May 15 - 21, 2016
1. Reply All - On the Inside Part II (#65)
"On the Inside Part II" takes us even deeper into the world of a man whose innocence grows more complex by the minute. The story falls under the jurisdiction of Reply All since Paul Madrowski, convicted murderer, published a blog from prison for several years. I was intrigued by the first part in the series, but this week delved into Paul's life before prison and the events that lead to incarceration. Is he guilty of a crime, or just guilty of making the wrong kind of friends and being too sincere for his own good? Fans of true crime/mystery will surely find much to revel in, and general podcast connoisseurs should rejoice in the masterful interviewing and story telling on display.
2. Flash Forward - Expiration Date
Flash Forward usually examines a hypothetical situation within some sort of semi-realistic projections from experts in existing fields. This week, however, the episode is even more theoretical and even less grounded in any sense that the proposed reality would ever come to pass - host Rose Eveleth proclaimed it one of the "weird" episodes that have thus far not been present in the current season. "Expiration Date" explores a future where each person's death date can be predicted accurately, posing the question of whether you'd want to know when you would die. This made me really grateful that I don't have to make the choice whether or not to know, but it did cause me to ponder mortality...something for which I may or may not give thanks. At any rate, it stayed with me and made me uncomfortable in a way that is both healthy and far from typical.
3. Planet Money - A Bank Without Interest (#701)
Another solid show from the preeminent fiscal-narrative podcast. This episode focuses on a bank truly focused on serving their community, taking up the challenge to offer banking without interest in accordance with Islamic law. It's an inspiring story of a company with a strong dedication to service that affords us a peek inside the travails of living as a financial minority in a capitalistic society almost baffled by the thought of not wanting to claim as much money as possible within the constraints of the system. Invevitably, as is the case with any situation where cultures collide, contradictions creep in and eventually alter the practice being pursued. I am still unsure if the result is somewhat tragic in how it depicts the eroding of a religious tradition, or inspiring in that America (in some places) can be a country where other cultures can flourish.
"On the Inside Part II" takes us even deeper into the world of a man whose innocence grows more complex by the minute. The story falls under the jurisdiction of Reply All since Paul Madrowski, convicted murderer, published a blog from prison for several years. I was intrigued by the first part in the series, but this week delved into Paul's life before prison and the events that lead to incarceration. Is he guilty of a crime, or just guilty of making the wrong kind of friends and being too sincere for his own good? Fans of true crime/mystery will surely find much to revel in, and general podcast connoisseurs should rejoice in the masterful interviewing and story telling on display.
2. Flash Forward - Expiration Date
Flash Forward usually examines a hypothetical situation within some sort of semi-realistic projections from experts in existing fields. This week, however, the episode is even more theoretical and even less grounded in any sense that the proposed reality would ever come to pass - host Rose Eveleth proclaimed it one of the "weird" episodes that have thus far not been present in the current season. "Expiration Date" explores a future where each person's death date can be predicted accurately, posing the question of whether you'd want to know when you would die. This made me really grateful that I don't have to make the choice whether or not to know, but it did cause me to ponder mortality...something for which I may or may not give thanks. At any rate, it stayed with me and made me uncomfortable in a way that is both healthy and far from typical.
3. Planet Money - A Bank Without Interest (#701)
Another solid show from the preeminent fiscal-narrative podcast. This episode focuses on a bank truly focused on serving their community, taking up the challenge to offer banking without interest in accordance with Islamic law. It's an inspiring story of a company with a strong dedication to service that affords us a peek inside the travails of living as a financial minority in a capitalistic society almost baffled by the thought of not wanting to claim as much money as possible within the constraints of the system. Invevitably, as is the case with any situation where cultures collide, contradictions creep in and eventually alter the practice being pursued. I am still unsure if the result is somewhat tragic in how it depicts the eroding of a religious tradition, or inspiring in that America (in some places) can be a country where other cultures can flourish.
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