Philly Orchard Project

Philly Orchard Project is a modest enviromental project that is worthy of support. It reclaims abandonned lots by planting fruit trees and berry bushes. This adds green space and provides local food. I have long thought that locally grown food is better tasting than food grown far away and then shipped great distances. That it saves energy is nice too.It appears to be community and grass root driven and not the product of some galactic planning process.

Developing Good Judgment

One of life's more difficult tasks is figuring out what you actually like--as opposed to what you have been told you should like. This is understandable and perhaps to be expected with adolescents. But it is surprising how much misery is caused by grown ups earnestly trying to like something they don't care for. Once you figure out what you like, the next challenge is to avoid letting others you are wrong, and that you should really like what they like. At the same time, one needs to avoid becoming a completely close minded block-head. At a friend's father's funeral a few years ago, one of the son's was the eulogist and recalled his father's advice as follows. "You have to have enough confidence in your own judgments that you do not lways just go along with the crowd; at the same time you cannot be so focussed on your position that you cannot take good advice from others." The successful balancing of these two sometimes conflicting forces is the essential prerequisite to developing good judgment.

Chris Gondek

Gondek does podcast author interviews. He is very good at it. I first subscribed to his "Invisible Hand"; series of interviews that focussed on books by business school professors. During the last year, he has started doing interviews of authors publishing under the Yale University Press and the Harvard University Press that include a wider array of subjects. All are available for free on iTunes. Good listening for the train or car commuter.

http://invisiblehandwriting.typepad.com/

For Some Real Political Debate, Try Prime Minister Question Time

Nothing matches the off the cuff eloquence and gentle humor of prime minister questions time (PMQ's) in the British house of commons. A free BBC video podcast of PMQ's is now available at Itunes Having the opposition put questions to the government, rather than television journalists (i.e., entertainers)seem to enhance the debate. First, the leader of the opposition usually has a better grasp of policy that the average TV jouno. Second, because the opposition and the government need to cooperate on a wide number of issues, the debate tends to be more civil. I recommend you watch. It is difficult to imagine many american politicians showing this type of speaking ability and grace.

Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac

Even if you find Prairie Home Companion insufferable, you may enjoy Garrison Keillor's daily six minute or so podcast called the Writer's Almanac. It is available for free on ITunes and rarely fails to offer an interesting bit literary miscellany about an author followed by Keillor's recitation of a short poem. Not a bad way to start the day.