In this installment of Best Of The Gist, a couple interviews from the vault in honor of Independence Day. First up, historian Gordon S. Wood explains why the friendship between founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams should give us hope. Then Mike talks about founding fathers’ thighs with Alexis Coe, author of You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington.
Reagan knew how to budget. Jefferson knew how to party.
Megan Gorman is the author of the upcoming book, “All the Presidents' Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money.” Gorman is also the founding partner of Chequers Financial Management Robert Brokamp caught up with Gorman for a conversation about:
- What FDR, a “bit of a trust fund kid,” did if he needed money.
- How Ronald Reagan’s humble beginnings impacted his finances.
- Why a Great Depression president was a great investor.
At a rally in Wisconsin and in an interview with ABC News, President Biden pushed back against calls for him to step down; Kansas' top court affirms the right to abortion in that state; Iranians elect a reformist presidential candidate.
Imagine bumping into a stranger who has the power and kindness to make your dreams come true. Listener Uta tells us how her chance meeting with Harry led to a place at the University she'd thought was out of reach -- and changed her life forever. They talk about why you should take a chance on strangers and always be willing to help others.
Also: We hear from the inspiring young woman helping farmers boost their crops in Kenya using artificial intelligence.
Why K-pop stars New Jeans are guiding people around a museum in Europe.
The Indonesian women playing heavy metal in hijabs to break down stereotypes.
Scientists find lifelong learning isn't reserved for humans -- chimps can do it too.
And the world's first school exam in skateboarding.
Our weekly collection of positive stories and happy news from around the world.
Simulating Black Holes; News Items: DNA Nano Killbot, Bionic Leg, Neanderthal with Downs, Festival Fail, Kugelblitz Black Holes; Who's That Noisy; Name That Logical Fallacy; Science or Fiction
Kevin Kwan discusses his internationally best-selling novel, Crazy Rich Asians, with readers from around the world.
Chinese-American academic Rachel Chu lives a modest and happy life with her boyfriend and fellow academic Nick. But when Nick invites her home to Singapore to meet the family, everything changes – starting with the first class flights.
Saturated with wildly wealthy and deliciously dysfunctional super-elites, this ironic and funny rom-com makes a perfect escapist summer read.
(Photo: Kevin Kwan is seen in midtown on 24 August, 2023, New York City. Credit: Raymond Hall/Getty Images)
Two turtles and a flock of ducks swim along in a pond on the front porch of Stephen and Kim Benson's Old Town home. The couple wanted to make their home more animal-friendly, and to bring a bit of wonder to the block.
So, bit by bit, the Benson family turned their Old Town front porch into a ‘mini-zoo’ in 2022. It’s been a neighborhood staple ever since.
Reset sits down with the couple to hear their story.
For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.
Alperovitch is currently the Founder and Executive Chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a think tank focused on “advancing American prosperity and global leadership in the 21st century and beyond.” Before moving into the think tank world, Alperovitch was the CTO and co-founder of CrowdStrike, a multi-billion dollar cybersecurity company that gained public attention for investigating the 2016 DNC email leaks and 2014’s North Korean hack of Sony Pictures.
Through his work at CrowdStrike and McAfee before that, Alperovitch was involved in investigating numerous Chinese cyber-intrusions into US and global institutions, for instance Operation Aurora and Operation Shady RAT. Alperovitch’s cybersecurity expertise has also led him to advise numerous US government institutions including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.
Drawing from his experiences across the private and public sectors, Alperovitch injects World on the Brink with incisive analyses and historical precedents that should spark the interest of those who follow US-China competition.
Anthony Kao is a writer who intersects international affairs and cultural criticism. He founded/edits Cinema Escapist—a publication exploring the sociopolitical context behind global film and television—and also writes for outlets like The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Diplomat, and Eater.