Patriarch Leo Chao is murdered at his restaurant at the beginning of Lan Samantha Chang's new novel The Family Chao. Eventually family secrets and bitterness reveal themselves — much like a Dostoyevsky novel, from whom Chao took a lot of inspiration. But NPR's Scott Simon points out that even though this novel is about a murder, it's quite funny. Chang told Simon that she just enjoyed writing it so much that humor became part of it.
As the Convoy occupation expanded beyond choking a single major city, the blocking of supply lines and border crossings raised more questions regarding how the government's reaction might effect political movements in the future.
Gather 'round fellow nerds, you’re about to learn about the wildest not a fern not a bush not a cactus plant you never knew you never knew about: CYCADS. These endangered ancient plants have been around for 270 million years, give or take, and now they’re some of the most valuable vegetation in the world. Come along to learn about these uncomfortably sexy gymnosperms and the international crimes people do to steal them. Also: neurotoxins, Jurassic Park, and one of the best fixes for procrastination we’ve ever heard with the world’s favorite botanist and cycadologist, Dr. Nathalie Nagalingum.
On this episode of “NFT All-Stars,” host Artnome (Jason R. Bailey) is joined by Ed Young, co-founder of The Source magazine and owner of NFT.hiphop, to interview long-time record mogul, entrepreneur and art collector Damon Dash.
Alongside Dash’s background in the record industry as co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, he also has extensive experience managing art galleries all over the world. Dash’s time spent working with creators made the challenges – and pitfalls – of the traditional art world apparent to him.
Dash has turned his attention to non-fungible tokens (NFT), where he sees immense potential benefits and opportunities for visual and musical artists. Cutting out the intermediaries often present in artist management can improve an artist’s financial and creative control over their work.
The NFT space continues to explode as more and more uses for NFTs become in use. Big names are recognizing their potential.
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Ready to invest in crypto and NFTs but don't want to get scammed? Laura answers listener questions about who should own crypto assets, the potential risks, and how to know when a cybercriminal is trying to take advantage of you.
Mike talks with Evan Hughes, author of Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup, about his coverage of an out-of-control drug maker that destroyed lives and paid a price for doing so. Also, a judge, and later a jury, decide that it will take more than inaccurately linking Sarah Palin to murder to prove a defamation case.
This week’s media blitz around Dave Chappelle as an anti-affordable housing crusader missed a lot of nuance around the development proposal in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Ravi, Cory, and Rikki dive in. “A new low for global democracy.” We discuss the 2021 Democracy Index and the dire picture it paints for democratic values around the world. We debate the latest front in the CRT fight in schools: curriculum transparency. And finally, we catch up with the eccentric couple accused of conspiring to launder $4.5 billion in stolen Bitcoin.
The steel mill owner Cleveland-Cliffs has agreed to pay $3 million to settle lawsuits by government and non-profit organizations. The company is accused of violating the Clean Water Act more than 100 times, including a cyanide and ammonia spill in August 2019 that killed thousands of fish and closed Lake Michigan beaches.
Reset checks in with one of the environmental groups behind the lawsuit for the latest.
GUEST: Howard Learner, ELPC’s Executive Director
More and more states are loosening their mask mandates as COVID-19 cases fall throughout the country. But the CDC says there isn't enough of a drop with deaths and hospitalizations to warrant this change. This muddled messaging can make it difficult to navigate this current phase of the pandemic.
NPR correspondent Mara Liasson explains that while politics have played a role in public health decision making from the beginning of the pandemic, the divide between Republic and Democratic states is starting to close.
Today on “The Breakdown,” NLW digs into the recent news from Canada. Specifically, he looks at the activation of the Emergencies Act which, among other things, will allow banks and financial institutions to freeze the funds of citizens suspected to be involved in the protests – without due process and without liability. The action is drawing serious ire and shining a light on the importance of alternative financial systems.
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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “Vision” by OBOY. Image credit: Gavin John/Bloomberg/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8.
