War

Why did the U.S. Navy reinstate celestial navigation as part of its curriculum a few years ago? Well, you can’t hack a sextant.

In this episode, we look at some of the vulnerabilities that come with an over-reliance on high-tech defense systems. Our guests are Peter Singer and August Cole– national security experts who have taken to writing futuristic techno-thrillers to sound a few alarms. Among their warnings: The opening battles of WWIII won’t happen on a battlefield, and they will probably be silent.

GUESTS: Peter Singer, strategist and senior fellow at New America; August Cole, non-resident senior fellow at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council.

ADDITIONAL READING:

Burn-In, Forbes.

Ghost Fleet, The Diplomat.

China Uses AI To Enhance Totalitarian Control, The Atlantic.

“To Me, This Is The Right Thing To Do”: California Governor Halts State’s Executions

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a moratorium on executions in the state, which holds one quarter of the nation’s death row inmates. 

Ohio Seeks Lethal Injection Alternatives After Ruling From Federal Judge

For years now, lethal injection has been a major point of contention in Ohio. And this month, executions in the state ground to a temporary halt.

Young People Around the World Stage Mass Climate Change Protest

Friday’s Youth Climate Strike will see students from nearly 100 countries walk out of school to demand bold environmental action.

Eight Years Into Syrian Civil War, A Writer Reflects 

Marwan Hisham called for the end of the Assad regime. He could never have imagined what has transpired since.

Guests:

Marisa Lagos

Carol Steiker 

Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Haven Coleman

Eric Holthaus

Marwan Hisham

This Memorial Day, The Takeaway brings you five stories that deal with trauma, survival, psychedelics, music and convalescence. The memories of three mass-shooting survivors exemplify the somber legacy of surviving an American tragedy and demonstrate how it reorients your worldview; When the brain survives a traumatic experience the toll taken has traditionally been seen as an emotional scar, but new research is helping to overturn this narrative; outside the more mainstream therapies for PTSD, there’s another class of drugs currently being tested: psychedelics; soldiers returning from Iraq faced insurmountable obstacles as they reintroduced themselves to society. Some injuries, such as burns and amputations, bore palpable signs, alerting the public to the pains rendered in the line of duty. Others scars were borne invisibly; and Singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier tries to illustrate the experience of returning to civilian life in her new album, “Rifles and Rosary Beads.”

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Happy Memorial Day from The Takeaway. In this special holiday episode, we’re hosting conversations about the sacrifices made in war zones, and the challenges facing veterans at home.

We’re bringing you — our podcast listeners — our Memorial Day special two days early! Here’s what you’ll find on today’s show:

March 25, 2016: 1. Feds Eye Blackwater Founder for Selling Mercenary Services Abroad | 2. The Forgotten Women of Ireland’s Easter Rising Rebellion | 3. Is Conservative Talk Radio Losing Its Influence? | 4. With Power and Influence, This Corporate Dynasty Built America | 5. Films to Catch and Skip at the Box Office This Weekend

November 11, 2015: 1. Veterans Groups Battle to Attract New Members | 2. After War, Vets Struggle in Search for Support | 3. GOP Debate Reveals Deep Party Divisions | 4. Taking the Headers out of Youth Soccer | 5. School Discipline: From Corporal Punishment to Mediation | 6. What You Know About World War II Is Wrong

1. How Policing Changes When Everyone’s Filming | 2. Five Things to Know Before Recording the Police | 3. ZIP Code Poetry: Listener Spotlight | 4. Forty Years After Vietnam, Retracing a Journey From Saigon to San Francisco | 5. IBM’s Watson: Sure, He’s Smart. But Can He Make Dinner?

1. How Policing Changes When Everyone’s Filming | 2. Five Things to Know Before Recording the Police | 3. ZIP Code Poetry: Listener Spotlight | 4. Forty Years After Vietnam, Retracing a Journey From Saigon to San Francisco | 5. IBM’s Watson: Sure, He’s Smart. But Can He Make Dinner?

1. Violent Weather Slams the Southwest | 2. Obama’s Struggle in The Fight Against ISIS | 3. Report Reveals Vast Racial Disparity in Foster Care System | 4. Amid Protests, Cleveland Looks to Heal | 5. U.S. Journalist on Trial for ‘Espionage’ in Iran