Is There Really a Way for Trump to Keep the Presidency At This Point? (0:31)

Guest: Jason Roberts, Associate Chair/Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina

President Trump’s options for challenging–let alone overturning–the election are nearly exhausted. Judges have rejected his campaign’s lawsuits seeking to invalidate Joe Biden’s win in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia. But watching this process unfold reminds us that an election outcome isn’t final when the media calls it. Nor is it final when all the votes are counted. Or recounted. There’s still canvassing and certifying to be done. And then there’s the electoral college. And Congress has a role, too.

 

Smokejumpers: Elite Firefighters Fighting A Growing Wildfire Crisis (24:11)

Guest: Jason Ramos, Firefighter, Author of "Smokejumper"

2020 was the most active wildfire season on record for the West Coast. Tens of thousands of firefighters worked to put out the flames, protect communities and rescue people. Jason Ramos has been a wildland firefighter for 27 years. He’s part of an elite unit that parachutes out of airplanes to fight fires. A few years ago, he wrote a book about his experiences called "Smokejumper: A Memoir by One of America’s Most Select Airborne Firefighters."

 

Mustaches for Men’s Health (40:21)

Guest: Robert Huffman, Development Manager, Movember Foundation

November is Movember. Men grow mustaches. It's not just an excuse to skip shaving–it’s actually a fundraising effort focused on men’s health. The Movember Foundation is currently funding more than a thousand projects in 20 countries targeted at prostate and testicular cancer research and prevention, as well as suicide prevention and mental health.

 

How to Praise Your Kids (50:50)

Guest: Eddie Brummelman, Professor of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Editor of “Psychological Perspectives on Praise”

Good job! I’m so proud of you! What a fantastic drawing–I love it! Anyone raising a child has undoubtedly uttered those–and many other words of praise. Kids need praise. Or so we’ve been told. But really, praise can make some kids narcissistic and can undermine the self-esteem of others. When is praise harmful–and why?

 

How to Plan for the Holidays this Year (1:08:09)

Guest: Melissa Hawkins, Epidemilogist, Professor, American University

The thought of not gathering to share holiday meals together as friends and family this season is heartbreaking. But COVID-19 spreads through the air. Eating means taking our masks off. And cases of COVID are surging across the country. Is it possible to gather and feast safely right now?

 

A Program to Help Community College Students Stay Enrolled (1:27:11)

Guest: Kelly Hallberg, Scientific Director, Poverty Lab, University of Chicago

Community colleges in America may not be as prestigious as their four-year university peers, but they’re still a really important way for people to rise out of poverty. Unfortunately, only about a third of students who enroll full-time in community college for the first time actually end up graduating. What’s going wrong? The Poverty Lab at the University of Chicago has been studying intervention programs designed to improve graduation rates in community college.