The Apple Seed

Guests: Chris Karpowitz, PhD, Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University; Grant Madsen, PhD, Assistant Professor of History, Brigham Young University Pulling the US out of the Iran nuclear deal is among President Trump’s most consequential foreign policy moves to date. Soon he’ll notch another one: Trump is slated to become the first President to meet with a North Korean leader while still in office. Overnight, his administration secured the release of three American prisoners being held in North Korea. These latest developments offer an opportunity to take stock of President Trump’s tenure. He frequently expresses frustration that he’s not getting enough credit in the media for his accomplishments.

Guest: Steven Melnyk, PhD, Professor of Supply Chain and Operations Management, Michigan State University Online ordering and fast shipping allow companies like Blue Apron to deliver fresh ingredients right to your doorstep in time for you to serve up a complete dinner. But services like Blue Apron are offering much more than convenience.  There’s also the experience the buyer has with the product—picking it out, cooking up the food—that is transforming the way people shop. Millennials, who now outnumber baby boomers, are particularly drawn to shopping that involves having an experience with the product.

Guest: Scott Steffensen, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Brigham Young University Acupuncture is said to be helpful in resolving pain, digestive function, improving sleep, and increasing a general sense of well-being—if you can get past the needles. But there are scientists working to quantify the medical effects of this ancient form of treatment. Scott Steffensen has collaborated for a number of years with a lab in South Korea to study the effects of acupuncture on the brain and nervous system. He’s particularly interested in how acupuncture might be helpful in treating addiction.

Guest: Kurt Repanshek, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of "National Parks Traveler" Maybe one of America’s 400-plus National Park Sites is on your vacation list this summer. Whichever you choose, you’re likely to encounter some potholes, crumbling walkways and out-of-order signs. The National Park Service has a backlog of maintenance projects that will cost $11.6 billion to address. Why are our nation’s natural treasures in disrepair? NationalParksTraveler.org has just kicked off a months-long investigation into the maintenance backlog.

Guests: Naomi Hirahara and Heather C. Lindquist, Co-Authors of “Life After Manzanar” Thirty years ago this summer, the US Congress passed a reparations act for the survivors of America’s World War II concentration camps. More than 110,000 Japanese Americans and their immigrant parents were unjustly imprisoned in ten camps primarily in the West. The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 granted $20,000 payments to each surviving prisoner. Today we’re going to explore what life was like for those prisoners after the war.