US Economy is Worsening During the Pandemic as Extra Benefits Run Out (0:32)

The number of Americans falling below the poverty line has risen swiftly in the last couple of months with 26 million workers–that’s one out of every six people in the American workforce–unemployed or experiencing a decrease in hours and pay.  Elise Gould joins us to talk about the current state of the economy.  Gould is a senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute.

 

The Secret to Homo Sapiens' Survival? Friendly Cooperation (11:03)

What if it wasn’t "survival of the fittest"–like ferocity and stamina–that made humans successful, but rather our ability to cooperate?  Duke University Anthropology professor Brian Hare states his theory in the book "Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity."

 

Christmas Movies to Stream with the Family (32:13)

It's a brave new world for holiday movies as studios scale back their releases this year and new movies are being released directly to streaming platforms.  So Kirsten Hawkes from ParentPreviews.com reviews some of the most popular holiday films to stream with your family.

 

White, Muslim and Searching for Home (52:18)

Medina Tenour Whiteman has struggled with her identity.  She's a white woman who was born and raised Muslim.  Tenour Whiteman has now written a memoir about searching for a place that feels like home.  The book is called "The Invisible Muslim: Journeys Through Whiteness and Islam."

 

On-the-Go Literature (1:32:01)

One company is trying to help us remember a time before smartphones by installing short story dispensers around the country where people can select different types of stories for the machine to print out.  Short Story Dispenser editor Lane Proctor gives us a taste of some of these short stories.

Find A Short Story Dispenser Near You