Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The Politics of Ebola Quarantines and Zombies v The World Series
What political pressures were at play in the forced quarantine of nurse Kaci Hickox, who was isolated in New Jersey over the weekend after returning from treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone? Also, more people tuned in to The Walking Dead than the World Series last night.
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenWe start with a look at the politics and legalities of quarantining health workers who’ve treated Ebola patients, on the heels of nurse Kaci Hickox speaking out against her forced isolation in New Jersey over the weekend. Then, an update from the Hawaii town of Pahoa, which is threatened by lava. In our weekly TV roundup, we discuss how the World Series is stacking up against football and The Walking Dead. Next, a neuroscientist and author talks about how we can shield our brains from the toll of being constantly bombarded with new information in this digital age. And finally, big retailers like CVS and Rite-Aid are rejecting Apple’s new mobile payment app -- what’s in store for consumers?
Banner image: World Series pregame events by: UCinternational
In this episode
5 storiesThe Politics and Legalities of Ebola Quarantines
Nurse Kaci Hickox was put into a mandatory quarantine in New Jersey over the weekend after she returned from treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone. Hickox says she was not showing symptoms and shouldn’t have been isolated, and charged that her civil rights were violated.
Read the story10 minPreparing for a Volcano
On the big island of Hawaii, a new lava flow is moving towards the small town of Pahoa. It’s coming from the Kilauea volcano, which has been slowly spewing lava for the last 30 years. In June, it sprang a new vent on the side facing Pahoa. We get an update on the latest news from the ground.
Read the story6 minZombies v. The World Series
The Giants took the lead over Kansas City in the World Series yesterday. But if you’re like most Americans, you probably didn’t see it. According to ratings, people are far more interested in football and The Walking Dead than baseball these days. We hear about that and other small screen news in our weekly television roundup.
Read the story8 minThe Organized Mind
President Obama once said, “I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing, because I have too many other decisions to make.” He outsources every non-essential choice to his staff. And the president might be onto something the rest of us could learn from.
Read the story14 minRejecting Apple Pay
It’s been one week since the launch of Apple’s new mobile payment app, the appropriately named Apple Pay. But some retailers didn’t get the memo: CVS and Rite-Aid have both rejected Apple Pay, along with Google Wallet and other mobile payment apps. Wal-Mart, meanwhile, is planning its own mobile payment technology. What’s in store for consumers?
Read the story6 min
