The nation’s electric grid now penetrates all aspects of our daily lives; yet we don’t give it a second thought until something goes awry — when we’re suddenly groping in the dark searching for flashlights, worrying about what might spoil in the fridge, especially in the heat of the summer. Consider this: The average customer…
Much of the news from Africa highlights the catastrophic and the tragic with war, famine, and lawlessness dominating the headlines. Yet, many of the deadliest wars in Africa have been resolved and the transformation from war to peace and lawlessness to order now under way. In his lecture, Prendergast will focus on Hollywood images that…
Today’s workers need more education and skills than ever before. But 39 million adults in the United States don’t have even the most basic credential: a high school diploma. Many hope their ticket to a better job is passing a test called the GED. But critics say the test is too easy and hardly the…
Experts say technology creates new ways for schools to customize education for each student. This program documents the rise of so-called “personalized learning.” It takes listeners to schools that are reinventing their approach to education, and explores how teaching and learning change when personalization replaces one-size-fits-all in the classroom. This documentary aired on KCPW-FM 88.3…
More people are going to college than ever before, but a lot of them aren’t finishing. Low-income students, in particular, struggle to get to graduation. Only 9 percent complete a bachelor’s degree by age 24. Why are so many students quitting, and what leads a few to beat the odds and make it through? In…
As Burma transitions from dictatorship to democracy, hundreds of political prisoners have been freed after decades behind bars. Many former political prisoners suffer from PTSD from decades of torture, others have family and friends who refuse to speak with them, still fearing they will be arrested. In “Permission to Speak ” we travel through Burma and …
Today we are checking out low carbon lifestyles. In this hour we’ll tackle green myths and discuss what choices are good for your wallet and the planet. We’ll also take a spin with auto owners who have dumped the pump and gone electric. And we’ll learn about the psychology and economics that are motivating some…
In September 2011, Judith and David Tebbutt set off on holiday. They were kidnapped by armed pirates and Judith was separated from her husband and taken to Somalia. Held hostage in what she described as a “horrible house” for a large ransom, she learned that responsibility for securing her release rested with her son, Ollie.…
Today we look at the global economy and the fuels that run it. After a hundred years of growth propelled by subsidized fossil fuels and cheap credit, economic expansion in developed countries is not what it used to be. Add in the massive public debt industrialized countries have run up on their kids’ credit cards…
What does Iran’s new leadership mean for the future of the country, its nuclear weapons program and relationship with the West, and for Iranians around the world? America Abroad recently partnered with a leading public radio station in Los Angeles, KCRW, to host an international radio town hall – Iran at the Crossroads – on…
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