Generals in Government, Preventing Dementia, What Is Race?

Don’t Trust Generals Too Much Guest: Gregory Daddis, PhD, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Graduate Program in War and Society, Chapman University, Author of “Withdrawal: Reassessing America’s Final Years in Vietnam” From his first day in office, President Trump has expressed public confidence in the generals who fill top government positions. But does a distinguished military career necessarily translate into foreign policy expertise? Or, in the case of General John Kelly, insure success as the White House Chief of Staff?   Gregory Daddis recently analyzed the success of generals in civilian government in a piece in The Washington Post titled, “The generals can’t save us—and we shouldn’t want them to.”  Preventing Dementia Guest: Helen Kales, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan This year, Americans will spend $259 billion on the care of patients with dementia, a figure that is only expected to climb in the coming decades. But, a new report published in The Lancet last month says that a third of all cases of dementia could be prevented. Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain Guest: Michael Bancks, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow in Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking not only prevent dementia, they actually preserve brain mass. It turns out that healthier bodies lead to bigger brains. What South American Can Teach Us About Police Reform Guest: Yanilda González, Assistant Professor, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago A few weeks ago, in a New York suburb racked with gang violence, President Trump spoke with law enforcement and encouraged them to be rough with suspects. Almost immediately, police departments across the country denounced the President’s request to “not be too nice” to criminals. But the President’s comments signal a 180-degree shift from the Obama-era police oversight intended to minimalize police racism, violence, and stereotyping. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Justice Department announced a policy that makes it easier for police to seize property from suspects. How quickly might the pendulum swing from reform to counter-reform? ACL Tears Rising Among Teen Girls Guest: Mackenzie Herzog, Doctoral Candidate, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health There’s an alarming trend among teen athletes: the number of ACL tears—that’s when one of the crucial stabilizing ligaments in the knee rips or is severed—are on the rise, especially in young women. This is from a new report published in JAMA Pediatrics.  Find exercises for preventing ACL injuries here. What is Race, Anyway? Guest: Daniel Neilson, PhD, Professor and Associate Chair of Political Science, Brigham Young University Political and racial tensions are high as protests over the weekend turned deadly in Charlottesville. Protesters in Durham NC pulled down a Confederate statue Monday night, and right-wing rallies are scheduled in San Francisco. While charges of racism and censorship are bantered back and forth, we’re going to take a minute to consider what race is anyway.