Torture
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Democrats and Republicans in Congress are clashing over who knew what when about waterboarding, as the first Congressional hearing following the release of Bush-era torture memos takes place. We speak with Carolyn Lochhead, Washington correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Quality of Death
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In her new public radio documentary, “Quality of Death – End of Life Care: Inside Out,” reporter Rachel Gotbaum witnessed patients and their family members struggling with life and death decisions. She investigated the way Americans die and how the emerging field of palliative medicine is helping people navigate complicated medical decisions and come to terms with their death when it appears to be inevitable.
Driving while Texting
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Ten states and the District of Columbia ban drivers from sending text messages, dozens more are considering bans. And there have been recent accidents involving texting in Boston and Los Angeles - so why do people still continue the behavior? We hear from Dr. Michael Siegel, who says people experience “optimistic bias,” they think accidents won’t happen to them. He’s professor of Behavioral and Social Science at the Boston University School of Public Health.
Can Microfinance End Poverty in Africa?
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Microlending programs are used around the world to help poor people start small businesses; they borrow small amounts of money and pay the loans back in increments. Now the group CARE hopes to bring microfinancing, which emphasizes savings and loans, to Africa. We speak with Lauren Hendricks about CARE’s work in microfinancing; she oversees “Access Africa” for CARE.
Hill Country Revue
Hill Country Revue members performing at South by Southwest Festival, 2009. (Portal and Friends, Flickr)
The members of Hill Country Revue call their music modern blues but their sound is deeply rooted in the traditional blues of Mississippi. The band’s new CD, “Make A Move,” features a potent mix of raw blues and classic southern rock. Before a recent show in Boston, Here and Now’s Alex Ashlock caught up with the band.
Music from the show
- Air, “Mike Mills”
- Radiohead, “Where I End and You Begin”
- The Lickets, “Meat City”
- Steve Earle, “Transcendental Blues”
- Hill Country Revue, “You Can Make It”
- Hill Country Revue, “Dirty Shirt”
- Hill Country Revue, “Let Me Love You”
- Hill Country Revue, “Georgia Women
- Hill Country Revue, “Hill Country Revue”
- Hill Country Revue, “Growing Up In Mississippi”
I’m listening to “Here & Now” on the Internet, and I have to weigh in. After watching my dad languish in a number of hospitals with a cancer that doctors tried to conquer with one procedure after another, I’ve got to say that keeping a patient alive “no matter what” has to intensely scrutinized. Quality of life has to be the primary concern. Families have to aske themselves why they are trying to keep their loved one alive “no matter what.” Sure, losing a loved one is painful. I have that experience, but is keeping a loved one alive when all they have to look forward to is pain or a drug-induced stupor right?
Posted by Harrison Boyll, on May 13th, 2009 at 11:29 amJust wanted you to know that I always enjoy your Here and Now shows, because I learn so much and get very good material on those subjects I am wanting to either share or get for myself. Nearing 70 I am especially interested in those health care and end of life issues.
Posted by Marijke Schellenbach, on May 13th, 2009 at 11:52 amThank you for giving me things to think about.
As always love the talk radio of WBUR! I thought the piece on Texting was a much needed debate. I believe all cell phone use-talking and texting should be banned while driving. It is that way in Europe as well. It is simply stupid and dangerous especially texting. I saw an accident recently while in Florida at a light and a woman ran the red light without even breaking and hit an truck crossing who had the green light. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt and I don’t know if she was texting or talking on the phone. But there was no sound of the screeching of the brakes so she was not paying attention. The deaths caused by the use is criminal. The recent incident of the T accident id frightening and appalling. Keep up the great programs. Loved the piece on the Hill Country Revue!
Posted by Anne, on May 13th, 2009 at 12:31 pmi only caught the end of today’s episode & wanted to include that the concept of hospice/palliative care is still misunderstood by professionals.
Posted by Cecilia, on May 15th, 2009 at 9:56 pmTo be on hospice means that w/the best current, evidence-based medical knowledge, physicians estimate that a given individual w/advanced disease PLUS underlying co-morbidities probably has 6 months or less to live. Patients may live beyond this time period and will then be re-evaluated to determine if hospice care is still appropriate/desired. Palliative care neither hastens nor prolongs death or dying, though the manner in which this service is currently utilized, that is not evident. Regardless, discussions/debates RE: EOLC should be encouraged, esp w/various points of view, because part of the problem is the lack of these kinds of important discussions.
Nobody can predict when/where/how an individual may die, but at this point, the fact that one day we will all die cannot be disputed. EOLC preparations, defining a “reasonable” amount of time to aggressively treat… these are ways to empower patients in situations where many factors may not be within anyone’s control & arm them w/appropriate education to do no harm, to respect and honor a patient’s wishes and to allow a human being to live/die w/dignity, compassion and w/o unnecessary suffering (rather than by default or potential legal ramifications).