Reinventing the Global Economy - Nobel Prize Winner Stiglitz

"An era can be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted" -- Arther Miller.  Joseph Stiglitz (2001 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics) thinks the recent global financial meltdown is the perfect opportunity to make real changes to the way the global economy works. A nice introduction to Stiglitz's ideas is his interview on Conversations with Richard Fidler. 

Fidler, my new favorite interviewer, talks with Stiglitz; touching on the some of the key ideas from Stiglitz's new book, FreeFall. (26mins) Recommended

The crisis is not over says Stiglitz. He outlines the reasons we got into this mess in the first place and how we may get out of it. Deficit reduction, which seems intuitively good to many, Stiglitz says is a very bad idea. It's been tried again and again by the IMF in countries all over the world, to disastrous results. Stabilize the banking system and bring the actions of bankers around so that it is in their interest to serve the public interest. It's not just a rant against bankers, but a proposal on what should be done.

Stephen Colbert reads 'The Lie', a Story by T.C. Boyle

Kind of a neat little find: Stephen Colbert reading a short story for Public Radio International's Selected Shorts series. He's good! No surprise there, though, I suppose.

The story is T.C. Boyle's, The Lie, about a young father struggling with being a new parent and working in the film business. Recommended.

One way to get the episode is to subscribe to Selected Shorts in ITunes. It's the episode called Two Funny Guys. However, for those who want to listen right away online, someone uploaded the performance to YouTube (no video, just audio). It's broken into 4 parts, so look for the others when done the first.....

What Made the Beatles Great? Mozart? Gretzky?

If you're like most, you think that the Mozarts and Einsteins of the world were just 'gifted' people. They had something, call it talent, or call it genius. Maybe not....

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, challenges the idea of genius: arguing that it is more luck, and practice. He's become known as a 'genius denier'. In Outliers Gladwell goes through case study by case study to demonstrate how it is not 'genius', but other factors play into a person's success. The book also has fascinating things to say about good parenting, and about education and policy. It is thought-provoking, for sure, and Gladwell is a master in the art of making topics like this a fun read.

'Genius' is a hard concept to let go of. To give voice to this reaction, Radiolab takes Gladwell to task on it, in front of a live audience. It's a fun debate: both Gladwell and Krulwich are entertaining. (24mins) Recommended.

Matthew Weiner, Creator of Mad Men, Talks About the First Episode

For Mad Men fans only. On NPR's Fresh Air, Terry Gross interviews Matt Weiner, the creator/writer of Mad Men about the first episode of the new season. The choices he made, and what he was trying to go for. Terry plays clips from the show and gets Weiner to comment.

Science in the 21st Century - Where's it Going and Who's in Control?

It turns out that Swine Flu wasn't so bad. Did we waste money creating all that vaccine? Did we get the science wrong, or did we get the policy wrong? What was the media's role? This is just one example where science is in the middle of politics.

But, scientists play the long-game: they deal in uncertainty and probability. They are basically organized skeptics, constantly questioning things. The public, and politicians want certainties. Is there a way to balance these competing approaches? How can we chart the future of science in light of the threats to the environment, things like bio-terror and all points in between? Are we in control of science in the 21st century?

That's what this year's BBC Reith Lecture, Scientific Horizons, is all about. Lord Martin Rees, president of the Royal Society gives the four-part lecture which explores the complex interplay between science, the media, politicians, and the public. He also makes recommendations. If you're interested in science and policy, it's probably worth checking out. Recommended. (4 x 42mins - free to download from the link above).
picture: Lord Martin Rees

The Mad Men Time Line - Prepare for the Season Opener!

The buzz around Mad Men's season opener is palpable. Instead of having to listen to people talk about some crappy reality show, or Lost, (which, I confess to never having liked), it's chatter about this ambitious historical drama. Mad Men has sex appeal (handsome/beautiful characters and slick production/wardrobe). It has something for those who just want some eye candy and family drama/infidelity; which explains its cross-over from critical acclaim to popular success and audience.

But, I was reminded just how good the show is playing with this interactive multimedia time line that was created by the The New York Times. It shows an historical time line alongside the Mad Men time line, complete with clips from the show (see pic left). It also gives some hints at what might be in the upcoming season (by looking at key events in history).

Seen in this context, I was able to appreciate just how ambitious Weiner, and co. have been. Worth checking out before the season opener. 

Film Review: Kick Ass

Kick Ass (comedy, action) comes out on DVD this August. It's worth checking out. The Plot: One day, a geeky teenage boy asks his friends "why don't people just become superheros". He orders a suit and promptly gets his ass kicked by thugs (really badly).

He doesn't give up, though, and, after someone films him tussling with some criminals to prevent a beating, the video goes viral and the kid, calling himself "Kick Ass" becomes a media sensation.

That leads him to the violent father-daughter crime fighting duo HitGirl and BigDaddy and things get over-the-top. For example, there's a scene where BigDaddy (the father) is training his 10-year old daughter, HitGirl, to use a flak-jacket -- by firing actual rounds into her chest. So wrong, but very funny. Nicholas Cage plays BigDaddy. 

The plot moves along nicely, and holds together, inspite of the surprises. There are even some touching scenes that make it a well rounded flick. Kick Ass gets good reviews from most. The only thing that seems to bother critics is the HitGirl character. It is a little shocking, given the amount of killing she does, but, I think the point is to make you laugh. It works. There are many LOL moments. Recommended.

Fordlandia: Ford's Attempt to Build an American Utopia in the Amazon

A bizarre bit of the history of the 20th Century is Fordlandia: a town built in the heart of the Amazon. The idea: to create a perfect rubber tree plantation, and a perfect society. Ford basically plunked the infrastructure for an idealized American town into the jungle and tried to make a happy society of Brazilian workers. It didn't go so well.

The podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class recently did a piece on it Why did Henry Ford build a city in the Amazon?. They do a pretty good job of introducing the history of Fordlandia, carefully outlining the reasons it failed. As long as you can look past the somewhat immature-sounding hosts of the show it's worth a listen.

The NPR show All Things Considered did a piece on it over a year ago, which you can still hear in their archives: Fordlandia: The Failure Of Ford's Jungle Utopia (8mins). They have a dedicated page for the episode along with an easy-to-use player, unlike the Stuff You Missed podcast, which is only available by subscribing via ITunes.

Interest in the subject was spurned largely by Greg Grandin' book, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City.

Liberals vs. the Banking Sector

I don't normally post about American politics, but I found this discussion on financial reform very interesting. On Fresh Air, Terry Gross talks with New York Times reporter Binyamin Appelbaum about the new U.S. financial bill that got passed this week (which attempts to right some of the problems in the banks).

Interesting tidbits include a discussion about how the banking lobby in Washington exerts so much sway of policy, a brief low-down of the contents of the reforms (some of which sound good), and a description of some of the proposals that would really safeguard us, but that got dropped. Also new ideas about consumer protection in banking.

Listen Now: What The Financial Bill Did And Didn't Do (39mins).

The Paleofuturist - Collecting Old Predictions of the Future

I've been trolling through the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's website, looking for new podcasts. One I found is Future Tense, a weekly half-hour program "exploring the social, cultural, political and economic fault lines arising from rapid change". It doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's a fun listen.

A good place to start is their segment on The Paleofuturist (8.5mins), an interview with Matt Novak, a guy that collects old predictions of the future. It is fascinating to go back and look at what people once thought about the future. Some things were spot-on, others hilariously wrong. Recommended.

The subject of the segment, Matt Novak, has a great website, Paleo-Future, with all kinds of amazing scans of old articles, drawings and ads - like this 1959 prediction that solar-powered cars were not too far away for Chrysler. If only.... You can even browse by decade: going all the way back to 1870!

Can We Have Prosperity Without Economic Growth?

"So much of the analysis of how we respond to climate change assumes that economic growth and emissions reduction are compatible goals. But is this wishful thinking?" Tim Jackson's book, Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet makes the case for anti-growth and outlines how it might look moving forward.

An excellent introduction to Jackson's ideas is his lecture Prosperity Without Growth which he gave this month on Big Ideas (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). It is a compelling 30min lecture followed by a question period. Recommended.

If you are keen to find out more about the book after listening to the lecture, you download a free PDF the introduction to Prosperity Without Growth from the Publisher's Page.

Assange Does a Ted Talk!

I'm pretty excited about this interview with Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks. It's a great interview and a good introduction to the work that Wikileaks and Assange have been doing to expose corruption in government and industry.

Watch Now

Link to the Interview with Assange

RISK! -- Edgy Storytelling Podcast That Finds a Niche

I just discovered a new Podcast called RISK! hosted by Kevin Allison, who's had recent film and TV appearances in Reno 911!: Miami, The Ten, Wedding Daze, VH1′s Best Week Ever, Comedy Central’s Viva Variety and Stella, and HBO’s Flight of the Conchords.

It follows a format similar to The Moth, for those who know that show: an  hour-long podcast that features several different storytellers, on a common theme, live in front of an audience. Usually of a personal and/or embarrassing nature.

RISK! is not funded by a public broadcaster, so they can afford to take more....well.... risks in their content choices. And, that is really their niche. So, a warning: you may hear a story now and then that features, say, masturbation. But, even though the content is edgy they do have the right sensibility when it comes to quality storytelling.

A good place to start would be #112 - Obsessions. The final story in the episode, THE SHAPES INSIDE OURSELVES, by Mike Daisey is touching and funny, messy, and well-told. The other stories are also really funny. Recommended (with disclaimer - not for everyone)

Podcasts from Down Under: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Just like the CBC, the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) produces excellent radio shows that they freely distribute as podcasts. Who knew? I don't know why, but it's taken me until now to discover that. I listen to shows from the CBC, BBC (UK), and all kinds of shows from the States including the excellent NPR lineup. Anyway, it is worth checking out the ABC Services Podcast List when you get a chance. Two shows that I've liked so far (more to come I'm sure):

The Philosopher's Zone
It's hard to do quality radio shows on philosophy, but they pull it off. Just listened to the episode Derrida - the father of deconstruction, and liked it. 

Conversations with Richard Fidler
Fidler is a good interviewer. Don't let the cheezy musical intro scare you away. You can start with the episode on Elizabeth Ellis. They talk about the Mitchell Library's rare 19th century Macquarie Collector's Chest -  an object that reveals a lot about the early days of Australian colonization.

Wikileaks - Should All Information Be Made Public?

Remember that video that got leaked showing the point-of-view air assault in Iraq? That was Wikileaks. The guy who founded Wikileaks, Julian Assange (photo left), now lives out of a bag and couch surfs around the world. He made his name initially as a computer hacker - gaining access to all kinds of secure agencies and looking around. Because he did no harm he was let off with a fine. After his early arrest he joined the working world as a professor, but got soon bored and left.

Since then, Assange has taken it as his cause to make information public. He is a man who doesn't like secrets. He, and Wikileaks raise all kinds of interesting questions about the nature of privacy, secrecy, and public information -- not to mention about control of the Internet. There's even talk in the Obama admin. of emergency measures like shutting the entire Internet down if a leak gets out. Crazy stuff.

Fresh Air's Dave Davies does an in-depth interview with an investigative journalist who's become an expert on  Wikileaks and Assange. Fascinating. Listen Now -- Entering The Secret World Of Wikileaks (36mins)

Hunting Down the Thieves of Priceless Artifacts - the FBI's Robert Wittman

Some of the stories Robert Wittman tells seem right out of the movies. He's been hunting down art thieves for decades, and has plenty of stories. Like the heist in Sweden (December 2000) when thieves held a gallery at gun point and took a bunch of Rembrandt paintings - one valued at $36 Million. To catch them he posed as a buyer to setup the sting. Wittman observes a truth about art theft: the real skill is not in stealing it, it's in finding someone to buy a stolen masterpiece. It's almost impossible.

Wittman is doing the interview circuit, promoting his book, Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures. His interview with Dave Davies on Fresh Air (37mins) is excellent, and includes all kinds of fascinating details about the art world, and the FBI. Recommended.

Summer TV Pilots Have Arrived -- 6 New Shows, Briefly Reviewed

A spate of summer TV pilots have appeared in the last week or so, in the UK and North America. Get the quick low-down right here!

Rev (BBC2)
Very Promising. It's pretty fresh writing with several surprising LOL moments in the pilot. BBC summary: Sitcom about a vicar running a modern inner-city church, with a reluctant wife and a depleted, motley congregation.

Pulse (BBC3)
Promising. What happens if you set a horror/sci-fi plot in a hospital? It's like Alien meets ER. May or may not get picked up. There is a lot of talk about this being one of the goriest shows ever made in the UK but I didn't find it that bad.

Identity (ITV - UK) 
This looks just OK, not great. Six-part series. (I love the British 6-part format). A police procedural about a team that looks into identity theft crimes and the like. Starring Keeley Hawes, of Ashes to Ashes fame.

Rubicon (AMC - USA)
Promising. I like the lead, who was also in Pacific. Seems well produced, and conspiracy fans will probably like the vibe.  AMC summary: Will Travers is an intelligence analyst who cracks codes for a living. When Will’s world is shattered by an untimely death he begins asking questions, diving into a web of mystery and danger. Not every conspiracy is a theory. 

The Glades (A&E - USA)
Pilot Ok, but this could go either way. It's like the Mentalist in that the guy is ridiculously smart and really insensitive with people -- but everyone accepts him because of his brilliance and good looks. A&E Summary: ....follows Jim Longworth, an attractive, brilliant, yet hard to get along with homicide detective from Chicago [....] After being exiled from the department, Longworth relocates to the sleepy, middle of nowhere town of Palm Glade, Florida, where the sunshine and golf are plentiful and crime is seemingly at a minimum. Only this town outside the Florida Everglades isn’t quite as idyllic as he thought, as he finds people keep turning up murdered.

Haven (SyFy - USA)
Not sure. Big production, but you have to suspend judgement to enjoy this show; there are plot holes you can drive a truck through.  Syfy's Summary: Haven, starring Emily Rose (Jericho, Brothers and Sisters) is based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King. The series follows the shrewd and confident FBI agent Audrey Parker (Rose) who has a lost past, and arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine on a routine case. Before long, her natural curiosity lands her in the epicenter of activity in this curious enclave, which turns out to be a longtime refuge for people that are affected by a range of supernatural afflictions.

Byzantium - Survived Longer than the Roman Empire - Their Secret?

CBC Ideas' interview with Edward Luttwak, following the publishing of his new book, The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire is worth checking out. Not only is it a quick introduction to history of an oft-overlooked empire, Luttwak and the interviewer venture into current affairs and apply the principles of the Byzantine Empire to current world conflicts: Afghanistan, and the Middle East.

It took Luttwak twenty years to research Byzantium and uncover the factors that allowed the empire to survive so long (over a thousand years). He's a worldly guy and has had lots of experience in world affairs, for example as White House strategy adviser. He's also knowledgeable and opinionated and is not above saying politically incorrect things. He's an excellent communicator - easy to follow and very charming. So, even if you don't agree with his findings, it's somehow alright.

I'm not sure what to make of projects like this -- I wonder about motives. So often, it seems, writers go back in history and try to tell a story that supports current powers' behavior (or advocating for a certain foreign policy by using the authority of history). Especially in a case like Luttwak, who has ties to the US administration. But, with a grain of salt it is still very interesting.

Note: Get this while you can! After a bit of digging, I discovered that I can't link to this story. The only way to get it is via ITunes (free) -- only for the next four weeks. Arggh.  

The CBC is really struggling with the new formats! In fact, their website is terrible and far behind other broadcasters' podcast sites. Part of the problem seems to be copyright. They can broadcast it for free on air, but somehow podcast is different. As a Canadian taxpayer, I wish they would get that resolved. "On Air" radio is so inconvenient. Why should it matter if I listen on as a podcast or on an 'old school' radio? I'd never hear this great programming if I had to sit by the radio and wait for the show to 'happen'.

If You Needed To, Could You Prove You Were Not Insane?

The first story in the most recent This American Life podcast is about a guy who defends himself in court, and, thinking it a smart defense, uses the insanity plea to get him off his assault charge. The problem is, it works, and he's put in a facility for the criminally insane. (oops)

Now, how does he prove his sanity to the psychiatrists at the facility so he can get out some day? The British journalist (This American Life contributor), does an excellent job telling the story. (25.5 minutes).

The episode is called "Pro Se" which is latin for defending oneself and it has several stories of people opting to be their own defense in court. Recommended.

Why I Stopped Reading Dailys

During the heat wave last week I was at Sam James Cafe, my new favorite coffee shop, enjoying an iced latte. A reporter from the Toronto Star asked me if she could interview me for a piece she's doing on coffee and the heat wave. Basically a filler piece on how people's coffee consumption changes in a heat wave.

She was nice enough so I answered her questions. But afterward, thought... really? Send out a reporter to write a piece on iced lattes and ice cream? There aren't any more pressing issues? I told a friend about the experience and they found the article: Frozen desserts hot sellers thanks to heat wave.

Film Review: The Girl Who Played with Fire

Last night I watched The Girl Who Played with Fire, the second of the Swedish Millennium series, based on the books by Steig Larrsson (see my previous review). It carries right off from the first one. It doesn't really stand on its own as a film, without the first. So, watch them in order.

It's moody and well produced and definitely watchable fun. Here's the plot summary:

Mikael Blomkvist is about to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society. On the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander.

Where the first film was loaded with various sordid depictions of misogyny, (I wasn't so into that),  this one seems to adopt some comic book elements that don't really fit with the gritty crime thriller thing they have going. I was able to overlook them and enjoy it, I just wish I didn't have to.

For example, there is this big blond mammoth of an enforcer who, they explain, was born with a defect where he can feel no pain. It kind of reminded me of that crazy monk in The DaVinci Code -- totally over-the-top. I suppose thugs that don't feel pain are supposed to be scary, but, hey, a bullet will solve that problem, so why bother? It seemed entirely gratuitous to make a thing out of it. Salander, the main character, also seems to have the ability to do all kinds of things that aren't really possible (even defying death in situations that would kill anyone else). I know this is a trope in thrillers, but,  it would be better stripped of those elements. Rating: 6/10
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Review: Louis -- a New Comedy on FX

The comedian Louis CK, who had his own HBO show called Lucky Louis, and has been a staff writer on shows like Conan O'Brien, has a new series on FX called, simply, Louis. I've never seen his work before, but I am very impressed.

He plays himself in the half-hour comedy: a recently divorced single dad, new to the dating world, who has two daughters, and who works as a stand-up comedian (all of which is true-ish). He does a nice interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air, where you can hear all about him and the show.

Louis finds a very happy place between the dark and edgy nature of his stand-up comedy, and the sweet moments with his daughters - not to mention his disastrous dating life. His comic timing is subtle and, well.... very funny! Highly Recommended.

Watch the YouTube promo trailer

Film Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Swedish publishing phenomenon of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy, that includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, have spawned an international interest in Swedish crime lit, along with the recent film adaptations.

I watched the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the first of the trilogy) last night and enjoyed it. I liked it better than the book. For me, thrillers and their cliche's somehow work better on screen than in print. You don't have to sit for days turning around in your head the bad writing, dialog and bloated plots that often go along with this type of literature.You get it all done in 2 hrs. I can deal with 2 hrs.

Here's a plot summary, from an official-looking page...

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from an island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, ruthless computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate. 

Watch the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trailer

By the way, the real translation of the book title is not "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", but "Men Who Hate Women". It's got some gruesome crimes in it (I won't give any more just in case you see it), along with all varieties of misogyny. I suppose it's what gives it some semblance of 'seriousness'. But, honestly, that felt a bit cheap and easy, and, oddly dated.

Acting and camera work are top notch, and the remote Swedish location gorgeous - a lot like Northern Ontario.  I like thrillers and this one is good. The only real failing is when it struggles trying to condense the long, convoluted plot into film length. Rating: 6.5/10

60 Minutes - Reinvented as a Podcast

60 Minutes, America's most successful and critically acclaimed TV news show (77 Emmys and millions of viewers) is now podcasting. I've listened to a half dozen or so now, and am impressed by how well the show works as audio-only. Most of the time, you don't even realize that the content was made for TV.

That's probably because the writing is so strong - and its subject matter and interview-heavy style are perfect for IPods. They know how to tell a story: they take a topical news item and bring out the drama in it. They find those angles time and again. It really is impressive.

I have to admit that sometimes its structured story crafting can feel a bit heavy-handed. They are often playing on the fears of the viewer (listener). A piece they did about the future of computer hacking became, to paraphrase, it's the new battlefield - they could take down our power grid and civilization with it. Or another story they did about a nuclear facility in South Africa that was almost robbed of material that could be used to make a nuke. For a failed robbery, they sure got a lot of mileage out of it! You know -- the whole what if terrorists got the bomb kinda thing....

Anyway, that aside it's a good addition to the the IPod subscription list. Recommended.

Liars, Damn Liars, and Economists

Is economics a science? If economists can't accurately predict market failings, what good are they? Throughout the Western world, at least, graduates of economics programs go on to hold high public office and command large salaries in the private sector. They are looked to for answers, and often asked for predictions, and policies that our governments should put in to place to manage the economy.

But, as some naysayers point out - why are we trusting this (pseudo) "science"? Its track record is poor, there seems to be very little reason to think that it will be able to help make good decisions in the future.

When pushed, most economists will admit that economics "describes what was, and what is - not what is going to be". It's not really for prediction, they say. But, they do it all the time. And, the Economics 101 textbook seems to give a different message, too. The real success of economics may be in its ability to sell its science and its graduates.So do we trust our economy to its principles and practices?

TVO's The Agenda is running a 5-part summer series called "Rethinking Economics". The first episode included a debate with a panel of pretty smart people on the Limits of Economics, in which, I learned, that the new deal may have actually prolonged the depression! Also, one of the panelists was hardcore in his skepticism of economics - actually quite funny. Worth a listen if you are into economics. Here's a link to a streaming video of the debate.

RadioLab's New Episode, "Oops" and Unintended Consequences

RadioLab, one of the most innovative radio/podcast shows around, normally focuses on science-related subject matter. Their most recent episode Oops is a bit of a departure. The hour-long podcast holds together with the theme of 'oops' - mistakes, big and small and their unintended consequences.

There are several main stories (quite disastrous mistakes), along with minor blunders such as funny unintended spell-checker word replacements and publishing mistakes. Highlights of the show:

• The story about the tree researcher who accidentally cuts down the oldest tree ever (in fact kills the oldest living thing on the planet at 4900-years old)!
• The professor who traumatizes students with highly questionable research on interrogation methods. The oops being that one of his subjects became the Una-Bomber, likely attributed to being pushed over the edge by the experience.
• Forest rangers doing a controlled burn create a devastating 20,000 acre blaze
• The newspaper that 'corrected' an athlete's last name from 'Gay' to "Homosexual" all throughout the article :-)

Listen to Oops now.