Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The Rich-Poor Longevity Gap, Smart Fabrics, and Poet Robots
A new study finds that while the rich live longer than the poor nationwide, the size of that gap depends very much on where you live. In L.A., for example, the poor live almost as long as their wealthier counterparts. Why?
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenA new study finds that while the rich live longer than the poor nationwide, the size of that gap depends very much on where you live. In L.A., for example, the poor live almost as long as their wealthier counterparts. Why?
Then, we get the details on the very first Smart Fabrics Summit in Washington today, which showcases hi-tech clothing.
In our regular Monday TV segment, a roundup of so-called “prestige comedies” that ironically portray Los Angeles as a sad, depressing place.
Next, Madeleine speaks to the author of a new non-fiction book about a teenager who murdered another teenager in Oxnard. Why did he do it?
And finally, Silicon Valley types are hiring writers and poets to make virtual assistants like Siri sound more human.
Banner Image Credit: EvaSwensen via Flickr
In this episode
5 storiesThe Poor Live Longer in Los Angeles
We’ve known for decades that the rich live longer than the poor. But it turns out the size of that gap depends on where you live. That’s the surprising finding of a new study out today. In some cities, like Los Angeles, the poor live almost as long as their wealthier counterparts. Their lives are getting longer too.
Read the story9 minSmart Fabrics
Imagine if your shirt could cool or warm you depending on the temperature. Or if it could tell if you’re having a heart attack and call an ambulance. Hi-tech clothes -- fabrics embedded with sensors and GPS -- could be on shelves soon. The first Smart Fabrics Summit is taking place in Washington today. We hear the details.
Read the story9 minTV: L.A. in Prestige Comedies
HBO’s Togetherness aired its last show over the weekend. It’s an example of a genre that’s been called “prestige comedies.” And in prestige comedies, LA seems like a particularly depressing place.
Read the story9 min'A Murder Over a Girl'
What do you do with a 14-year-old who murders another child? That question lies at the heart of a new book, A Murder Over a Girl . It’s about a case in Oxnard eight years ago. Fourteen-year-old Brandon McInerney murdered one of his classmates, Larry King.
Read the story15 minPoet Robots
The virtual assistant is becoming more and more a part of everyday life. But Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa don’t seem to be getting any more human. That is a problem. Imagine spending a day with a coworker you’d describe as “robotic.”
Read the story9 min
