US Withdrawing Troops in Peace Deal With Afghanistan (0:30)

Guest: Eric Jensen, JD, Professor of International Law, Brigham Young University

The US this week began withdrawing troops from Afghanistan to fulfill its part of a peace deal signed with the Taliban on February 29. By the summer, America has committed to bringing home a third of its 13,000 current troops in Afghanistan. But what happens when America has left Afghanistan is still an open question.

Fido or Foe? (22:56)

Guest: Deni Elliott, Eleanor Poynter Jamison Chair in Media Ethics and Press Policy Department of Journalism and Digital Communication at USF

Everyone’s seen a Service Animal in action at some point or another. Maybe its task is more obvious, or maybe you’re left wondering exactly what service they provide. Either way, these animals are clearly professionals and usually have vests to identify them. But what about the animals you’re not so sure about? The yapping dog on the airplane or restaurant are sometimes allowed because they are emotional support animals.  More and more often, people are blurring the line between pet and service animal, leading to some big problems.

The History and Influence of Slave Songs in America (33:51)

Guest: Kathy Bullock, PhD, Professor of African American and African Music, Berea College 

For enslaved Africans, folk songs were more than just a way to entertain themselves or pass the time. Spirituals were a source of hope and a way to bond in the face of extreme adversity. They were also acts of rebellion, used to organize secret meetings on the Underground Railroad or just cast shade on their White slaveholders. Kathy Bullock is an expert in the roots of African American music and a professor at Berea College in Kentucky. She’s also an incredible musician.

Hunting Is on the Decline in America, Conservation and Wildlife Will Suffer (50:39)

Guest: Samantha Pedder, Director of Operations, Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports

Fewer people are hunting in America these days, which you might think is a good thing for wildlife. But the irony is that for the last hundred years, fees from hunting licenses and taxes on hunting equipment have been the primary source of funding to wildlife protection and restoration. The need for funds to protect endangered species and restore waterways is growing, thanks to pollution, climate change and development, but revenue from hunting and fishing is declining. How to fill the gap? One way is to recruit a new generation of hunters, which is what the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports is working on.

What a Plant Song Sounds Like (1:06:09)

Guest: Joe Patitucci – Founder of Data Garden, Creator of PlantWave 

Some people swear that playing music for houseplants helps them grow. What do you suppose a plant would sound like if it could join the music? A gadget called PlantWave is giving voice to the plant.

Preserving the History of Ice Harvesting (1:28:36)

Guest: Kenneth Lincoln, President of the Thompson Ice House Preservation Corporation

On a daily basis, I take the power of refrigeration for granted. My lunch stays fresh until I’m ready to eat it. That soda can I crack open to wash it down is perfectly chilled and stays cold in the glass thanks to plentiful ice from the freezer. Electric refrigeration put ice harvesting out of business a century ago – you used to need a big block of ice in a literal icebox to keep anything cool. But there’s a small town in Maine keeping the tradition alive with an annual ice harvest on a local pond.