Asian Democracy, Pumpkin Queen, Breastmilk Vaccination

Politics in Asia (Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan) Guest: Joel Selway, PhD, Asian Politics at BYU; Eric Hyer, PhD, Asian Politics at BYU In Thailand, people are mourning the passing of the world’s longest-reigning monarch King Bhumibol. At his death last Thursday at the age of 88, King Bhumibol had held the throne for 70 years – since shortly after World War II. He’d been a stabilizing influence in a time of increasing polarization for Thailand, punctuated by military coups, the most recent in 2014. With a military junta in control of Thailand since then, the democratic process King Bhumibol presided over is in question.  Meanwhile, there have been some interesting developments in the politics of Hong Kong and Taiwan. Both countries have seen a surge in demonstrations and support for greater independence from China.   Pumpkins: Beyond the Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Guest: Sarah Frey-Talley, CEO of Frey Farms The most popular Halloween pumpkins are big and orange. Millions have already been shipped all over the country for families to buy and use for this spooky season. But there are more exotic pumpkins that people should try – the bumpy, multi-colored, misshapen kinds. These strange pumpkins are perfect for decorating and even eating once the season is over. Vaccinating Babies Through Mom’s Breastmilk Guest: Ameae Walker, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Sciences in the UC Riverside School of Medicine Right from birth, babies in the US begin a series of vaccines to protect them from serious diseases including hepatitis B, chickenpox, polio, diphtheria, measles and mumps. Those vaccines come in the form of shots that are no fun for the baby or its parents. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered a new possibility for vaccinating babies that entails vaccinating the mother and letting that immunity pass through her breastmilk to the nursing infant. Their research, published in the Journal of Immunology, could be a breakthrough for diseases like tuberculosis, which are difficult to vaccinate newborns against.  The Plight of the Recent College Grad Guest: Rich Deitz, PhD, Assistant Vice President and Senior Economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Any parent who has groaned at news that their college-age child is majoring in “humanities” or “the arts” can take comfort in knowing that unemployment for college graduates of all stripes is down in the US. The good news is, more young college grads are finding good jobs in their twenties. The bad news, according to analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, recent graduates who majored in liberal arts or general business are two to three times more likely to be underemployed than those with engineering or nursing majors.  How to Improve the Supreme Court Guest: Eric J Segall, JD, Professor of Law at Georgia State University Since Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died in February, the US Supreme Court has been made up of just eight justices, split evenly between conservatives and liberals. Yesterday, Senior Republican Senator John McCain signaled the court could stay that way for a long time yet. He said in a radio interview that Republicans would unite to block any Supreme Court justice Hillary Clinton might nominate were she elected president. McCain backed off that threat later in the day, but it seems likely the Supreme Court will not be getting a new tie-breaking ninth justice any time soon.  While some lament the fact that the divided Supreme Court seems reluctant to take up hot-button issues likely to fall along party lines, Prof. Segall argues this could be a good thing.  Worlds Awaiting Guest: Rachel Wadham, Education and Juvenile Collections Librarian at BYU, Host of Worlds Awaiting at BYUradio Worlds Awaiting is a show dedicated to encouraging a love of reading and discovery in children. It airs Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. Eastern and, starting next week, you can also hear it weekdays at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on BYUradio.