Anti-Muslim protestors at State Capitol….Why generic gas is cheaper than brand name gas…and a look at Capital Metro’s ridership numbers. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend.
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Archives for January 2015
Paranioa
On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, discuss what paranoia is, how we can help ourselves keep from spiraling into a paranoid thought process, and why paranoia manifests itself differently in different cultures.
Home and Homelessness
This month’s episode explores what it means to be displaced or without a home. Our new roundtable participants ask: How do we define “home”? Is it a house? Is it family, a sense of community? Is it a place or a feeling? The discussants share their perspectives, from the practical concerns of living on the streets of Austin, to the role of creative production in dealing with homelessness, to challenging notions of displacement and transience as unnatural. Ultimately, the discussion turns toward the ways in which our perceptions of home and homelessness influence our views on immigration, the need for refuge, and national identity.
Higher Ed: The Ins and Outs of Liberal Arts
The phrase “liberal arts” often goes hand in hand with discussions about higher education. But really, what are the liberal arts? Are they liberal? Are they arts? How about none of the above? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger explore what comprises liberal arts. They not only answer that nagging question, “Liberal arts: singular or plural?”, they also discuss how a liberal arts education is more about the approach to the subjects than the subjects themselves.
Benny Golson (1.25.15)
Benny Golson is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger who made his name with greats like John Coltrane, Art Blakey, and Lionel Hampton. Yet, perhaps his best known and recognized composition was for his friend, jazz trumpeter and legend Clifford Brown, who was taken at the age of 25 in a car accident. Golson wrote, “I Remember Clifford”, in the wake of his passing, and you can hear much of Brown’s rich and smooth texture throughout Golson’s piece.
In this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, talks about the life and work of Benny Golson. He explores what it means to memorialize loved ones who have passed before us, as their lives and souls remain vivid within us, even though their bodies are no longer here.
KUT Weekend – January 23, 2015
What the new political leaders of Texas want….Austin’s “No Kill” animal shelter and the challenge it poses for city council…and Richard Linklater’s daughter has problems with the movie “Boyhood.” Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!
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Tempering The Tantrum
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on temper tantrums.
Higher Ed: The Art of Creating Questions
The old saying goes something like this: “If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it it, does it make a sound?” A variation on that might go: “If someone asks a question, and no one is around to hear it, what good does it do?” A lot, as it turns out. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger exchange questions and answers about the art and importance of questions to learning. They explore how the act of simply creating a question can change the whole dynamic of learning. But what about the answer, you might ask? Guess what; most of the benefit might actually come without ever even getting answer!
Tina Marsh (1.18.15)
In this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe talks about the life and legacy of Austin-based composer and artist Tina Marsh.
The Texas Legislature is Back in Session
Tuesday marked the beginning of the 84th Texas Legislature. Thousands of lawmakers returned to the State Capitol in Austin for the 140-day session.
Typewriter Rodeo’s Jodi Egerton wrote a special poem to welcome the legislators and a hopeful 2015.
KUT Weekend – January 16, 2015
How much money state lawmakers have to spend on Texas over the next two years….an explanation of school vouchers….and how cities and hospitals are trying to get people enrolled in Obamacare. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!
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Amnesia
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the various aspects of amnesia.
Doug Dorst
Doug Dorst is a wonder at words and worlds. He’s a master of bringing the known and unknown, the mundane and the strange, into immediate proximity to one another is such a way that the line begins to fade. Whether it’s insecure police officers encountering restless ghosts romping through northern California in his debut novel Alive in Necropolis, or the dark inner lives of surf gurus and cake sculptors in his short story collection The Surf Guru, or the wild labyrinth voices, artifacts, and nightmarish locales of S., Dorst mingles nightmares and fantastical visions with earthy, recognizable emotions.
It’s an absolute pleasure to chat books and writing with Doug Dorst on this edition of The Write Up.
In 2009, Alive in Necropolis was awarded the Emperor Norton Award, and was a runner up for the Shirley Jackson Award, the IAFA/Crawford Award, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. It made the Editor’s Choice list in The New York Times Book Review and was named one of the year’s best books by Amazon. The book was also chosen as San Francisco’s 2009 One City One Book selection.
He followed up his success with the beautiful and haunting story collection The Surf Guru, which also landed on the Editor’s Choice list in The New York Times Book Review and was a Rumpus Book Club pick.
Not long after, director and producer J.J. Abrams picked him out to pen a novel in which the story would be found in the margins. Dorst crafted S., a complex but highly accessible book filled with handwritten notes in the text, loose napkins and postcards between the pages, and mysteries that stretch beyond the final chapter. The book is a marvel – a thrill for any lover of the printed word and fan of puzzles.
Dorst is an accomplished playwright, essayist, and, believe it or not, a three-time Jeopardy champion.
In our conversation we talk through his approach to writing, including writing habits, struggles, and how he finds his way into a story. We talk about the pressure of deadlines and joy of the blank page.
Doug Dorst is a celebrated teacher of creative writing who helps run the Texas State MFA program in San Marcos. He talks enthusiastically about his students and the feel of the workshop.
It is a thrill to have Doug Dorst on The Write Up. He is a pleasure to talk with – or just to listen to. The depth of his voice is matched only by the depth of his soul. So please join us as Doug Dorst, with charming humility, shares his passion for craft, teaching, and above all, storytelling
Higher Ed: The Importance of Failure to Learning
In this episode of KUT’s podcast, “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talks with Dr. Ed Burger, President of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, about how important failure is to learning and success. What?! That’s the opposite of just about everything we’ve ever been taught. But it turns out intentionally failing is actually a critical step to ultimate success in learning.
KUT Weekend – January 9, 2015
Austin’s city council is mostly women for the first time ever…a Texas lawmaker wants to make pot possession punishable by a $100 fine…and a look at a recent swarm of earthquakes in the Dallas area.
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Tongue Twisters and Rhymes
Why rhymes are so appealing, and what makes for a good tongue twister, in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head with Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke.
KUT Weekend – January 2, 2015
How combat might help people retain memories…the role of the Cactus Cafe in nurturing Texas music….and new restaurant openings to watch in 2015. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!
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