear how other states are handling their budget crises when it comes to tax reform and health policy.

Episode Audio

48:57 minutes (23.5 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: Joe Courtney

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:36:43 -0500

07/01/2009 - Health care is at the top of the agenda for the Obama white house – and Congress. Second district congressman Joe Courtney has been talking about health reform in the district. Today, where we live – we’ll talk to Courtney about prospects for a “public option” – and how much health care in America will really change. We’ll also talk military spending, the impact of stimulus money on the states – and what he’s hearing from his district about the state of the economy. Join the conversation with your questions for the congressman

Episode Audio

49:01 minutes (23.53 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: The Music Industry's New Groove

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:05:58 -0500

06/30/2009 - In a 2002 New York Times article, David Bowie said that “music itself is going to become like running water or electricity….it doesn’t matter if you think it’s exciting or not; it’s what is going to happen.” Now, seven years later, the music industry has continued its rapid metamorphosis. Often referred to as an industry in crisis, coming up Where We Live, we’ll be talking with writers and innovators who say the business of making music has never been better. Ignore the closed up Virgin MegaStore in cities across the country—listening to and making music is still big business. David Kusek, author of The Future of Music: Manifestor for the Digital Music Revolution joins us to talk about the new truths that govern the music world. Also, The founders of Pandora and TuneCore chime in and we'll be joined in-studio by WNPR’s own Anthony Fantano.

Episode Audio

49:09 minutes (23.6 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: Aetna on Health Care Reform

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:52:33 -0500

06/29/2009 - President Obama has met with insurance industry leaders as he moves forward with plans to overhaul the nation’s health system. Aetna says they have a plan of their own. Hartford based Aetna is one of the nation’s insurance giants – and they have many reasons to keep the current system just the way it is. But they’ve put out a ten point plan that they say will transform health care in the U.S. Aetna officials say they’re “engaged” in the legislative process underway in Washington. Today, Where We Live, Aetna President Mark Bertolini joins us to talk about the current state of the health care system, the role private insurance has had in getting us here – and where it can take us. Join the conversation, leave your comments below.

Episode Audio

49:02 minutes (23.54 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: Hands On

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:36:35 -0500

06/26/2009 - As unemployment in the US inches dangerously close to 10%-- there are actually some jobs that employers are struggling to fill. In an age when many information jobs have been outsourced, there are openings for skilled trade workers in communities all over this country than there are qualified people to fill them. Employers are looking for applicants who have education and experience working with their hands—and those workers are getting harder and harder to find. Today, Where We Live, we’ll talk with two authors who’ve been pondering the meaning of work, trade and craft. They fear that in a rush to get high school student into college and so-called “knowledge careers,” we’ve steered many young people away from the realm of craftsmanship, where success is based on a straightforward responsibility for quality work. Join the conversation. Have you ever experienced the satisfaction of creating or fixing something with your hands? Leave your comments below.

Episode Audio

49:00 minutes (23.52 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: Time Traveler

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:08:29 -0500

06/25/2009 - Time travel. It’s the stuff movies are made of. But what if it were a reality? UConn Physics Professor Ron Mallett has been asking himself that question since 1955 and he’s dedicated his life to developing a working theory of time travel. Mallet says that the 20th Century was the century of air and space travel and that this new century will be the era of time travel. Today, Where We Live, we’ll talk with Mallett about his work. We’ll talk black holes, cosmic strings, and Spike Lee, who’s turning Mallett’s reality back into the stuff movies are made of. And, we’ll talk about the role of science in America today. We'd love to hear from you! Join the conversation. Leave questions and comments below. Plus, watch a History Channel video about Mallett and his work on time travel theory. This program originally aired on May 6, 2009.

Episode Audio

49:00 minutes (23.52 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: Dating Jesus

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:40:33 -0500

06/24/2009 - By the age of twelve, Susan Campbell had been flirting with Jesus for some time, and in her mind, Jesus had been flirting back. Growing up in the Missouri Ozark mountains, Campbell’s childhood was filled with boundaries, big questions and baseball. The Hartford Courant columnist has told us on this show that she considers herself a proud “hillbilly” – but her new book, “Dating Jesus” reveals her ties to another loaded American identity: The Fundamentalist. Today, Where We Live, Susan Campbell joins us to talk about old-time religion and how it affected her upbringing – and her evolution as a feminist. Campbell will be doing a reading at the East Hampton Public Library at 7 p.m. on July 8, 2009. This program originally aired on March 27, 2009.

Episode Audio

40:51 minutes (19.61 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: The Workplace of the Future

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:41:15 -0500

06/23/2009 - In March 2008, more than 600,000 self-employed workers across the country labeled themselves as working "part time for economic reasons." A year later, that number has reached 1.1 million. The recession is shaking up the workplace - pushing more workers to consider self-employment, both out of desire and necessity. How are freelancers coping in this economy? Is the promise of a free agent economy losing its luster? Does the unemployment safety net need to expand as the way we work changes? Join the conversation. How will the workplace transition out of these bad economic times? Daniel Pink will be speaking at the Rocky Hill Marriott on October 2, 2009. For tickets and other information on his talk Living on the Right Side of the Brain - click here.

Episode Audio

49:00 minutes (23.53 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: Love Makes a Family

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:05:33 -0500

06/22/2009 - Love Makes a Family led the fight for marriage equality in Connecticut. Now the successful advocacy group is closing its doors. Love Makes a Family got its start in 1999 under the direction of Anne Stanback. First the group helped create a law that allowed gay and lesbian couples to adopt… From there, Love Makes a Family paved the way for same sex marriages— The State Supreme Court made that a reality last October. Today, Where We Live, Anne Stanback will be in studio to talk about how the advocacy group achieved its controversial goals and about its decision to close in December And we’ll find out how Love Makes a Family is helping other states achieve the same marriage right for its residents.

Episode Audio

48:59 minutes (23.52 MB)
Download this Episode

WWL: The Children of Children

jdankosky@wnpr.org (John Dankosky) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:17:43 -0500

06/19/2009 - When Russell Goings was a little boy, he shined shoes on Wall Street. He looked up to the stock brokers and vowed to be one some day. When his teachers told him there were no black stock brokers - he proved them wrong. Goings became the first black branch manager of a New York Stock Exchange firm and the owner of the first African American brokerage firm to have a seat on the exhange. The former pro football player has finished his first book at the age of 77, The Children of Children Keep Coming, which explores the history of African Americans through an "epic griot song". Goings joined us to talk about his poetry and his life.

Episode Audio

22:00 minutes (10.56 MB)
Download this Episode