Random Acts of Knowledge

In May 29, 1856, Abraham Lincoln gave the keynote address at a political convention in Bloomington, IL.  His remarks were called, by his law partner William Herndon, “the grand effort of Lincoln’s Life.”  Today, no written copy of this speech exists.  And some differ on what it was Lincoln said.

Historian Bill Kemp discusses the "lost speech" and offers up some theories as to how it got that way.

The recent rise of electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla and Rivian has shown there is a market for transportation that does not rely as heavily on fossil fuel. 

But despite the buzz around today’s electric cars and trucks, the concept is far from new.

Bill Kemp with the McLean County Museum of History discusses a history of the electric vehicle that goes back to the early 1900s, and an overlooked moment in 1959 when a consumer electric car went into production… in the same town where Rivian would manufacture electric vehicles 60 years later.

Artist and activist Jessica McGhee was devastated to a community garden she and others had cultivated in their neighborhood was removed without much explanation. 

Unable to create a new garden, she funneled her energy into the creation of art projects using discarded items such as plastic, wire, and bottles.  Using these materials she has created the exhibit 'An Unblighted Area' which is on display at Heartland Community College until October 11, 2024.

View the transcript here.

The impact of the criminal justice system on an individual extends far beyond the sentenced punishment for a crime.

Beria Hampton, an ambassador for the Illinois Prison Project, discusses how her upbringing and environment left her ill prepared for how criminal charges (which she eventually beat), and incarceration would upend her life.

View the transcript here.

Heartland Community College Health Sciences Faculty discuss how a service learning trip to South Africa opened their eyes to the differences in health care around the world.

Health Sciences students at Heartland can register for a 10-day program in Cape Town, South Africa.  The program provides 3 credits of Service Learning 101.

View the transcript here.

For poet Cathy Gilbert, the joy and chaos of having twin infants was mixed with the heartbreak of losing a parent to dementia.

Heartland Community College professor of English Gilbert discusses the major life events that led to her new poetry collection "My Limbs a Cradle, My Whisper a Song."

View the transcript here.

Farming can be one of the most stressful professions one can have.

The documentary Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, Midwestern, multigenerational family farms over the course of three years.

Filmmaker Sam Mirpoorian talks about the film, which is the guest feature at the 2024 Heartland Hawk Film Festival.

Mirpoorian says he was prompted to make the documentary when he learned a shocking statistic about farmers and suicide.

View the transcript here.

The exponential growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capability has been celebrated in some circles and caused concern in others.

In academic circles, some instructors and administrators are worried that AI presents a threat to the way they evaluate student work.

In this episode, Roy Magnuson, an educator who has dived deeply into the changes that AI is bringing to institutions of higher ed., discusses the present and potential future of AI.

View the transcript here.

Being a or a class clown or workplace cutup is one thing. Getting laughs on stage is another.

For those who have thought about trying out for an open mic night or competing in an amateur comedy show, there are a few tips to consider.

Joe Strupek, longtime emcee of the Heartland Community College FunnyRaiser event, discusses what it takes to successfully take the stage as an amateur standup.

View the transcript here.

Keeping farmland productive is challenging in many ways. One of the greatest enemies to a good crop is erosion.

An edible windbreak of fruit and nut trees and bushes planned for the agriculture instructional grounds at Heartland Community College will not only serve to help fight off the Central Illinois wind and rain but also provide a link in the pollination chain.

Associate Director of Agriculture at Heartland, Kortney Watts, discusses the edible windbreak project and the Ag new facilities at the College.

View the transcript here.