Word of Mouth Past Shows

Today on Word of Mouth, as 24-hour news channels grab content from partisan bloggers, one critic wonders whether we’ve entered a post-journalistic age. And, an ATM for books. The Espresso Book Machine prints millions of titles on demand. We’ll hear from one of the first independent bookstores to buy one, and one who believes that it will revolutionize bookselling. And neuroenhancing drugs are right around the corner that will improve more than concentration and mood. We’ll delve into the ethically murky world of pills for improving memory, fidelity and trust.

Today on Word of Mouth, the rural brain drain. A pair of sociologists park themselves in a small Iowa town to find out where all the young people are going. Turns out, townsfolk are sending their best and brightest out to the cities, and offering little to those left behind. We’ll also hear a profile of sound artist Chris Watson. His field recordings of animals and insects transport listeners to the outer reaches of audio. Plus, schooling after midnight. A mother of five tells us why she enrolled in community college classes that run til 3 a.m. And a taste of crowdsourced meatloaf.

Today on Word of Mouth, the Obama administration is scrambling to broaden sanctions against Iran for its nuclear agenda. We’ll talk to Vali Nasr, a leading Middle East scholar who advocates for using capitalism as a weapon in the war on terror. Plus, out of the hood and into study hall - a peek inside the first inner-city public boarding school in the country. And we’ll listen in as scientists try to figure out why the largest lake in Asia is shrinking. And tie down your bonnets! Racy Amish fiction is selling like shoo-fly pie.

Today on Word of Mouth, is the placebo effect getting stronger? To win FDA approval, a new medication must be more effective than a placebo in at least two clinical trials. So why can’t drugs for everything from depression to Parkinson’s disease beat out sugar pills? And a design revolution: moving beyond sleek appliances and high-end desk chairs. We’ll find out how industrial designers are looking beyond sales to create objects for social change and environmental integrity. Think low-cost prosthetics for victims of landmines, and charcoal made out of sugarcane.

Today on Word of Mouth, Millenials at the mall. Within a decade Gen Y will have more spending power than any other demographic. They’re tech-savvy, brand-conscious, and shop as a group activity. We’ll examine the consumption habits of teens and twenty-somethings, and how savvy marketers are capturing their interest and income and identities with tools like this teenage brand ambassador. Then, we’ll look back on Hyman Minsky, a prescient and nearly forgotten economist, and find out his predictions and solutions for the current recession.