What’s Happening With Brexit? (0:31)

Guest: Simon Usherwood, Professor of Politics, University of Surrey

It may feel like 2020 has already lasted an eternity, but it’s only half over. For the UK, that means just six months left to finalize its departure from the European Union. But wait, didn’t Brexit happen already? Well, before a divorce, there’s generally a separation period and that’s what this year is for Britain and the EU. The deadline to extend the separation period just passed, so what exactly happens come January 1, 2021?

 

City Sends CAHOOTS Crisis Workers Instead of Police to Non-Violent Situations (18:48)

Guest: Benjamin Brubaker, Clinic Co-Coordinator White Bird Clinic

In just about every conversation right now about defunding or reforming police departments, the city of Eugene, Oregon comes up. For more than 30 years, Eugene has had a program that sends crisis workers out, instead of police, to deal with non-violent situations like a potential overdose or checking on someone who may be suicidal.

 

The Power of a Name (37:09)

Guest: Adrienne Dixson, Professor of Critical Race Theory and Education, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Part of the anxiety over talking about race in America is knowing what words to use. Is it African American? Or Black American? Or People of Color? They’re not interchangeable, though sometimes I find myself using them that way, hoping I won’t accidentally offend the person I’m talking to while I wait to see what word they use and then follow their lead. This isn’t just a question of semantics. Words matter. Labels can cause harm.

 

The Brain’s Ability to Quickly Adapt to Sudden Disability (52:19)

Guest: Dillan Newbold, MD/PHD Student in the Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine

What’s going on in the brain when you break your arm and have to wear a cast for a few months? During all that time that your arm is immobilized, does the brain forget about it? And what happens when the cast comes off and you try to bring that arm back on line? Some neurologists at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis got the answers by putting the healthy arms of a few of their colleagues into full casts and then scanning their brains every day for a few weeks.

 

The Case for Making Washington, DC a State (1:06:15)

Guest: Bo Shuff, Executive Director, DC Vote

For the first time ever, the US House of Representatives has passed a measure to make Washington, DC its own state. The vote was entirely along party lines – no Republicans supported it. That means that for the time being it has no chance of getting through the Republican controlled Senate. But why now – after decades of activism – has this movement to make DC a state suddenly gained steam?

CORRECTION: During this live interview Julie referred to US Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) as a member of the US House. He is a Senator. His comments were made on the floor of the US Senate on June 25, 2020, the day before the DC Statehood bill was passed by the US House. The US Senate - and Senator Tom Cotton - have not yet voted on H.R. 51. 

 

Southwest Drought Could Turn Into a Megadrought (1:27:51)

Guest: Kasey Bolles, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

The American Southwest has been in a drought for the past two decades, but it might not end anytime soon. It could turn into a megadrought. Researchers figured this out by looking at tree rings from the past 1,200 years.