We talk with Nicholas Wapshott, the author of the new book Keynes Hayek: The Clash That Defined Modern Economics. The fight over their ideas has never been more relevant.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/10/28/141802704/the-friday-podcast-keynes-vs-hayek
"In the wake of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince’s tragic suicide, the media narrative about her death was tragically familiar: she was bullied to death by mean girls and predatory boys. But the truth is much more complicated says Slate’s Emily Bazelon. Bazelon has investigated this story for months. She’s interviewed one of the students accused of bullying - the first time any of the alleged bullies has spoken with the media. Bazelon explains how the media misreported this story and why it matters. "
Tagged with npr on the media pri phoebe prince suicide media coverage
"Yale University’s Timothy Snyder discusses the mass murders committed by the Nazi and Stalinist regimes, and looks at how both the German and the Soviet killing sites fell behind the iron curtain after World War II, leaving the history of mass killings there in darkness. In Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin, he looks at what happened under totalitarianism, when Stalin killed millions of his own citizens and Hitler murdered six million Jews, as well as nearly as many other Europeans."
From http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2010/dec/10/bloodlands-europe-between-hitler-and-stalin/
This is the best book I’ve read on WWII in years, from a reading habit of nearly 100 books. It’s a side of the war only glimpse.
What if games could help solve, rather than exacerbate, real-world problems? Jane McGonigal, author of the new book, Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, thinks they can. She explains how games fulfill needs that reality doesn’t, and how to make real life more like a game.
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/18/133870801/could-gaming-be-good-for-you
Tagged with npr talk of the nation gaming gamers game theory jane mcgonigal
NPR and Propublica collaborated on a story () related to this interview.
‘Two years before the financial crisis hit, Merrill Lynch confronted a serious problem. No one, not even the bank’s own traders, wanted to buy the supposedly safe portions of the mortgage-backed securities Merrill was creating.
Bank executives came up with a fix that had short-term benefits and long-term consequences. They formed a new group within Merrill, which took on the bank’s money-losing securities. But how to get the group to accept deals that were otherwise unprofitable? They paid them. The division creating the securities passed portions of their bonuses to the new group, according to two former Merrill executives with detailed knowledge of the arrangement. …
Within Merrill Lynch, some traders called it a "million for a billion" — meaning a million dollars in bonus money for every billion taken on in Merrill mortgage securities. Others referred to it as "the subsidy." One former executive called it bribery. The group was being compensated for how much it took, not whether it made money.’
Tagged with npr propublica planet money merrill lynch financial crisis
‘KUOW has learned that 19 people working for charities in the Puget Sound region earned more than $1 million in 2008. The nonprofit groups paid the seven–figure sums even as Washington state fell into its worst recession in decades. According to the charities’ filings with the IRS, another 59 employees earned at least $500,000 that year.
The charities are the region’s nonprofit hospitals. John Ryan brings us this KUOW investigation.’
‘One way retailers are trying to maximize profits this holiday season is through "dynamic pricing," whereby the price of an item is based on what the seller thinks the consumer is willing to pay. Slate’s Annie Lowrey says that retailers use your browsing history, your purchase history, and even your browser type to guess how deep your pockets are.’
‘For decades, the FCC has been fielding complaints about the drastic volume change between television shows and the commercials around them. Up until now, their only solution was to recommend that viewers use the mute button when a loud commercial comes on. The Wall Street Journal’s Elizabeth Williamson says all that will change now that Congress has passed new legislation to regulate the volume of commercials.’
‘Parents, the next time you fret that your child is wasting too much time playing video games, consider new research suggesting that video gaming may have real-world benefits for your child’s developing brain.
Daphne Bavelier is professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester. She studies young people playing action video games. Having now conducted more than 20 studies on the topic, Bavelier says, "It turns out that action video games are far from mindless."’
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