Press Play with Madeleine Brand
A Civil Rights Generation Gap, Unregulated Food and More
In light of ongoing protests and violence in Ferguson, Missouri, some are wondering if there’s a generation gap when it comes to civil rights in America today. We take a look at that and at the movement to put wearable cameras on all police officers.
By Barbara Bogaev • • 52m ListenAs protests continue in Ferguson, Missouri, religious and civil leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have been telling protesters “don’t riot… vote.” But how is the message going over with young, frustrated demonstrators? Next, we look at the state of police body cameras -- how widespread are they, and what privacy concerns do they raise? In our weekly TV roundup, we take a look at the massive amount of Simpsons episodes that are going to be at everyone’s fingertips. Then, we look at why the U.S. dropped its efforts to adopt the metric system in the ‘70s. And finally, we look at how unregulated additives have made their way into our food.
Banner Image: Rally in Dallas to honor those affected by police brutality; Credit: heliumfactory.com
In this episode
5 storiesFerguson and the Civil Rights Generation Divide
Religious and civic leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have been telling protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, “Don’t riot…vote.” But that message doesn’t seem to be going over well with young, frustrated protesters.
Read the story8 minOfficer Body Cams
The killing of Michael Brown by a police officer has reignited the national debate over whether police should all wear body cameras, designed to record their every move. One California city saw a 60 percent reduction in use-of-force incidents in the first year it deployed the cameras.
Read the story8 minIt’s Time to Have a Cow, Man
On our weekly TV roundup: TV channel FXX is airing all 552 episodes of The Simpsons in a 288-hour, 12-day marathon that starts on Thursday. Outlander and HBO’s The Leftovers have been renewed. And what are the Creative Arts Emmys, and why did Bill Maher’s show win one?
Read the story8 minWhatever Happened to the Metric System?
Back in the 1970s, there was a huge national campaign to convert the U.S. to the metric system. Teachers handed out buttons that said “Take me to your Liter” and middle school students used new rulers and tried to wrap our heads around the simple task of counting by tens. And then, just like that, it all went away. Why?
Read the story14 minAre New Chemical Food Additives Safe?
Do you read the list of all those chemical ingredients on food packages? The FDA tests all that stuff to make sure it’s safe, right? Well, no. The FDA depends on manufacturers to do their own testing. And in many cases, the manufacturers use additives without even informing the FDA.
Read the story8 min
