Viewpoints Radio

We share why we think the new Netflix release, “Tick, Tick…Boom” is perhaps the best musical movie of 2021.

Do you find yourself carrying less and less cash in recent years? You’re not alone. Last year, cash payments made up about 18 percent of all transactions, according to a national study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. For homeless populations and nonprofit fundraisers that rely on in-person cash giving, what’s the outlook? How can the public help in different ways or donate through digital transactions?

Last minute emails. Gift buying. Traveling. Sometimes the holiday to-do list can feel never-ending. It can be a stressful period – especially after another year spent living within a pandemic. We speak with psychiatrist Dr. Frank Anderson about the importance of setting boundaries and expectations this holiday season.

The U.S. still has the highest number of inmates in the world, with more than 2 million people behind bars. For a segment of this population, spending weeks, months, or even years in solitary confinement is very much a reality. We speak with two criminal justice experts about the lasting effects of solitary confinement and the mental health crisis plaguing prisons.

There’s nothing quite like comics. The art of illustration mixed with text takes on many forms, including comic strips, books, graphic novels and more. Columbia University professor and author of American Comics: A History Jeremy Dauber joins us this week to help highlight the interesting history of comics and how it’s evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry today.

The Forward is a science fiction series comprising of six short novellas written by prominent authors in the genre. We discuss what we like about this unique format.

Rental and home prices across the country are skyrocketing. On average, rental prices have risen by 16 percent this year. In some cities, people are seeing as high as 30 percent increases on monthly rent. For middle and low-income citizens already on a tight budget, it’s impossible to make ends meet. We speak with two housing experts about the complete lack of affordable housing in this country and the worsening homelessness epidemic.

Tech companies make billions of dollars each year selling personal information from users’ online activity. While it may seem like people have some control over privacy settings, this is merely an illusion argues law professor Neil Richards. This week on Viewpoints - we highlight the lack of privacy online and why consumers should expect better from corporations and their government.

Actress Kristen Stewart plays Princess Diana in the highly anticipated release, “Spencer”. We highlight Stewart’s performance and what we loved about this new take on the late royal.

Today, there are close to 11 million vacant jobs in the U.S. – a record-breaking number. Why are more Americans not filling these positions? How is this affecting businesses? What will eventually happen if these jobs go unfilled? We explore these questions and more this week as we’re joined by hospitality entrepreneur, Ravindra Jayara, and senior labor economist, Dr. Abigail Wozniak.