Didactic Synapse

It’s been months, but this show is worth the wait. Over two hours of didactic goodness! We’re covering everything from Iraq to Edward Snowden to people pretending to be US Department of Energy spokesmen. Plus — as always — we give you the latest on fracking and high-frequency trading, with a visit from everyone’s favorite cigar-sucking businessman.

Enjoy!

DS#93: The Formula

Top Links

• Amazing Grace: Woman in Iran halts the execution of her son’s murderer
• Video: Glenn Greenwald and Paul Rieckhoff on Real Time with Bill Maher
• Video: Posing as US Officials, Yes Men Announce Renewable Energy Revolution at Homeland Security Congress

Take Action

• Stop the mass executions in Egypt

Current Events

• Video: Neil DeGrasse Tyson on race, gender, science, and society
• The Yes Men
  • DN: Extended interview with the Yes Men
  • Yes Men fake DoE speech
  • Trailer: The Yes Men Fix the World
• Net Neutrality
  • PC World: What it is and why it matters
  • DN: Internet for the 1%
  • The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age (Preface)
• Fracking
  • Feds: West blast was preventable
  • Texas family’s nuisance complaint seen as win against fracking
  • Scientists say tests prove fracking to blame for flaming wells
  • Nat Geo: Scientists warn of quake risk from fracking operations
  • The Guardian: Write-down of two-thirds of US shale oil explodes fracking myth
• Dave Zirin on LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling
• Amazing Grace: Mother of Oklahoma murder victim asks for clemency

Economics

• Millionaire survey: Higher taxes, please
• For the Love of Money
• Strike at Chinese factory supplying Adidas and Nike
• Michael Lewis: “Wall Street has gone insane”
• BW: Companies choose profits over productivity
• Video: Joseph Stiglitz on Tavis Smiley
• Video: William Easterman on Tavis Smiley
• Video: Matt Taibi on DN
• UK “aid” is financing a corporate scramble for Africa
• McDonald’s CEO says We provide “real careers”

Education

• NPR: What is quality pre-K education?
• DN: Jim Crow in the classroom
• ProPublica: Segregation Now
• InBloom shuts down amid concerns over privacy

Killer Robots, Etc

• Google’s Robot-Buying Binge
• The Bureau of Investigative Journalism: Covert Drone War
• Glenn Greenwald describes Edward Snowden’s background and why he leaked the NSA documents
• BW: The Flu tricked Google. Can Wikipedia do better?
• AdWeek: Waiting in line: You’re stupid
• Trailer: Drone: The Movie
• Pepper the robot knows when you’re sad, will give you a hug

Hip-Hop

I’m postponing the discussion of hip-hop for a special episode coming soon. Stay tuned!