Listening ideas for 19 April 2011

Mahabharata Podcast
The Temptation of Karna
Episode 53 - This episode is devoted to the classic scene of the Mahabharata in which Krishna reveals to Karna his true descent. He never was the Son of a Suta, which everyone called him with scorn. No, he was in fact the eldest of the Pandavas-- the original Partha. Now that the truth was out, all Karna needed to do was embrace his Dharma, join his brothers, and assume the title of King of India.
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Some Books Considered
Program 121
Sherry Turkle is a professor of Social Sciences and Technology at MIT and a clinical psychologist. For 15 years she has followed how families use technology and the ways in which we interact with technology. Dr. Turkle talks about how technology has redrawn the boundaries between intimacy and solitude. She advises us to put down our smart phones and devote some time to one-on-one face-to-face interaction. She also discusses the dangers of “sociable robotics.” Robots are being developed to provide elder care and child care. She says it is an inappropriate use of technology to have a robot that professes to “care” for you and serves as a confidante because a robot is not a living creature.
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Inspired Minds
Zubin Mehta - Conductor
This month one of the world's great conductors, Zubin Mehta, celebrates his 75th birthday. A native of India, he has conducted many of the world's great orchestras and since his debut as an opera conductor, has conducted at the Met, the Vienna State Opera, Covent Garden and La Scala. Since 1977 he has been music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Making Love in the Kitchen
Life Transformation with Philip McCluskey
Guest: Philip McCluskey, of Loving Raw, lost 250 lbs on a raw food diet! 250lbs!!! That's like two of me! He did all on his own, by reading about it, trying it, and of course, now living it! He may not be all raw but he is all dedicated to eating whole and healthy, while maintaining balance and best bit is- he travels around the world motivating other people to take ownership over their health and see it through to the bright side. Wowzers, did I love talking to this man!
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Omega Tau
The Cassini Mission to Saturn
This episode is about the Cassini Mission to Saturn. We talk with Nora Kelly Alonge, a Project Science System Engineer and Science Planning Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In the episode we cover the Cassini spacecraft’s structure and sensors (and its lander, Huygens), some of the relevant science, as well as the challenge of coordinating science and engineering requirements on the mission.
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Witness
Waco siege
In 1993, around 80 members of a Christian cult died when a fire broke out at the end of a siege in Waco, Texas. Sam Henry lost his entire family in the blaze.
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EconTalk
Munger on Microfinance, Savings, and Poverty
Mike Munger of Duke University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about microfinance. Munger argues that cultural forces make it difficult for some families to save, and the main value of microfinance is to allow a higher level of savings. Families are willing to save via microfinance even though returns can be negative. Munger argues that this counterintuitive result is possible when other means of savings are unavailable. Munger also discusses microfinance that is used for entrepreneurship and the potential role for microfinance in development.
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The Tolkien Professor
The Gift of Annwn, by Scott Holbrook-Foust
An essay exploring the representation of the Celtic Otherworld in Arthurian Literature, with a particular focus on Morgan Le Fay in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
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