Can Boomers Ever Age Out Gracefully? A Conversation with Dr. Rosanne Leipzig

In the 1960s, baby boomers captured the world's attention with their youthful zeal, setting the cultural tone for fifty years. Today, as they age, the spotlight has shifted to aging, reflecting our concerns about older leaders and a fondness for bygone times. The adage "60 is the new 50" is common, yet we must question the reality of modern aging. Has our progress truly allowed us to age more gracefully, and are there immutable aspects of aging? This is what Dr. Rosanne Leipzig examines in her new book "Honest Aging."

My conversation with Dr. Rosanne Leipzig:

What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life: A Conversation with Sally Jenkins

Today we idolize those who excel in nearly every sport, viewing them as heroes and role models, and they are among the highest earners in our society.

Undeniably, these individuals bring innate talents to their respective sports. However, these talents alone are insufficient. Their success hinges on what they do with their abilities—the discipline, practice, conditioning, resilience, and dedication to their sport.

The question we face today is what we can learn from their success. In all aspects of our lives, some, if not all, of the skills exhibited by these athletes are crucial. How we utilize our talents, how we 'come to play' every day, as the saying goes, can make the difference between success and failure in life.

The narratives we construct internally are what distinguish greatness from mediocrity.

These are some of the topics discussed by the great Sally Jenkins, in this podcast and in her new book, "THE RIGHT CALL

My conversation with Sally Jenkins

What We Imagine "Out There" Reflects How We See Each Other

It appears we're not alone. No one enjoys solitude, and based on yesterday's testimony, we seem to have company in the cosmos.

Science fiction has certainly presented us with a myriad of interpretations of what might exist beyond our planet. However, the individual manner in which we conceptualize the possibility of extraterrestrial life becomes a sort of Rorschach test—reflecting our worldviews, our notions of life, and our innate longing to connect with something larger than ourselves, even on an intergalactic level.

This flight of imagination is a significant element of what my guest, Jamie Green, discusses in her book, The Possibility of Life. In it, she delves into our evolving understanding of the cosmos and underscores our need to pose an even deeper question: What does it mean to be human?

My conversation with Jamie Green

Why the Fentanyl Crisis Calls for a New War On Drugs

In the latest WhoWhatWhy podcast, I talk with award-winning author Sam Quinones about the growing crisis of fentanyl in America, arguing it's transforming not just individual lives, but also affecting cities and society at large. Highlighting the impact of potent synthetic drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine, Quinones links their widespread availability to increased mental illness, homelessness, and declining urban quality of life. He asserts that the traditional voluntary approach to addiction treatment is outdated and advocates for a fundamental rethinking of how we understand and address drug addiction. Moreover, Quinones challenges the notion of "minor" drug possession and questions the concept of "safe injection sites," given the lethal nature of today's street drugs.

Quinones, known for his award-winning books The Least of Us and Dreamland, delves into the unprecedented challenges posed by potent synthetic drugs, the exacerbating role of homelessness, and the systemic failures that have allowed the crisis to spiral out of control.

My WhoWhatWhy conversation with Sam Quinones:

Oppenheimer is Not The First Movie About the Deveopment of the Atom Bomb...The First One Was a Bomb

Exactly 78 years ago this week, the first atomic bomb test took place in Alamogordo, New Mexico.  A scene so profound it was likened to witnessing creation. 

Our guest is Greg Mitchell, author of "The Beginning or the End", a book that explores the crossroads of science, politics, and Hollywood in the Atomic Age." revealing how an early movie about Oppenheimer became pro-bomb propaganda and shaped public perception for over 75 years. 

As Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" nears release, Mitchell's insights into our nuclear past become ever more relevant as we look at the influences of government and military on the media.

My conversation with Greg Mitchell:

How Women Changed Journalism: A conversation with Brooke Kroeger

Today, every major news network is steered by women; Fox, NBC, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, not to mention leading papers like The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and even the New York Times. A scenario that would have been scoffed at just two decades ago, but now made possible thanks to the tireless efforts of countless trailblazers. Pioneers like Margaret Fuller, Nellie Bly, and Ida B. Wells paved the way for extraordinary women like Martha Gellhorn, Rachel Carson, and Joan Didion. Each of these women not only broke barriers but also shaped journalism as we know it, in a field still primarily controlled by men.

Brooke Kroeger, in her new book "Undaunted: How Women Changed American Journalism." tells the story of the relentless pursuit of truth, and the transformative power of journalism when in women's hands.

My conversation with Brooke Kroeger: