At Length with Steve Scher

People need bees. Since the first wasp got a taste for pollen 125 million years ago, bees and flowers have co-evolved in a way that brings almonds and apricots to our tables. But honeybees, as well as the less well known but equally critical miner, leafcutter, sweat and mason bees are in trouble, getting slammed by climate change, habitat loss and pesticide use. To figure out how to protect them, biologist Thor Hanson studies them. He is author of the new book, “Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees.” He came to The Summit on Pike for Town Hall Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

“The Tangled tree: A Radical New History of Life,” looks new scientific understanding that tangles up human understanding of the tree of life. Award winning science writer David Quammen says maybe life is more like an elaborate topiary.

Ray WIliams and Allison Rinard are urban farmers. Their goal is to bring communities together around flowers and food.

An antidote to our toxic national politics. Local initiatives from citizens living in small cities across America aimed at creating jobs, hope and community.

It is very hard to stamp out a weed.

Next time you're contemplating the fate of the world over a pint of ale, take a few moments to consider that amber nectar's own role in shaping society.

Will we innovate our way out of looming crises in climate, water, food and energy? Will cutting back and living within our means save us? Or are we like most species, devouring our resources until it is too late? Charles Mann explores the arguments and the values behind two ways of viewing the future- that innovations will save us or that reducing our impact will.

From the 1920’s until television permanently settled into our living rooms in the late 1950’s, radio blasted out comedies, variety shows, adventures and dramas to waiting listeners. Radio launched performers like Jack Benny and Fred Allen into stardom. It offered established stars like Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Jimmy Stewart and Frank Sinatra an audience during lulls in their film careers. Radio became a second platform for Hollywood screenplays like “The Bishops’ Wife,” a 1947 holiday movie starring David Niven, Cary Grant and Loretta Young that resurfaced with a different cast on the Lux Radio Theater in 1949.

Feliks Banel is a local historian, writer and radio producer. He has been producing a live holiday radio broadcast for the past few years. This year he is again bringing “The Bishop’s Wife,” starring familiar voices from KIRO radio to a Town Hall stage. KIRO’s Dave Ross leads the cast at University Temple Church Friday December 8th, 2017 at 8 pm,

Feliks joined me for a long talk about the future of radio and the qualities of recorded and live performances in the age of the independent podcaster.

Feliks Banel and Allure of Live Broadcasting

Steve Scher

Behavioral Economist Dan Ariely explores human misperceptions about saving and spending, opportunity costs and the subtle attraction of deviant behaviors.

At Length interview by Steve Scher with visiting scholars, authors and artists to Town Hall Seattle.