Brian Gongol
WHO Radio show notes: Brian Gongol Show - April 6, 2014
"A contrived pretext for military intervention just as we saw in Crimea"
Secretary of State Kerry tries to call out the Russian government for making a mess in Ukraine -- quite literally by fomenting insurrection. So, here's the question: Why does this all appear to be happening while the White House scrambles to patch together some kind of response? How did we get here? Why didn't we see this coming, and wasn't there something that we could have done to prevent it? Is there a systemic failure we need to address? Are there individuals who should be fired for gross incompetence? Wagging fingers at Russia now seems like a response that isn't anywhere close to getting the right outcome.
Think through the consequences
A Cityview story on gang problems in Des Moines (yes, Des Moines) notes the widely-acknowledged correlation between youth unemployment and gang trouble: "No kid that has a legitimate opportunity elsewhere is joining a gang". This relationship should always enter the conversation when people talk about doing anything that restricts entry into the labor force -- including raising the minimum wage. Barriers to entry mean more young people with no better alternatives, and that enhances the risk that some of them will get caught up in criminal activity. 14-year-olds and 15-year-olds with low-wage but legitimate jobs are a far better thing to have than 21-year-olds who still haven't gotten into the labor force. And the higher the barriers to entry, the worse the effects down the road, since the longer a person goes without establishing some kind of a working history (no matter how menial it may appear), the harder it becomes for them to get moving up the economic ladder.
Chicago and the state of Illinois struggle to fix pensions
Too many promises made for too long and not enough set aside to keep them. Chicago's not alone -- this is a very widespread problem.
The suspected depth of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
We tend to lack both perspective and basic knowledge of the depths of the oceans, or of their topography.
"Like sharing a waterbed with a baboon that's just been doused in itching powder"
(Video) Jeremy Clarkson's take on the worst of giant American sedans
"Heartbleed explained"
Why everyone's going to need to reset their passwords soon
China declares: We will not be contained
Saying that the Pacific is big enough for two great powers, they're certainly signaling that America's military-industrial complex will have work for plenty of years to come
Don't let down your guard, Los Angeles
The right earthquake in the right spot could be catastrophic, because "downtown L.A. and Hollywood are packed with old, vulnerable buildings, including those made of concrete"
The ideal length of almost everything online
A guide to shamelessly manipulating your audience...because someone else will try to do it anyway
Anchorage Daily News surrenders to online competitor
The oil tanker that was just too super
An oil tanker that was too large to safely navigate the English Channel ultimately proved no match for economics. It was too big for its own good.
Are we giving up too much by giving up ICANN?
The United States has managed much of the Internet's structure with a sort of benign dictatorialism. But turning it over to the world at large? What guarantee have we that it will work?
How different generations can work together
Supposedly advice for family businesses, but widely applicable. Generational labels are often over-done, but there are definitely lessons to be learned across age groups.
Hazards to the EAS
How broadcasters might be vulnerable to exploitation of the nation's emergency-broadcasting system
Russia starts threatening Europe over Ukraine and natural gas
Chief Justice John Roberts and the leadership of conservative thought
Fixing distracted driving with better fonts
Will Chicago get a George Lucas museum?
Lucas has a huge collection of art and memorabilia, and he wants to make a museum of it. His first choice is San Francisco, but they're not opening up the space he wanted, so Chicago is gunning to be the backup location.
Russia withheld information on the Boston bombers
Trouble in Ukraine is far from over
Gunmen have taken over police buildings. The smart money is on Russian involvement.
Lab-grown organs are already a reality
A Lancet study says that four women in the US have had vaginal transplants from lab-grown tissue