Episode 66: Each year, federal, state and local governments have to make important budget decisions. With so many people struggling to meet even their basic needs — such as food, shelter and health care — is it OK for public dollars to fund things that feel more optional, such as the arts, sports stadiums and even space travel?

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Wikipedia

California voters approve Proposition 28 for music and arts education funding, by Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times

Kansas City Royals confirm new stadium plans, by Makenzie Koch, Brian Dulle and Russell Colburn, WDAF-TV

SLS and Artemis warrant continued robust support, by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama

NASA is returning to the Moon this week. Why do we feel so conflicted?, by  Shannon Stirone, Leroy Chiao, Lori Garver and David Grinspoon, New York Times

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 65: Cancel culture has roared onto the scene in the past few years, much to the delight of some and to the dismay of many others. Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada talk about the importance of holding people accountable for their actions but also what can happen when we take that too far.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

Cancel culture comes from loss of trust, by Richard Kyte

NHL team yanks contract of a player who bullied a Black classmate with disabilities, by Bill Chappell, National Public Radio

A growing share of Americans are familiar with ‘cancel culture,’ by Emily A. Vogels, Pew Research Center

Why cancel culture is so toxic and how to effectively hold folks accountable, according to social media experts, by Alesandra Dubin, Insider

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 64: Each year at this time, there are lots of stories written about how to avoid having political fights around the Thanksgiving dinner table. But what if the debate is about what’s on the table instead?

Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss why the choices we make at supermarkets and restaurants send a strong ethical message.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

Inside the fantastical, pragmatic quest to make “hybrid” meat, by Kenny Torrella, Vox

Here’s exactly how your diet affects the planet, a landmark study finds, by Scott Dance, The Washington Post

We badly need better alternatives to conventional meat, Matthew Ygelsias, Slow Boring

Thanksgiving dinner will cost 20% more this year because of inflation. Here's what to expect, By Vanessa Yurkevic, CNN

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 63: A recent change means that Amy Dickinson’s advice column is appearing each day in all Lee Newspapers. Hosts Rick Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the history of advice columnists in newspapers, talk about how best to give advice when asked, and later they review some of Amy's columns and whether she gave the best possible answer.

Links to columns by Amy Dickinson discussed during the show:

Richard Kyte: Good advice requires listening first

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 62: True crime is one Hollywood’s most successful genres. Most recently, Netflix aired a 10-part series about Jeffery Dahmer, the Milwaukee serial killer, and it was a huge hit. But many of those who were affected by that crime were upset they were consulted about the show and aren’t interested in watching it. The sister of one of Dahmer’s victim’s said it’s sad that the producers are making money off of the tragic events that happened more than three decades ago.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss why true crime is so popular and why such disturbing stories have such a strong appeal.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

A steady diet of horror is bad for society, by Richard Kyte, The Ethical Life

The ethics of true-crime TV: What Ron Goldman's sister wants "Dahmer" viewers to know, by Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly

eBay is removing Jeffrey Dahmer Halloween costumes, by Zoe Sottile, CNN

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 61: Scott and Richard will be back next week with a fresh episode, but this week we're sharing an all treats, no tricks, holiday-themed dispatch that originally ran on October 13 last year:

Episode 23: Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss the lessons we can all learn from Halloween, why Thanksgiving is more than the just the day before Black Friday, and how families can strike a balance between the secular and religious traditions of Christmas.

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 60: After years of steady declines, crime rates have been trending upward over the past few years. And as the midterms approach, this topic is getting lots of attention, with many Republicans focusing on public safety as a prime appeal to voters. Rick Kyte and Scott Rada discuss several high-tech tactics designed to reduce crime and how to balance privacy concerns with public safety.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

The governor of New York says the installation of two cameras on each New York City subway car is supposed to giver commuters the sense that “Big Brother” is watching over them and to offer people “peace of mind.”

Stoplight cameras are not new, but some states are looking to expand them, while others are looking to ban them.

Congress is considering a bill limiting the use of facial-recognition to apprehend criminals.

Cities across Texas are deploying drones to fight crime.

In an article titled “The best way to end mass incarceration is to catch more criminals,” Matt Yglesias says mandatory collection of DNA for those who have been convicted of a felony is a great deterrent.

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 59: The new book by Richard Reeves, “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It” is getting a lot of attention. In it, the author, who is the father of three sons, writes:

“Boys and men are struggling. Profound economic and social changes of recent decades have many losing ground in the classroom, the workplace and in the family. While the lives of women have changed, the lives of many men have remained the same or even worsened.”

The hosts discuss how changes to education and other parts of society could help reverse this recent trend.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

We can no longer ignore struggling men and boys, by Richard Kyte

What’s behind the growing gap between men and women in college completion?, Kim Parker, Pew Research Center

The crisis of men and boys, by David Brooks, The New York Times

Men’s social circles are shrinking, by Daniel A. Cox, Survey Center of American Life

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 58: Last month, a task force recommended anxiety screenings for all adults, even those without symptoms. The hosts look at what's behind the spike in cases and why it seems to be affecting young adults most of all.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast:

With anxiety levels spiking, it's time to look at the cause, by Richard Kyte

Historical language records reveal a surge of cognitive distortions in recent decades, by Johan Bollen

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 57: As Republican governors ramp up their high-profile transports of migrants to Democratic-run jurisdictions, The Associated Press reports that the practice is getting a mixed reaction from Christian faith leaders — many of whom, especially evangelicals, have supported GOP candidates by large numbers in recent elections.

Hosts Rick Kyte and Scott Rada debate the causes of the crisis at the border and what can be done to help fix this long-term problem.

Links to stories discussed during the podcast

The Martha’s Vineyard migrant stunt Is making one truth about this country clear, by Farah Stockman, The New York Times

The border crisis could still be Biden’s opportunity, by Bret Stephens, The New York Times

About the hosts: Scott Rada is social media manager with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.