Let’s start with a little history about the National Security Agency. In 2003 journalist James Bamford talked with us about his latest book about the NSA. Back then, he said the general public didn’t know much about the National Security Agency, by design.
You can also hear our original interview with Bamford.
Storyteller Hugh Lupton tells Jim about the ancient Celtic tradition related to our Halloween rituals, and tells him a story. Lupton is the author of “Freaky Tales from Here and There.”
Ishmael Beah was 12 when the army of Sierra Leone gave him an AK-47 and a lot of drugs and turned him into a killing machine. Beah's been rehabilitated and lives in the USA.
James McManus writes for Harpers. With an advance from the magazine, he entered the world series of poker.
Recent medical breakthroughs mean we can sometimes halt and even reverse death. This has led science into a domain traditionally relegated to theology and philosophy. Steve Paulson hosts a panel discussion on the difficult questions that come up during medical crises.
Jade Simmons is a classical pianist who's equally happy to play music by Samuel Barber or hip hop master DBR.
Leigh Ann Henion was a young mother when she felt her world closing in. So she did something unconventional: she set off on a "wonder pilgrimage" to see some of the world's most astonishing natural phenomena. She tells us about juggling motherhood with swimming in bioluminescent oceans, standing at the edge of active volcanoes, and witnessing vast animal migrations.
James Kellaris is especially interested in finding out what makes some songs get stuck in listeners’ heads. He talks about this universal annoyance with Jim Fleming.
