Archives for August 2017

V&B – The Performance of Prayer

Join playwright and novelist Kirk Lynn, Rabbi Neil Blumofe and KUT’s Rebecca McInroy in a discussion about the role of prayer today, and what the idea and act of prayer teach us about how we understand our world, one another, and ourselves.

Texas Standard: August 31, 2017

As waters recede, the death toll rises in the aftermath of Harvey- and fears grow of more grim discoveries. Today, from the gulf coast, this is the Texas Standard.

Coming up, the latest on rescue and recovery efforts in the states largest metropolitan area, plus, explosions reported at a flooded-out chemical plant northeast of Houston.

As the biggest rainstorm in the history of the US mainland makes it way well beyond our borders, Governor Abbott announces the worst is not over for southeast Texas.

Also, an important ruling on the eve of the so-called sanctuary city bill.

We’re live from the Galveston County Daily News. And no matter where you are, It’s Texas Standard time.

Texas Standard: August 30, 2017

Roadsigns down, trees uprooted, power and food in short supply- but on the horizon, unmistakable signs of hope. The road to recovery, today on the Texas Standard

As Tropical Storm Harvey moves northeast dumping torrential rain on the golden triangle and the Texas / Louisiana border, recovery eforts kick into gear further south. Today we’re broadcasting live from the Corpus Christi area – where Harvey first made landfall a few miles north of us: destruction so severe, there’s still a curfew in place.
We’ll hear how the area’s trying to move forward…and what’s still needed.

Also, a warning on filing insurance claims and why “500 year” floods are more frequent than the name suggests.
We’re live from the coastal bend and it’s Texas Standard time.

This Song: Middle Kids

Hannah Joy, lead singer and songwriter of the Australian trio Middle Kids, talks about how Christine McVie from Fleetwood Mac  inspires her as a female artist and describes why she decided to transition from a solo piano based artist to a guitar playing leader of a band.

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 Check out Middle Kids Tour Dates 

Christine McVie is on Tour with Lindsey Buckingham! Check out their Tour Dates

Check out Jen Wasner from Wye Oak and Flock of Dimes “This Song” Episode

Listen to Songs from Episode 98 of This Song

 

Texas Standard: August 29, 2017

Across sodden southeast Texas, as the rain keeps fall, rescues continue and shelters begin to overfill. We’ll have comprehensive coverage. Also, as evacuees flow into shelters in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, second-guessing grows over Houston’s decision not to issue evacuation orders. And in northwest Houston, a reverend providing shelter for others finds himself in deep water. As reservoir banks rise, now what? Also, gas shortages begin to take hold further inland, some, from the area where Harvey first made landfall, are returning home. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 28, 2017

The official forecast was spot on: an unprecedented event and beyond anything experienced. How Texas is weathering Harvey. It started out with staggering winds making landfall north of Corpus Christi, the view from near Rockport described as apocalyptic. No longer a hurricane, Harvey unleashed its fury further north, plunging the third largest metropolitan area into a flood of historic dimensions. We’ll have the latest today on the Texas Standard:

Judge Robert L. Wilkins (Ep. 38, 2017)

In Black America producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. speaks with The Honorable Robert L. Wilkins, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and author of Long Hard Road To Truth: The 100 Year Mission To Create The National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Best of “Higher Ed:” Studying Abroad

This episode was originally published on April 23, 2017.

This episode addresses a question from a “Higher Ed” listener whose daughter is a sophomore in high school. The daughter has started attending college fairs and reading online about schools, and the family wants to know about the impact of studying abroad on a student’s education. In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger dig into the topic of studying abroad. Ed and Jennifer talk about the pros and cons of spending part of college (or high school) outside the U.S. Ed says students can gain a lot experiencing a new culture and learning a new language. But do they lose anything spending time away from their academic home base? Listen on for their discussion and for the solution to the puzzler about about gas cans, gallons and some tricky pouring.

This episode was recorded on March 24, 2017.

KUT Weekend – August 25, 2017

Hurricane Harvey threatens millions across Texas. We update you on the Austin-area and then speak with officials on the Gulf Coast. Plus, how unregulated development in Houston could make flooding worse. And how a multi-million dollar project aims to protect downtown Austin from flooding. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend!

Subscribe at https://weekend.kut.org

Texas Standard: August 25, 2017

Texas is bracing for hurricane Harvey. With forecasters warning of a life threatening storm, we’ll fill you in on what you need to know. Plus, with Houston expecting major flooding, we’ll hear how unregulated development could be making matters worse. That plus the week in politics, the boy scouts considering brining in girls, and a really book by a Texas author you might want to check out. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Border Crossings

We seem to love Mexican food and celebrate its culture, but when it comes to welcoming the country’s people into the US, things get a little fuzzier. Border Crossings is the subject of this week’s Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Painkillers (Rebroadcast)

The high reliance on painkillers by the medical community has become an increasingly controversial topic.  For patients, that reliance can easily transform a treatment into an addiction.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the relationship between pain and the brain. And they touch on the evolution of pain as retribution, both biologically and culturally.

Texas Standard: August 24, 2017

Harvey threatens the coast of Texas with storm surges and catastrophic flooding. It could bring torrential downpours further inland. A state of emergency preemptively declared in 30 Texas counties, we’ll explore. Plus, an explosive new book investigates the sexual assault scandal at Baylor university. We’ll hear from one of the authors. And it’s move-in week at colleges across Texas: a look at tech to make life easier for freshmen. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

This Song: Collie Buddz

What’s really going on with reggae? In this episode, Collie Buddz  gives host Elizabeth McQueen a crash course in Sound Clash, Dubplate, Conscious Reggae, and shares the impact Garnet Silk’s  song “Lord Watch Over Our Shoulders” had on his music. Hear how the genre has transformed the songwriting, sampling, beat making and lifestyle of this week’s artist and see some of your favorite classic songs in a whole new light.

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 Check out Collie Buddz Tour Dates

Listen to

Listen to Songs from Episode 97 of This Song

 

Texas Standard: August 23, 2017

President Trump says he doesn’t think NAFTA can be saved and he’s calling for a shutdown of the federal government if that’s what it takes to fund the border wall, we’ll explore. Also we’ll apply a Texas filter to the president’s remarks in Phoenix, Arizona. Plus, why a federal judge has stopped Houston from banning large encampments of people experiencing homelessness. And how giant retailers like Walmart and Target are trying to compete with Amazon. Also-
Houston to Dallas in 30 minutes? Hyperloop technology might make it possible. We’ll hear from Texans competing this weekend to make it a reality. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas: The Name Heard ‘Round The World

By W. F. Strong

I’ve spent a good deal of time over the last couple of years contemplating all things Texas inside of Texas. So I thought I would take a look at Texas OUTSIDE of Texas. There is a lot out there.

First, I suspect you’ve heard that in Norway the word “Texas” means something like “crazy.” More like wild and crazy. Let me use it in a sentence as the Norwegians would: “That party last night, after 1AM, turned Texas on us.” I am honored to have Texas utilized that way – describing something that is a bit out of control and rebellious.

In Barcelona, Spain, “Texans” is a common name for blue jeans. People in Barcelona often say, “Let me put on my Texans and I’ll go with you.” In other parts of Spain they refer to jeans as cowboys, but in Barcelona, they get right to the point by simply calling them Texans (Tejanos).

In London and Paris you can visit the sites of the Texas Embassies, which were located in those cities in the early 1840s, when Texas was an independent sovereign country. The legations were just rented spaces so no dedicated structures remain. However, you can still see commemorations of the first embassies (and last ones) for The Republic of Texas. When I first saw those words, “The Republic of Texas,” on an antique gold plaque in London, my heart swelled up bigger’n Dallas. Not that I want Texas to be a Republic again, but I love the fact that we once were. The other site has a carving on the facade of a hotel in Paris, the Hôtel de Vendôme.

Leaving Europe, let’s go way down under to Oz. In Australia, there is a town named Texas. It is in Queensland. Texas, Queensland. It’s true. When you see the road sign that says Texas 15, it is surreal. Not just because you are in Australia, but because the 15 is for kilometers and the sign is on the left side of the road, the side you are driving on. From the look of the landscape, you would swear you’re in west Texas, perhaps near Marfa. It is a good comparison because Texas, Queensland is just a bit smaller than Marfa – only about 1100 people live there. But Texas, Queensland has more water – a river runs through it.

So, how did it get its name? How did the folks there decide to name their town Texas? Well, first of all, there were no immigrants from Texas who gave it that name. That is a common way that such things happen, but not in this case.

They say that back in the 1840s there was a sustained dispute over the land between the McDougall Brothers, who had earlier laid claim to it, and the squatters who took it over in their absence. Seems that the McDougalls went off to look for gold. When they returned, goldless, they had the added insult of finding squatters on their land. The McDougalls were eventually successful at getting their land back, after a few years in the courts. They said it reminded them of the more famous and much longer struggle Texans had endured to secure Texas, which happened halfway around the world, but at roughly the same time. So in honor of their victory, the McDougalls named their little settlement “Texas.”

You already know that everything’s bigger in Texas. As you see from this quick trip around the world, Texas is pretty big outside of Texas, too.

Texas Standard: August 22, 2017

Change in plans: the president does a 180 on Afghanistan. When will the US leave? We’ll explore why the commander in chief says that’s the wrong question. Also, the navy takes a knee after another ship in the pacific fleet collides with a commercial vessel. 10 navy crew members missing. Who’s on lookout and what’s going wrong? Plus popping the cork on a controversy between grape growers and their cotton pickin’ neighbors: are pesticides killing Texas wineries? And as kids go back to school, will there be enough teachers? That depends: you live in the city or the country? Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 21, 2017

As demonstrators and counter protestors take sides in cities, how’s the showdown over confederate monuments playing out in small town Texas? We’ll have the latest. Also after declaring a phase out at the federal level, the return of private lockups. Texas seems to be a magnet. And water bottles in national parks, making an official comeback? We’ll hear what’s behind it. And help wanted: an aging population sparks a booming business in stay at home home health care across the lone star state. Plus facts and fiction surrounding a certain solar event: slip on those safety specs and turn up the volume because it’s Texas Standard time:

Paul Porter (Ep. 37, 2017)

In Black America producer and host John L. Hanson, Jr. speaks with Motown Gospel recording artist Paul Porter, about his career in music as a solo artist and as founder of the Christianaires, and about his triumph over a near-fatal 1996 brain aneurism.