The Gist - Thank God for Hedonists

There is virtue in delight! We chanced upon new building materials, better computer software, and a global economy by frittering away our time. On The Gist, author Steven Johnson says our flights of fancy may have driven most of human progress. Johnson’s new book is Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World.

For the Spiel, the passings of 2016. 

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the memory palace - Episode 101 (Promise)

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows.

SPOILERS BELOW

Notes

Music

  • Starts with Christope Beck and DeadMono's theme to Charlie Countryman.
  • Prelude for HS by Hakon Stene.
  • Tezeta (Nostalgia) from Malatu Astatke, from Ethiopiques vol. 4, one of my favorite pieces of music in the world.
  • Marian Lapansky plays Camille Saint-Saens "Le Sygne."
  • Which fights with Piero Umiliani's Danza Primitiva.
  • Warren Ellis rounds it out with his Lale's Theme from his terrific score to Mustang (which you should totally see).
  • The Hazel Scott pieces can be found here and here.

Crimetown - S1 E06: Gerald and Harold

Police discover a bullet-riddled body in the backseat of a car. Jerry Tillinghast and his brother Harold are arrested. But doubts are soon raised about Harold’s involvement. And now, Jerry has a choice: break the mob’s code of silence, or allow his brother to join him in prison.

For a full list of credits, and for more information about this episode, visit crimetownshow.com.

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Curious City - The Willis Tower In 150 Years: Adapted, Demolished or Abandoned?

What will happen to the Willis Tower in 150 years? In this special Curious City presentation, producer Jesse Dukes and the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Jen Masengarb envision three future scenarios for the iconic skyscraper, and for the Chicago of 2166. Click here for the full story. 




Curious City - The Willis Tower In 150 Years: Adapted, Demolished or Abandoned?

What will happen to the Willis Tower in 150 years? In this special Curious City presentation, producer Jesse Dukes and the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Jen Masengarb envision three future scenarios for the iconic skyscraper, and for the Chicago of 2166. Click here for the full story. 




50 Things That Made the Modern Economy - Banking

Warrior monks, crusaders and the mysterious origins of modern banking. You might think banks are so central to every economy that they have always existed. And they have, sort of. But the true story of the origins of modern banking is – as Tim Harford explains – as surprising and mysterious as the plot of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. (Photo: Temple Church in London. Credit: Kiev Victor/Shutterstock)

The Gist - Our Inflamer-In-Chief

The current world order is fragile, and President-elect Donald Trump has shown himself to be sensitive, antagonistic, and gleeful about turning existing dynamics upside-down. How could this affect the United States’ role in defusing international conflicts? Dan De Luce, chief national security correspondent for Foreign Policy magazine, runs through a few scenarios. “The executive branch has expanded dramatically,” said De Luce. “We are a long way from where we were when this country was founded and the president has enormous power in foreign policy.” For the Spiel, the big headlines of 2017. 

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The Gist - Do Strict Voter Laws Make a Difference?

Last summer, the Supreme Court stopped North Carolina from using a strict voter ID law that would likely disadvantage Democrats and “target African Americans with almost surgical precision.”

Now, the court is facing two more restrictive voter laws that could seriously change American elections. Rick Hasen covers the wild world of election law on his blog. He joins Mike to discuss the new cases, and other ways that Republican-governed states have tried to suppress turnout.

For the Spiel, a Pesca family musical postcard for the holidays.

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