State of Affairs Blog

[Original Broadcast on Aug. 25, 2006]

In the midst of a bustling shopping district and hot spot for nightclubs and restaurants sits 296 acres of landscaped nature, where some of Kentucky's most prominent citizens are laid to rest. When Cave Hill Cemetery was chartered in 1848; it wasn't part of an urban area at all - it sat far outside the heart of Louisville, on land that had been a farm. The winding paths and sleepy ponds of Cave Hill have made it a cherished Louisville landmark and a piece of the city's history - but many people don't realize that Cave Hill is still a working cemetery, offering memorial services, cremation, and burial plots for sale. Join us this Friday to learn more about Louisville's most famous cemetery, milestones in its history, and some of the notable people who are buried there.

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Guests:
Lee Squires, Superintendent, Cave Hill Cemetery
Steve Wiser, Architect, Cave Hill tour guide

Links:
Cave Hill Cemetery
Cave Hill - Early History
Famous People Buried in Cave Hill
Cave Hill Photos (by Scott Doelling)
Cave Hill Cemetery - A Pictorial Guide and History

[Original Broadcast on Aug. 25, 2006]

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[Original Broadcast Aug. 29, 2006]

Near-death experiences or NDEs are uncommon, but not rare. In the U.S. alone, the Gallup Organization and near-death research studies have estimated some 13 million adults have had a near-death experience. Gender, ethnicity, religious belief or non-belief, economic or social status, age, medical condition, or other classifiers do not seem to play a part in determining who could or could not have a NDE. So, why doesn’t everybody close to death have one? And is there a physiological trigger behind the experience? No one knows for sure, however several scientific theories have been developed over recent years to explain this phenomenon and groundbreaking work on the subject is being conducted at the University of Kentucky. Join us Thursday to get the latest information about near death experiences.

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Guests:
Kevin Nelson, Neurologist, University of Kentucky
Jeffery Long, Near Death Experience Research Foundation, Seattle
Dan Rhema, local artist who has had a near death experience

Links:
Dr. Jeff and Jody Long
Does the arousal system contribute to near death experience? - Article on Near-Death Experiences by Dr. Kevin Nelson
Dan Rhema, Visionary Artist
Near-Death Experiences: In or Out of the Body?
U.S. Team Explains Near-Death Experience

[Original Broadcast Aug. 29, 2006]

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Unless you live across the river in the Hoosier State (and maybe even if you do), you might think about the separate cities of Southern Indiana as one region, lumped together. According to a group of people dedicated to economic expansion and business promotion on the Sunny Side, that's just fine. The group is called One Southern Indiana, and they've joined the business forces of the sum of their parts - Clark and Floyd Counties - to increase the marketing potential of the whole. Join us this Wednesday to hear about the project, and what you might be missing lately if you never cross the Ohio.

Guests:
Michael Dalby, President & CEO, One Southern Indiana
Kerry Stemler, Chairperson, One Southern Indiana
Uric Dufrene, Dean, School of Business, Indiana University Southest

Links:
One Southern Indiana
One Souther Indiana - Chamber of Commerce
Southern Indiana Convention & Tourism Bureau
C-J's Indiana Weekly

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Goodness: The quality of being good in any of its various senses; excellence; virtue; kindness; benevolence; as, the goodness of character, of disposition, of conduct, etc. Is altruism a built-in, human trait? Scientists have long been contemplating this very question. What are the origins of goodness and how do we apply a value to it? Can altruism be explained by a simple mathematical formula that adds up to natural selection? “The Altruism Equation” traces the history of this debate from Darwin to the present. Join us Tuesday when we discuss the origins of goodness with the author of “The Altruism Equation," Lee Alan Dugatkin.

Guest: Lee Alan Dugaktin, UofL Professor and author of "The Altruism Equation:
Seven Scientists Search for the Origins of Goodness"

Weblinks:
Dr. Dugatkin's Website
Why Altruism Paid Off for Our Ancestors
Altruism 'Built In' in Humans?

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[Original broadcast on Sept. 5, 2006]

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, between 1980 and 2000, the number of twin births in the United States increased 74% and the number of higher order multiples (triplets or more) increased fivefold. Multiple births are more common than ever before. Two factors contribute to the rise in multiple births: fertility treatments and couples having babies later in life. While having twins, triplets, or more can be looked upon as a blessing, there are increased risks and anxieties involved with multiple births as well. Health risks to both the mother and the children are higher, and monetary and emotional strains within the family are factors every couple should prepare for when expecting a multiple birth. Join us Monday for the answers to your questions about preparing for and raising multiple birth children.

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Guests:
Marcello Pietrantoni, MD, OB/GYN, University of Louisville
Dawn Knapp, Mother of fraternal twins
Judy Theriot, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Louisville

Links:
Center for the Study of Multiple Birth
Preparing for Multiple Births
Multiples: Twins, Triplets and Beyond
Multiple Births: Prenatal Education
Multiple Births: Postnatal Education

[Original broadcast on Sept. 5, 2006]

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Just over ten years had passed since the citizens of the newly-formed USA had rebelled against a government that afforded little to no rights to the individual, which many found tyrannical America's founding fathers were creating a constitution for their fledgling nation, and some of them worried it would give the new government the kind of unchecked power that made the old system so intolerable. Enter the Bill of Rights - these first ten amendments to the constitution, drafted by James Madison, became the guarantor of citizen's civil liberties. Like the constitution it amended, the Bill of Rights had it's vehement opposers and equally strident supporters. Join us this Friday to learn more about the story of the Bill of Rights and its importance, both in 1789 and today.

Guests:
Richard Labunski, author, "James Madison and the Bill of Rights"
Barbara Perry, Senior Fellow, McConnell Center, University of Louisville

Links:
Read the Bill of Rights
Wikipedia: U.S. Bill of Rights
James Madison Proposes Bill of Rights

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Julie Kredens, Host

A Chicago native (and Cubs fan by birth), Julie did most of her growing up in Louisville. A Western Kentucky University graduate (with a degree in theatre and history), she began her radio career more than ten years ago, first on the WQMF morning show, Uncle Ron's Asylum, then as a news reporter for WHAS radio. Julie also spent time as editorial assistant for a newsletter on journalism ethics.

Julie left broadcasting for a period of years to work in public relations. But finding the radio bug hard to shake, she did occasional work for the old WFPK program ArtScene. Julie's second foray into Louisville radio came in September 1998, when she once again joined WQMF's Rocky and Troy morning show.

She began working part-time as a researcher for WFPL's State of Affairs, finally joining the PRP staff full-time in May 2000 as local host for Morning Edition. Julie now hosts State of Affairs.

Email Julie

Robin Fisher, Producer

Robin is a Louisville native and as such knows when someone asks her "where did you go to school", they mean high school (Ballard/Central). As for college, she is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Louisville.

Robin joined WFPL in 2000 as the Researcher for State of Affairs. After toiling away in the dark corridors of research, she became the Producer in 2005. The research experience has been invaluable in tracking down anything, anywhere and at anytime.

Email Robin

Laura Ellis, Assistant

Louisville native Laura Ellis has been with WFPL since July, 2004. Her very-impressive official title is "State of Affairs Assistant," which means she directs the program each day, and works on research, notes and other preparations for upcoming shows. Laura also works closely with Studio 619. Outside the hallowed halls of WFPL, she can be found singing and playing accordion and a pink guitar with her band, Shine-Ola, and her metal band The Unscrupulous God-Men, with whom she sings Black Sabbath in Ozzy's original key. Additionally, Laura volunteers with Chihuahua Rescue, USA, because she loves cute little puppy-wuppies. Email Laura

Posted by Laura Ellis at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Mission Statement: State of Affairs provides a public forum for discussion of the issues, people and events that impact our community.

State of Affairs tackles the region's public affairs issues with informative and incisive interviews of local and national guests. Listeners add to the discussion as they call in to the program.

Listen to State of Affairs Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. (Monday - Friday shows are repeated at 9 p.m.).

Watch for State of Affairs broadcasts on MetroTV (Insight channel 25). Check the MetroTV schedule for more information.


* To make a comment during a live show, call 502-814-TALK (8255) or send an email to soa@wfpl.org.

* Missed a show? Check out our audio archive!

* Audio tapes of most State Affairs broadcasts are available for $12 for CDs or $15 for cassettes. Send payment and show topic information to State of Affairs- Tapes, 619 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40202 or call 502-814-6500.

* Would you like to be our intern? State of Affairs offers internships to college students at the sophomore level or above. Students will learn by hands-on experience in researching show topics, reporting topic information, tracking possible guests, and developing bios of guests. Production aspects include call screening and presentation, and assisting producer. Students receive invaluable experience and 3 credit hours. For more information, please contact our site supervisor: Rita Sasse at 502-814-6534 or email her at rsasse@prp.org.

Posted by Laura Ellis at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Please use your own name and email address when posting a comment. Your email address won't be published. Comments posted anonymously or under obvious nicknames (even if it's soa_fan4eva!!!) will be removed, no matter how brilliant and insightful they may be.

Vigorous debate is encouraged, but personal attacks will not be tolerated. This blog is open to listeners of all ages, so please watch your language. We know it's hard - trust us, we do.

We love getting your show ideas, but please don't post them as comments on other shows' entries. You can email them to the producer of State of Affairs, Robin Fisher, at rfisher@wfpl.org.

If someone is spamming this blog or posting inappropriately, please report it by emailing Laura Ellis at lellis@wfpl.org. This community is, in part, self-policing, so your help keeping an eye on things is much appreciated. Also, if your comment has been caught up in the spam filter and it's not spam, please let us know & we'll fish it out!

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