We look at the origins of The Stand, a post-apocalyptic nightmare after Captain Trips, a virulent influenza, has killed off most of the world's population. An epic battle ensues between good and evil, personified by two memorable characters, one of whom, Randall Flagg, makes his first awful appearance, though it won't be the last in King's novels. We cover the difficulty of producing the work and where it fits in King's legacy. We also review his book On Writing, part-memoir, part how-to guide, and read some sections on being a hack, stupid criticism, and why to write. We also talk about some dogs. Also F-bomb alert. Even if you're not a King reader, I think you'll get something out of this episode.

A link to the audio of King reading from The Stand about how a virus spreads:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwN5vYGiZws&feature=youtu.be

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https://www.discreetguide.com/

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@DiscreetGuide

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/

Joya Dass worked as business reporter and TV anchor for twenty years, reporting from the floor of the stock exchange. She joins us to talk about her early inspiration by Tom Brokaw, the grind of TV reporting, notable stories that she reported on, and her advice for people coming into the public eye and providing content for an audience. Excellent takeaways from this episode.

10/10 Episodes on Journalism

Joya's current endeavor:
https://ladydrinks.com/

Follow Joya on Twitter:
@JoyaDass

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/

We discuss his recent book with Michael Jaccarino about the Darwinian epic battle between the New York Daily News and the New York Post. He recounts the madcap behind-the-scenes shenanigans to one-up the other paper that he and other runners and shooters engaged in to get the "wood" and win the day. From covering tragedy and death to getting the scoop on Miss New Jersey, Spitzer, and Derek Jeter, the stories are a fascinating peak into a different era, but Mike also shares his personal journey of evolution from a get-the-story-at-all-costs cub reporter to a place where he just couldn't knock on one more newly-minted widow's door. A fantastic interview, if I say so myself.

9/10 Episodes on Journalism and Journalists

The book:
https://www.fordhampress.com/9780823287383/americas-last-great-newspaper-war/

Follow Mike on Twitter:
@mjaccarino1

Where Mike works now:
https://theweek.com/

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https://www.discreetguide.com/

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@DiscreetGuide

The host on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/

In March 2001, Bethany McLean made history by raising questions about Enron's financials in a Fortune article. This was before Enron went bankrupt, its officials jailed, and its accountants investigated, before its jaw-dropping level of corruption and greed was documented in The Smartest Guys in the Room, a book Bethany co-authored, and further disclosed in the ensuing documentary. Bethany tells us about her career, how that article thrust her into the limelight, how perseverance and not being automatically good at something can help you, and some thoughts on business reporting and ethics in today's world. A must-listen.

8/10 Episodes on Journalism and Journalists

The infamous article:
https://www.webcitation.org/5tZ26rnac?url=http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/13/news/companies/enronoriginal_fortune/index.htm

Follow Bethany on Twitter:
@bethanymac12

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@DiscreetGuide

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Time for a laugh! We take a look at people's humorous takes on working from home, being quarantined, and their own foibles during the pandemic. People show their humility and humanity through signs, photographs, and acts of random and bizarre kindness. A quick and funny episode.

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@DiscreetGuide

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Journalism professor and author Rob Wells joins us to talk about his book, The Enforcers, the scandalous Keating Five, and why the trade press is so important. He also talks about the state of journalism, news literacy, interesting collaborations underway, and some takeaways that would improve the media industry. An important addition to our series on journalism.

7/10 Episodes on Journalism and Journalists

Note that we recorded this episode before we knew about the pandemic, so, yay! not one word about coronavirus to be heard here.

Rob's book:
https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/39sqh8ta9780252042942.html

Rob's website:
http://www.robswells.com/

Follow Rob on Twitter:
@rwells1961

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We talk about The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton's first book under his own name, which tells the story of an alien bug brought to earth by a military satellite. That microorganism goes on to kill a whole town and create an unholy climax involving a potential nuclear disaster. We read an excerpt and talk about Crichton's reaction to Robert Gottlieb's criticism as his editor and read from Gottlieb's book, Avid Reader, about the process. Finally, we consider the Odd-Man Hypothesis and explore the case of a real scientist who thought he was a fictional character.

Spoiler alert!

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@DiscreetGuide

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Joe Payne and Neda Safarzadeh of Arcturus Therapeutics, a San Diego biotech, join us to talk about their progress on developing a vaccine against COVID-19 with a Singapore partner. Joe explains about messenger RNA vaccines, their advantages in safety, manufacturing, and efficiency, as well as regulatory processes and a potential timeline, and why some vaccines have to be modified each year. He also tells us what Arcturus means. A highly educational episode about a critical issue.

Arcturus Therapeutics' website:
https://arcturusrx.com/

Follow Arcturus on Twitter:
@ArcturusRx

Joe Payne on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jepayne/

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https://www.discreetguide.com/

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@DiscreetGuide

The host on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/

Patrick Wright, HR expert and one of HR Magazine's Most Influential Thought Leaders, joins us to talk about the events from the 70s to today that have affected the HR profession. He also talks about how major shifts in the economy and law have highlighted the importance of HR inside an organization, and how those are on full display today, where nearly every aspect of the pandemic requires HR guidance. We discuss ways for the HR departments to contribute to company success without sacrificing profits or people. A realistic and hopeful episode.

Center for Executive Succession:
www.moore.sc.edu/ces

Patrick Wright on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-wright-a4668483/

Thoughts? Comments? Potshots? Contact the show at:
https://www.discreetguide.com/

Follow the host on Twitter:
@DiscreetGuide

The host on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/

Patrick Wright, HR expert and one of HR Magazine's Most Influential Thought Leaders, joins us to talk about the events from the 70s to today that have affected the HR profession. He also talks about how major shifts in the economy and law have highlighted the importance of HR inside an organization, and how those are on full display today, where nearly every aspect of the pandemic requires HR guidance. We discuss ways for the HR departments to contribute to company success without sacrificing profits or people. A realistic and hopeful episode.

Center for Executive Succession:

www.moore.sc.edu/ces

Patrick Wright on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-wright-a4668483/

Thoughts? Comments? Potshots? Contact the show at:

https://www.discreetguide.com/

Follow the host on Twitter:

@DiscreetGuide

The host on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/