Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Tap Water Safety in LA; and Why Women Are Choosing to Be Single
The Big Thirst author Charles Fishman lets Angelenos know when it’s okay to worry about their tap water (hint: when it looks like bad tea), and how the rise of single women is changing society.
By Madeleine Brand • • 53m ListenResidents of Flint, Michigan have reason to fear their tap water, but what about the rest of us? The Big Thirst author Charles Fishman puts our worries into perspective. Plus, the man who gave us the @ symbol in email is remembered. And All the Single Ladies author Rebecca Traister joins us on this International Women’s Day.
In this episode
5 storiesAwash in Worry: Tap Water in America
At the Democratic debate in Flint, Michigan last Sunday, presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton called for Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to resign over the lead contamination of Flint’s water supply. The water crisis in Flint is an extreme case.
Read the story10 minIs “Ego Depletion” a Thing?
For almost 20 years, “ego depletion” has been an accepted concept in psychology. It’s the idea that people have a limited amount of willpower, and it’s exhausted with overuse.
Read the story10 minRemembering Ray Tomlinson, the Man Who Put the @ in Email
In 1971, a computer engineer named Ray Tomlinson sent what is thought to be the first e-mail message...to himself . The word “Internet” had yet to be coined, and computers were the size of refrigerators.Today , billions of emails are sent and received every single day.
Read the story8 min"All the Single Ladies"
Mary Tyler Moore, Carrie Bradshaw and Hannah Horvath are all members of the single lady TV aristocracy. And each character has helped shape the narrative of the single woman in modern America. The message is clear: “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby,” to borrow a slogan from Virginia Slims. Outside of the small screen, the story is more complicated.
Read the story14 minTracking the Rise of Banh Mi in L.A.
Bahn Mi sandwiches are already a fusion food. The baguette and pate come from the French, who colonized Vietnam. And the meat, pickled veggies and cilantro are signature Vietnamese foods.
Read the story6 min
