The Sill

Last rights, or last rites? Before the curtain is drawn, somber or joyful, which would you choose?

Duration: 25:18

Posted: December 31, 2023


Highlights:
* Preferences for own funerals and ways to celebrate life and honour the deceased
* Personal experiences with funerals, including those of family members
* Harry's desire to be cremated and have his ashes spread under an oak tree
* Celebrating life instead of tear-filled ceremonies and sadness at funerals
* Pre-funeral funerals and involving the person while they are still alive
* Peter's experience with his father's funeral and breaking with tradition
* Importance of having conversations about death and funeral preferences
* Thoughts on death and dying, including assisted death and respecting individual wishes
* Significance of dying peacefully and the presence of loved ones
* Significance of a smile in the face of death and personal experiences with parents' passing

Automation’s impact on our everyday life. A wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Duration: 21:41

Music Credit: Flight Of The Conchords - Robots

Posted: December 17, 2023


Highlights:

• Impact of automation on society
• Historical context of automation and the industrial revolution
• Automation affecting both blue-collar and white-collar workers
• Challenges of transitioning to new jobs in the technological landscape
• Increasing number of people who do not want to work
• Need for developing new skills and financial incentives for employment
• Potential benefits and drawbacks of automation
• Physical toll of certain jobs and the role of automation in reducing discomfort
• Power dynamics in society that shape technological changes
• Importance of education and redefining economics in the face of technological advancements

Unpacking the idea of freedom in a world seemingly bound by restrictions and limitations. Breaking the shackles.

Duration: 21:42

Posted: December 3, 2023


Highlights:

• Limitations of freedom of speech and self-censorship in society
• Societal norms and the influence of religion on censorship
• Control of information and manipulation in censorship
• Personal education and open-mindedness for a more tolerant society
• Role of education in changing societal norms and laws
• Impact of technology on freedom of speech and internet censorship
• Importance of critical thinking and media literacy
• Power of everyday conversations and finding receptive listeners
• Leading a double life and suppressing true thoughts and feelings
• Importance of being calm and centred when expressing oneself
• George Carlin as an example of authentic and vulnerable expression

From the Humongous Fungus of Oregon to the wave of human migration spreading across our planet, life has become more dependent than ever on the value of connectivity.

Duration: 28:19

VoxBox: Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web.

Posted: November 19, 2023


Highlights:

• Importance of connection and continuity in communities
• Symbiotic relationship between a Hippo and an Oxpecker
• Interconnectedness of nature and the humongous fungus
• Role of storytelling in communities
• Challenges of technology, including software updates and lack of compatibility
• Concept of open source technology
• Impact of social media on global connectivity and individual isolation
• Power of art to connect people universally
• Relationships and the need for flexibility and acceptance
• Recognizing global interrelation to climate change

Is it live or is it Memorex? Sifting through a world of facsimile in a quest for authenticity.

Duration: 18:58

Music Credit: Ella Fitzgerald singing behind, ‘Is it live or is it Memorex?’.

Posted: November 5, 2023


Highlights:

• Lack of authenticity in food and the rise of simulated products
• Disconnect between people and the source of their food
• Decline of authenticity in music and art
• Personal authenticity and the different personas people adopt
• Self-perception and living an authentic life
• Financial costs of maintaining authenticity in certain situation

Modern western medicine would be wise to embrace and integrate the traditional art of healing.

Duration: 24:25

Posted: October 22, 2023


Highlights:

• Benefits of natural remedies and integrative medicine
• Importance of considering weight, lifestyle, and nutrition before medication
• Holistic and naturopathic treatments gaining popularity
• Criticism of profit motive in pharmaceutical industry and side effects of medications
• Limited focus on nutrition in medical education
• Benefits of garlic, oil of oregano, saltwater, vitamin E, and onion as natural remedies
• Personal experiences with homemade remedies
• Importance of preserving the jungle for medicinal resources
• Conflicting information from food companies and small farmers
• Importance of positive mindset and lifestyle choices in health and well-being

The short answer is yes… The sonic landscapes through which we move offer us both challenges to, and opportunities for, our general health.

Duration: 24:32

Posted: October 8, 2023


Highlights

• Impact of technology on sound and noise levels
• Effects of sound on hearing impairment
• Characteristics of sound: frequency, quality, and loudness
• Measurement of sound volume in decibels
• Introduction of noise pollution through technology
• Positive and negative aspects of sound
• Challenges faced by people with hearing impairment
• 'Wall of sound' technique used by producer Phil Spector
• Seeking out quiet spaces to escape noise pollution
• Importance of protecting hearing and limiting exposure to loud sounds

Ageism is the new social prejudice, at a time when people over 65 are beginning to outnumber those under 15. Coping with the disadvantages of aging, while cherishing the advantages a long life can bring.

Duration: 22:16

Posted: September 24, 2023


HIghlights:

• Aging and its perception in different cultures
• Prevalence of ageism in society
• Bridging the generation gap and learning from each other
• Impact of traumatic experiences on internal age
• Correlation between music preference and youth
• Increasing number of seniors in the population
• Value of physical assistance and reflection as one gets older
• Two ages: body age and internal consciousness age
• Cultural differences in how aging is viewed
• Challenges and changes in relationships and physicality with aging

For millennia, lullabies have lulled children into slumber land. From ancient Egypt to modern day, tunes like Twinkle,Twinkle, Little Star and their relative importance often goes unnoticed or unappreciated.

Duration: 22:41

VoxBox: Audio segments from YouTube - Various artists and performers.

Music Credit: Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Posted: September 10, 2023


HIghlights:

• History and significance of lullabies
• Origins and variations of the song "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
• Importance of lullabies and their soothing effects on children
• Benefits of singing lullabies to premature infants
• Other famous lullabies and their composers
• Therapeutic and bonding aspects of lullabies
• Universality of lullabies in different languages and cultures
• Unexpected discussion on adult role-playing as babies
• Calming effects of certain frequencies in music
• Alternative versions of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"

Solo bassoonist, Nadina Mackie is the most widely recorded Canadian bassoonist in history, with 17 new works for solo bassoon and orchestra written for her in the last decade. Nadina intimately describes her journey.
 Nadina Mackie: https://nadinamackie.com



Duration: 37:54



VoxBox: Audio segments from YouTube - March 2014 - Trumpet virtuoso Guy Few and bassoonist Nadina Mackie. The Canadian duo stopped by the Classic 107 studio to talk with host Bill Richardson.



Music Credit: Nadina Mackie and Guy Few - Silver Angel Concerto

Posted: August 27, 2023


Highlights:

• Introduction of Nadina Mackie as a special guest
• Nadina's accomplishments as a bassoonist and collaborations with renowned musicians
• Nadina's involvement in visual arts, including painting and designing album covers
• Discussion on how Nadina manages her diverse interests and commitments
• Nadina's journey from being a country girl to a successful bassoonist
• Challenges faced by Nadina in pursuing her passion, including travel and instrument costs
• Mentors who have influenced Nadina's musical journey
• Importance of collaboration and supporting fellow musicians
• Nadina's establishment of the Council of Canadian Bassoonists
• Nadina's upcoming concert and recording projects, including a book release and video demonstration of reed-making technique