Khashoggi, Prescription Drugs, Nerve Transfer, Aztec Wisdom

Guest: Ryan Vogel, Director of the Center for National Security Studies, Utah Valley University There’s a widening rift between the Trump Administration and members of Congress over whether and how to hold responsible Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for the killing of Khashoggi, which happened in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two months ago.

Guest: Robin Feldman, Professor of Law, Director of the Institute for Innovation Law, University of California Hastings College of Law Prices for prescription drugs in America have jumped dramatically in the past decade, far outstripping price increases on other stuff we buy. If your insurance covers prescriptions, you might not have noticed.  If you are paying out of pocket, though, or have a serious illness like diabetes, the price hikes were likely devastating to your finances. Why are drug prices rising so quickly? And where is all that money going?

Guest: Amy Moore, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Millions of Americans are living with some form of paralysis due to an injury, stroke or illness that damages the nervous system. While doctors haven’t yet discovered how to return full mobility in extreme cases of paralysis, they are making big strides in a technique called nerve transfer – which involves taking a healthy nerve from one part of the body and plugging it in to the paralyzed area.

(Originally aired August 8, 2018) Guest: L. Sebastian Purcell, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, SUNY-Cortland. In the quest for happiness, people throughout time have looked to religion and philosophy –  the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, Plato, Confucius. How about Montezuma? Well, he was more warrior than philosopher, but the Aztecs he ruled in the 1500s had a surprisingly grounded view of what it means to lead a good life. It's a view that actually aligns closely with the latest research being done on happiness today.

(Originally aired on September 25, 2018) Guest: David J. Byrne, President, Clan Buchanan Society International The Clan Buchanan – one of Scotland’s most storied clans – has been without a recognized leader for more than 300 years. Only someone with proven descent from a chief can claim the title – and until recently, no one’s been able to do so. But a Scottish millionaire landowner named Mike Buchanan always believed he was descended from clan leadership. Thanks to some serious genealogical work, he proved his claim and was officially appointed chief of The Clan Buchanan a few months ago.

(Originally aired June 20,2018) Guest: Amy Bentley, Professor of Nutrition and Food Studies, New York University Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments in American restaurants. It pairs well with French fries and burgers. What makes ketchup so appealing to American taste buds?  The Chinese actually made it first - though they left out the tomatoes and used fermented fish instead. So really, can you even call that ketchup?