Native American Ancestry, Photojournalism Ethics, Digital Piracy

What it Means to be Native American in the US Guest: Michalyn Steele, Professor of Law, BYU, Member of Seneca Nation of Indians of New York Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has made her campaign for President official, all but guaranteeing continued scrutiny of her past claims to be part Cherokee. She has expressed regret for identifying herself as Native American in various formal settings, such as when she applied to the Texas bar in 1986 and when she was a law professor at Harvard in the 1990s. Taking a DNA test last year to prove her ancestry only increased criticism from Native American tribal leaders –to whom she has also personally apologized. Why is it so controversial that a white woman who grew up hearing stories of her Cherokee ancestors would claim Native American identity? The Art and Ethics of Photographing Tragedy Guest: Victor Biro, Toronto-Based Nighttime Photojournalist A popular restaurant called Los Hermanos burned down here the other night. It’s been an icon in downtown Provo, Utah. Generations of BYU students have dated and dined there. So, the first thing I did that next morning was check the papers for photos. We’re drawn to dramatic images of tragedy, for some reason. There’s a whole segment of journalism dedicated to capturing these scenes while the rest of us are sleeping. Why a Little Piracy Might be Good for Everyone Guest: Antino Kim, business Professor, Indiana University Do you share a Netflix password with someone or have a teenager in the house who watches their favorite shows for free from a pirate website? Look, we all know piracy is wrong, but in the digital age it’s just so easy. Hollywood studios and retailers like Netflix and Amazon spend a lot of money and time playing whack-a-mole with digital pirates. Maybe they should relax a bit.  A Week of Insanity with Meliodosis (Originally aired October 29, 2018) Guest: Steven Peck, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, Brigham Young University, Author of the personal essay “My Madness” For one week back in 2002, BYU biology professor Steven Peck went mad. He had a rare brain infection that stumped his doctors and left him with vivid, disturbing hallucinations: The hospital walls were crawling with insects; an evil corporation had cloned his children and his wife. When antibiotics restored his sanity, Peck was relieved, of course. But also left wondering what was real? If his brain could so completely convince him of some alternate reality, how could he be sure what was real?  How Trauma Can Be Passed on Through Generations (Originally aired October 24, 2018) Guest: Randy Jirtle, Biology Professor, North Carolina State University Did you know that life experiences of your parents and grandparents may be embedded in your genes? For example, a 2018 study of Civil War and US Census data found that soldiers held in particularly harsh prison camps during the war ended up having sons who lived shorter lives. These sons weren’t even alive during the war, and yet somehow the trauma of their fathers affected their own health. How can that be?  When it Comes to Picky Eaters, Pick Your Battles Wisely (Originally aired October 5, 2018) Guest: Julie Lumeng, Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan The dinner table battles waged between parents and picky children are probably as old as time. How far should parents go in the tug-of-war over peas and broccoli?