The Bridge

Yuan Longping, a Chinese plant scientist whose breakthroughs in developing high-yield hybrid strains of rice helped to alleviate famine and poverty across much of Asia and Africa, passed away recently at the age of 90. Also known as "The Father of Hybrid Rice" his work made him a national hero, and the outpouring of grief was echoed by BeiBei as she shares the life of this remarkable man.

John brings Super Producer Cimcie to the show with intro music from Steely Dan, the super group that her father-the late, great Roger Nichols engineered the ground-breaking concept of "Wendel" the drum machine that changed the music industry. BeiBei lets the team know that it's International Children's Day, followed by Cimcie offering up that it's also Global Parents Day and World Milk Day-which leads to all sorts of observations on how those days are tied together. BeiBei share some of her thoughts about living in the USA for a time, and how different culturally we are when it comes to vanity and privilege.

John & Heyang welcome back award-winning journalist and celebrated broadcaster Linda Yu to The Bridge. As Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month wraps up, Linda shares her thoughts on being the first Chinese-American news anchor in Chicago, the many challenges of being an "invisible immigrant" and her efforts to bring a greater awareness to her heritage. But it's also Music Monday and Linda shares her two favorite songs, from Elvis and the Beatles, and Heyang adds to the playlist as well.

John admits it's not often that he has the opportunity to feel like a 12-year-old kid, but something happened last week that triggered some serious moments that matter. Liu Yan explains the concept of "small wonders" and the magic contained in the magical moments in life, that might be few and far between, but always worth the wait. After a musical interlude from Air Supply, the gears shift to the idea that the era we are living in now, is in reality, the best time in history to be alive.

What starts out as a fairly serious show quickly descends into an ongoing gag around a word John used growing up, that Cimcie has never heard and Liu Yan defines out of the Urban Dictionary. Add to that Bob Dylan turning 80, and a couple of songs from the Traveling Wilburys along with the concepts of "LARPing" (Live Action Role Playing) and the growing trend of "Fashion Grannies" and The Bridge team spends more time laughing than talking in this episode.

BeiBei is still making her music requests, and John drops the needle on music from David Stoddard, who is a past guest on Music Monday. Then the conversation turns to the concept of "what's old is new" and BeiBei struggles with technology, and wishes for simpler times. Finally, BeiBei shares some concepts about doing "deep work" when it comes to find our way in life.

The first part of the show is all about the behind the scenes of the radio business, which counts listeners on the quarter-hour, when it comes to raising revenue. John offers up the fact that much of talk radio in the USA is adversarial and argumentative, and he uses a clip from his favorite Monty Python skit called "Argument Clinic" to make his point. BeiBei makes a music request, as she is starting to catch up with some of the hits that are played on Music Monday, so John obliges with a couple of songs, the second of which has been his personal anthem since he was fourteen years old.

There is a rising trend in China of younger couples going through a divorce and neither parent wants to take custody of their children. John & BeiBei compare notes on parenting, they both agree that it's a foreign concept to not take responsibility for their child, and what the long-term effect would be on these kids. John raises the concept "the greater good" which is putting our personal wants and needs in the backseat, and thinking beyond our own interests to the interests of those we lead and serve, and the interests of communities and the world.

Is there life beyond our solar system? It's all about UFO's and myths when Super Producer Cimcie makes her weekly appearance. Citing a recent piece on the CBS program 60 Minutes, John and Cimcie compare notes on Unidentified Flying Objects, which leads to an interesting conversation about space exploration, and then BeiBei explains how many of the rockets and other space vehicles are named for Chinese gods, and then explains their place in their mythology.

Time to kick out the tunes with the most popular offering on The Bridge. Heyang brings music from Black Panther, Guns N' Roses and Pink Floyd, John drops the needle on tunes from Boston, Rod Stewart and Three Dog Night, as well as Bonnie Raitt. Music Monday-bringing the world together, one song at a time.