Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Conflicting Diet Studies, The Culture of Reddit, and a Famous Boulder
A new documentary follows the long, slow travels of the 340-ton boulder that eventually became the cornerstone of the “Levitated Mass” sculpture at LACMA. We talk to the filmmaker about the journey and the controversy surrounding the work.
By Madeleine Brand • • 52m ListenToday on Press Play, we get an update on LAUSD’s controversial iPad program, which superintendent John Deasy continues to defend, even after pausing the program. Plus, with new diet studies that directly contradict each other, can we believe any studies we read about in the paper? We discuss the continuing fallout to the huge cache of celebrity intimate photos that were stolen and posted online and what it says about internet culture. Plus, a new documentary follows the long, slow travels of the 340-ton boulder that eventually became the cornerstone of the “Levitated Mass” sculpture at LACMA. And we find out why your computer is lying to you on a daily basis.
Banner Image: "Levitated Mass," a 340-ton boulder located at LACMA; Credit: Greg V
In this episode
5 storiesDeasy’s iPad Problem
L.A. schools superintendent John Deasy has written a blistering six-page memo defending the iPad program and the bidding process. He has temporarily halted the program, not because he doesn’t believe in it, but because -- in his words -- it’s been sidetracked by insinuations, innuendos, and misleading statements.
Read the story8 minCan We Believe Weight Loss Studies?
On Monday two new diet studies were released. One from the Annals of Internal Medicine said the way to go is a low-carb diet rather than a low-fat diet. The other from the Journal of American Medical Association showed that all diets - low-carb and low-fat - could work. And by Wednesday, we’re all afraid to eat. So, what can we believe?
Read the story8 minReddit, Sexting, and Hacked Celebrity Photos
One of the only places on the internet providing access to the hacked celebrity nude photos yesterday was Reddit. But the site’s rules say users aren’t allowed to post “personal info”. Aren’t nude photos “personal info”? We take a look at the culture of Reddit, and we discuss whether an “abstinence only” approach to sexting is realistic.
Read the story7 minThe Path of Levitated Mass
The 340-ton boulder that is now an art object at LACMA called “Levitated Mass” first had to travel 106 miles, very slowly, to get to its final destination. It took several years to get it there, and involved getting permission from the two dozen localities the rock had to travel through.
Read the story13 minYour Computer Is Lying to You (For Your Own Good)
Your computer is lying to you. And it’s just going to get worse. And maybe that’s OK, at least in the case of what’s called “benevolent deception”: white lies that make things work better for you.
Read the story9 min
