Well, the Hardings sued when they came to light. And the family wanted to put them away for 50 years so that anybody involved in them would be long gone. So they put them in the Library of Congress and four microfilms in the Ohio Historical Society. The archivist though, who made the microfilms, sent several microfilms out to various people for protective custody. And that's one of the ones that I got a hold of in 2004. But they've been under seal and under a court-order - under seal until actually next week is when they finally come out.

Let me get to the spy-story stuff. Was Carrie Fulton Phillips trying to influence President Harding toward Germany?

Yeah. Well, he was then Senator Harding with the obligation to vote for war or not. And she thought we should stay out. She was extremely pro-German. She was hanging out with a very pro-German crowd, some of whom were spies for sure in New York City. And she had lived in Berlin for three years in the lead-up to the war. So she definitely was trying to convince him not to vote for war. And he eventually writes to her that though it's going to be a really tough thing for their relationship, he's going to vote for war. But that's not long before we actually get involved in the war.

But what about the whole idea that somehow she was some kind of conduit for information to Berlin?

turn 1 : Was Carrie Fulton Phillips trying to influence President Harding towards Germany? This implies that she was attempting to sway his opinion on whether the US should enter the war, not just provide information to Berlin.

Which country was Carrie Fulton Phillips trying to influence President Harding towards?

Answer: Germany


Four-fifty a month, sorry, I think I missed it. But that would translate to, like, 15 hours a day.

Yeah, yeah.

You're saying yeah, like it's no big deal. I mean, but where does - what drives you?That seems like a lot of time.

It is a lot of time, but, I mean, at the end of the day, why does anyone do anything?It makes me feel alive, and it makes me feel excited about the world, I guess.

There's no ads on Brainpickings, either. Why did you make that decision?

turn 2 : He mentions what drives you as A is taking a his tasks with an overwork schedule.

What does PersonB ask about PersonA's motivation for taking on an overworked schedule?

Answer: Motivation


Well, we've - they've already spent too much time, that is the Congress and the president, in getting a deal. So they can't, in my opinion, put together a real big debt reduction bill that the country and its people deserves. In the meantime, this tax problem came in, the Bush tax is going to expire, which was done by the law that adopted it, and that's going to put a big pressure on the budget.

And we've got a law that is so unreasonable that it ought to be repealed, the sequester. I think they're going to find a way to repeal the sequester. I think they're going to find a way to do all of the savings required in the appropriated accounts, the annual billings, but I think they're going to be very short of savings in the entitlement programs, the long-term health care, which costs are going to go skyrocketing along while we sit around thinking everything's rosy. They may not find a way to solve that one.

I hope they do, but I see no evidence that they are doing that one right. So I think they'll get two or three out of the four, and then question for everyone: will they put that much together and say, take it, and some language saying we'll do more next year?I would have some further suggestions, but we don't have time.

Well, Senator Domenici, thank you very much for your time today.

turn 2 : There is doubt whether the Congress will be able to come up with a comprehensive solution for all the issues and it may require multiple attempts

How many attempts may be required to solve all the issues according to Senator Domenici?

Answer: Two


If I hear you right, you're saying the process worked. Somebody who thought they saw behavior - not - I'm not asking you to characterize it - but thought they saw behavior that they were uncomfortable with or that crossed a line - that they were able to report it through the proper channels. It maybe took a little while, but it has reached the people it was intended to reach.

That would be correct. As a whistleblower fan, I think the process worked the right way.

Given that, can you speak to the delay that it took to reach the intelligence committees?The DNI knew about this for a while, and it wasn't reported.

Yeah, unfortunately, I would not have optic to that, which is a good reason because I think the individuals that are in the center of that circle need to remain small and precise in - to protect the whistleblower.

turn 0 : The behavior was unacceptable to what the people would accept.

How would you describe the behavior reported by the whistleblower?

Answer: behavior


And is this going to encourage changes at other state universities?Is this going to encourage more lawsuits?

I think it's hard to gauge. If you were one of the conservatives who wanted to challenge affirmative action, I would think this is a little depressing. You spent years trying to get a case at the Supreme Court, and you don't - you know, it's not much of an incentive to do it again.

I think it may encourage a few big states, as I mentioned, to try to move away a little bit from weighing race and trying to find a way, like this top 10 law, rewarding top graduates, find a way to bring in more minority students but without giving an explicit preference in the admissions policy.

Now some will remember there was another case I think from the University of Michigan that was also broadly about affirmative action. Does the Texas case supplant that, or are we awaiting a decision on the Michigan case, as well?

turn 2 : Race may not be used by some big states in college admissions.

How may some big states try to bring in more minority students without giving an explicit preference in the admissions policy?

Answer: rewards


Mr.  Zandi, you served as an adviser for Senator John McCain's presidential campaign, and now you've been working with the Democrats in leadership. I'm wondering, what sort of advice are you giving them for how to get out of this situation?

Well, I think the most important thing is that government policy needs to be very aggressive. We need a concerted, comprehensive, and consistent response to our economic problems. The crisis is very severe and significant. And without such a response, we're going to be in the economic soup, so to speak, for a long time to come.

And specifically - I'm sure there's many things you've suggested - could you give us a couple of highlights of concrete plans?

Well, the thing that's on the drawing board right now is the economic stimulus plan, and I think we do need a very large plan that would include increases in government spending and tax cuts.

To add to this troubled economy, we now have the latest unemployment figures out this morning from major metropolitan areas. Here's how they look. In November 2007, 18 areas reported jobless rates of at least seven percent. In November 2008, that number jumped to 121. Which areas have seen the highest unemployment rate?

turn 3 : not a physical drawing board or easel, but the most important thing on an agenda or plan; not a physically big-in-size plan, but a plan with many elements or parts to it

What is the most important thing that needs to be on the economic agenda according to the adviser?

Answer: Plan


It's very important to me. But also I had to try and understand how somebody so remarkable would think of herself and how would people see her. And what I realized, as a result of my research, was that there was this entire tradition of women warriors in France at that time - quite celebrated - and they had fought. They had worn men's clothes and they were celebrated, like Joan of Arc had been many years before, and perhaps that was the tradition that she fitted into.

It did occur to me reading the novel - and you want to be careful with this sort of thing - but if Julie a'Aubigny had been alive now, someone would've said, well, there's a support group you ought to join.

(Laughter) Oh, look, I think if she arrived now, we would still be amazed. She would still be larger than life. She's like an Olympic gold medalist combined with Lady Gaga. She's that remarkable. And she would probably still be a star today. There's not really anybody like her now.

And like a lot of great stars we could mention, she didn't last a long a course, did she?

turn 2 : She was a remarkable and iconic figure who would still be celebrated today.

How would the speaker describe Julie d'Aubigny if she arrived today?

Answer: Remarkable


Jay Austin and Lauren Geoghegan were both 29. For years, they worked desk jobs in Washington, D. C.  - Lauren at the admissions office at Georgetown University, Jay at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In their travel blog, they wrote that they wanted to live life on simpler, more deliberate terms and see the globe in an inexpensive, sustainable and gratifying way. They wanted to bike it. Back in 2015, Jay Austin showed an NPR reporter around his house as part of a feature on the tiny house movement.

That's the parlor over there, seating for about seven or so, two couches.

All 143 square feet of it. Jay Austin believed in tiny homes.

I think it's really been great to have kind of not a very complex, not a very expensive space but to have the ability to have easy access to nature. If I am feeling like I have cabin fever, I open my front door.

turn 2 : Jay Austin's tiny house is extremely small, measuring only 143 square feet.

Which measurement describes the size of Jay Austin's tiny house?

Answer: 143


Let's get back to the news organizations who weren't permitted in this briefing. Now, I gather this kind of briefing is called a gaggle. What happened?

That's right.

Were you there?What did you see?

Well, what happened is instead of the daily on-camera briefing, Sean Spicer called a gaggle so he could talk to the pool. That's the small group of reporters that go places where the entire press corps can't fit. And then they share their transcripts and their notes with everyone else in the press corps. The White House said this gaggle would have an extended pool. And turns out they invited some additional organizations, but they pointedly excluded others like CNN, The New York Times, Politico. NPR was not there.

turn 3 : (4) implies that the speaker wants to know what happened during the gaggle and why certain news organizations were excluded.

What briefing did Sean Spicer call instead of the daily on-camera briefing?

Answer: Gaggle


Well, he sounds like a very ambitious entrepreneur.

I think they are, you know. I think the appeal of it, obviously, for entrepreneurs - this drop shipping model - is that it takes almost nothing upfront. You don't need money to buy the stuff. The tools online are very inexpensive, and it's this possibility that these entrepreneurs can get something for nothing - right?- that they can generate money basically out of thin air.

And not to make any comparisons, but I seem to recall that there was a time when J. Crew was a catalog retailer - didn't have any real stores. And now, of course, they've got plenty of them in addition to a very ambitious online retail site.

Absolutely. The way that I've thought about these Shopify stores is they're undoubtedly strange because they're new, but their model is fundamentally not that different from, like, a big corporate enterprise. It's just that the tools have democratized the ability for people to tap into the globalized economy. And so before, it took the idea of having a supply chain and having all these people who would know factory owners in China and all these other kinds of things - that took a lot of infrastructure.

turn 1 : "it takes almost nothing upfront" and "they can generate money basically out of thin air" - Literal meaning: The speaker is referring to the low cost and ease of starting a dropshipping business online. Actual meaning: These phrases are used figuratively to emphasize how easy it is to start a business without significant upfront costs or physical inventory.

How would you describe the appeal of the dropshipping model?

Answer: Ease


What's a fuel hedge?Explain that.

A fuel hedge is basically a financial contract that you buy in the commodity market where you essentially pre-buying fuel. So Southwest CEO, Gary Kelly, back in 2003, as the U. S.  was preparing to go to war in Iraq, just decided that the war in the Middle East wasn't probably good for oil prices, and he went out and bought a lot of oil ahead of time. Pre-bought it, and that has paid off in billions of dollars of profits for the airline.

And this continues from 2003?Do they continue to buy fuel ahead?Because the price of oil over the last year, I mean, it keeps going up and up. At some point you would think they would say we're not going to buy anymore.

You know it's fascinating because a lot of people thought Southwest hedges would fade out. They did make that big bet when prices were in the 30's, but they kept buying and they have continued to buy. They have most of their oil bought for this year at about 57 dollars a barrel. If you don't have hedges, you're right now paying about 120 something dollars a barrel. And they've bought fuel all the way out to 2012 as of today.

turn 2 : Southwest has continued to buy fuel ahead despite the rising oil prices over the years

How has Southwest responded to the rising oil prices over the years?

Answer: Continued


He was all those things. I. . .

I think that shook him deep to his soul. But I think the other thing that happened was his father's stroke. He had to get his father off his back. Joe Kennedy Sr.  was a formidable but, I think, menacing figure in his life who took a sweet, young seventh born who he had called a runt and encouraged him to become tough and ruthless - first a jock at Harvard, getting his letter with a broken leg, and then becoming this enforcer for his brother.

That's what won, finally, the attention of the old man. And only when he was tough did the old man respect him. And I think when his father became incapacitated, Bobby began to resort to who he was as a kid. As a kid, he was - he hung around all the time with African-American kids. Those were his playmates, even in Hyannis. He was - he, you know, Father Feeney - when Father Feeney said no salvation outside the Catholic Church, he railed against that, which was so extraordinary in that very Catholic family.

turn 1 : Did his brother's death, in a sense, liberate him to seek a new identity, to travel, to get to know and reflect the world?  In this turn, the literal meaning would be asking if the brother's death physically freed him to pursue a new identity and travel. However, the implied meaning goes beyond the literal words and suggests whether the brother's death had a profound impact on the person's perspective and motivation, allowing them to explore new aspects of life and gain a deeper understanding of the world.

How did Bobby Kennedy's father influence his personality?

Answer: Tough


And a lot of people might ask, how are you measuring innovation and creativity?

Well, most people measure innovation typically by looking at rates of patenting. Now people have become to track the number of start-up companies emerging in urban centers or the venture capital. And the good news is that cities are upping the ante. New York now, Manhattan is the second highest center for venture capital-backed start-up companies behind only Silicon Valley. But the other caution I wanted to make, and I think you know and folks listening know I'm a dyed-in-the-wool urbanist, that also places like Silicon Valley, which are somewhat car-dependent, can work. They can emulate many of the functions of the city.

So as we begin to build denser cities, the key is not just piling up people in buildings higher and higher and higher and creating vertical suburbs where people just interact in the building, it's to build cities that can be dense, that can have multi-story buildings, that can be close together. But having that interaction is a key part of keeping our cities innovation and creative not only here but in those emerging economies around the world.

Is there a difference in expense as well?Some of those older buildings in New York, hardly any place in Manhattan that anyone would describe as cheap, but they're less expensive in SoHo or Chelsea than they are in one of those big high-rise buildings in Midtown.

turn 1 : Measuring innovation and creativity is not limited to patenting and also includes the number of start-up companies and venture capital.

Answer: Patenting


Right, but it was not my choice to be here. And this is what people forget. I applied for asylum in 27 different countries around the world, and it was the government, the United States government, then-Secretary John Kerry, that canceled my passport as I was leaving from Hong Kong en route to Ecuador. And this locked me in place.

I believe they panicked. And I think the reason that I'm in Russia today is because what we know - this was actually publicly reported in 2013. Every time one of these other countries, one that the United States public would be much more comfortable with - a France, a Norway, a Germany - one of two people would call the Foreign Ministry of that country. And it would be either Secretary of State John Kerry or then-Vice President Joe Biden.

The idea here is they would go, look; we understand that he has been charged with political crimes. This means you don't qualify for extradition, and you almost always do qualify for asylum protections. And the government - we know you can do this, but if you do, we want you to understand there will be a response. We're not going to say what it will be, but it will be severe because we don't want to see the public seeing this guy as a whistleblower, which the public then was coming around to do.

You say the U. S.  government panicked. Did the U. S.  government panic, or just they felt it was important to the national interest of the United States to make certain you - your movement was limited?

turn 2 : The person complained publicaly about things that were illegal and private.

How did the person disclose the information?

Answer: B


I have no idea. I have no idea at this point.

You're just waiting for a call?

Any call from anyone, anywhere.

So are you actively out looking for something else more stable?

turn 3 : B implies that A is not actively looking for something more stable.

What is PersonB questioning PersonA about?

Answer: search


I think they have put a scare into people enough that they'd approve almost anything, and that's unfortunate. But I think we rely on our leadership. Cal Rapson, who is our vice president, has been in General Motors his entire life. I worked with Cal when I was here as a president. I think he understands the needs of auto workers, understands what GM can do and what they can't do, and I think, if we follow his leadership along with Ron Getelfinger, we're not going to be in too bad a shape.

You worked at a GM plant for 32 years. What you're seeing right now, how does that compare to what you've seen in the past?There have been troubled times before.

Never have seen anything to this magnitude. Well, my local has gone from 14,000 members to 2,000. When I was here, we were worrying about what was our next product, not worrying about whether we were going to have a product.

And so, for some of the workers that are there now with you at this UAW hall currently employed, what are they talking about?Are they coming up with a plan B in case this doesn't happen and they don't have jobs?

turn 3 : The current workers of the UAW hall are preparing for the possibility that GM won't be saved and are coming up with plans for their future.

How are the current workers at the UAW hall preparing for the future?

Answer: Planning


Well, that would be an interesting question. Right now, we make a decision. We say we're going to harden particular targets to make them difficult for terrorists to attack. So yes, terrorists do act rationally and choose another target - they choose a less hardened target. The question is whether it could respond very rapidly to changing information.

Large terror attacks take a lot of work and a lot of planning. And if the market predicted a high probability of an attack in a particular place, it's not as though it's a trivial matter for a terror group to suddenly switch all of its resources to another place. I'm not suggesting this would work. It would be a tool that would be used alongside other tools. And I'm just suggesting an experiment to see if it can improve the accuracy of intelligence forecast.

And what do you say to those people who say - my God, this is hideous?It's blood money.

It is hideous in a sense. It is. There's no question. I share the revulsion of people who say - but people shouldn't profit from this. On the other hand, if allowing people to profit from this, from making these predictions, improved our ability to predict, then it might be something worth trying because of the lives it would save on the other side.

turn 3 : Implicates that the speaker is willing to sacrifice certain moral values for the sake of saving lives.

Answer: Moral


The people in Somalia are suffering in a tremendous way. Actually, last month, the International Red Cross said that the fighting in Somalia that's going on now is the worst in 15 years. The government, the transitional government that was put into power with the help of U. S.  and Ethiopian invasion about 15 months ago has controlled nearly none of the country. They control a small of Mogadishu. The rest of the country is literally falling apart around it.

There is also, actually, in the last month alone 40,000 people had fled the capital. These are urban dwellers who are now literally camped out at roadsides, trying to get U. N. -staffed displacement camps, but really relying on international community for their most basic need. It's a really, really dire situation for the people of Somalia.

What's going to happen with some of these relief organizations?Will they be able to continue to operate in this climate?

We feel for the last 12 months that a couple of things have happen. Several of these organizations have actually put out of the country, organizations like Oxfam, World Division - organizations that are usually are, in times of crisis, the best and both trained do this kind of work. They had because they're worried for the safety of their staff pulled out.

turn 3 :  "put out of the country" in turn (4) is an idiom that means "to force someone to leave a place or country", which is different from its literal meaning.

How was the departure of some relief organizations from Somalia described in turn 3?

Answer: Pulled


So I'm going to plunge straight into another topic. That's gas prices. They rose more than six cents in one day following news of the damage to the Gulf Coast. There is a lot of oil industry there. Tropical Storm Ike also damaged that area.

Now, there is a question of whether or not folks are getting unfairly gouged. One gas station is said to have charged five dollars for a gallon of regular, and there are some other places in the damaged areas that don't even have gas. So is this price gouging?And I'm not just talking about the people in the effected areas, but people across the country.

There is some price gouging, I think, when you get to five dollars. On the other hand, when you're talking about what's happening with production, the fact is that there are almost immediate shortages. Gas stations have the gas that they have under their stations to pump, that's all they have. They have to get deliveries of other gas and it's more scarce, it costs them more.

So if someone decides, in anticipation of price rises, to raise the price on the gas under their station, that's not fair but it's somewhat reasonable. But when they take it from a few cents to five dollars, if it was being posted as $3. 65, which was the national average, and then you get up to five dollars, that does seem to be a bit much.

turn 3 : Raising gas prices by a large margin is unfair and not reasonable.

What is considered unreasonable and unfair in relation to gas prices?

Answer: gouging


Work on voter registration, voter mobilization, education, coalition building, work together to help end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reinvest in America. Convince young America that they really do have the power to change the course of the country. We must have a renewed and multiracial and multicultural coalition. These are the things that I've revolved my work around, and I intend to be pushing them real hard this summer and fall.

And do you think you'd go out on the stump with him if he wanted you to, or does he want you to?

Whatever proximity he wants. You know, he must make that decision, you know, as to who, you know, that campaign, you know, you have consultants, you have advisors, you have surrogates, you have supporters. I'm a strong supporter and have been so since before he announced, and I will continue supporting because I believe he represents the right side of history for all of America and really for the world.

Well, Reverend Jackson, thank you so much.

turn 2 : A is willing to support the campaign in any way he can

How is PersonA willing to support the campaign?

Answer: Any


I went out last night, actually, to try to catch some of the World Series. And some of the bars are starting to reopen. But everywhere that you go, the only power that people have is running off of generators or running off of some solar power. You really do not see people getting much power from the grid.

Do you see people at work on the power system?

You do - absolutely. I mean, this is like this incredible project that is happening all across the island. There are crews that are out there. You see them moving. But you also see that there are power lines down absolutely everywhere. I mean, you know, we are talking weeks after Maria came through, and they're just - you know, wires are still lying all over the place. You know, big towers are down. It's dominating the media. It's dominating the news everyday. This is the obsession in Puerto Rico right now - is the power.

People must be frustrated. Who are they blaming?

turn 0 : The power grid is unreliable due to generators and solar power being used instead.

What is the alternative source of power being used due to the unreliable power grid?

Answer: generators


Yeah.

You once said to (laughter) a contestant - I wonder if you even remember it. I'm going to do my bad Paul Hollywood imitation now. (Imitating accent) Your ganache lacks shine. So. . .

Yes, I do remember that.

(Laughter) Yeah, I mean - it was something. It was a few years ago, that. And it was to do with, obviously, with the outer coating on the cake. And the ganache is basically just chocolate cream. Normally, when you're dealing in a plain chocolate, so you can do 50-50. So 50 percent cream, 50 percent chocolate and just leave it to melt - and then pour it all over a cake. It sets, and you get a beautiful shine. You've got to be careful when you're setting it, and that's where it came from.

turn 3 :  "B: Every now and then in the family, if we want to gently or comically upbraid each other, we go, (imitating accent) your ganache lacks shine." This turn implies that B and their family use the phrase "your ganache lacks shine" in a playful, teasing manner to gently criticize each other, rather than actually referring to the shine of the ganache itself.

Which phrase does PersonB and their family use to gently criticize each other?

Answer: Ganache


And let's just say, it was a fishing expedition. It was financed by Trump's opponents in both parties. Some fishing expeditions do come back with fish. And if this one actually did and some of that finds its way into the hands of special independent prosecutor Bob Mueller's investigators, then the dossier might, in some sense, inform their questions about Russian interference because all of this was about Trump's ties to people in Russia.

Right. And those questions about Russian interference will also be front and center in the upcoming hearings that we mentioned for the tech giants - Facebook, Twitter and Google executives who are going to be before Congress over two days this coming week. What will they be grilled about?

You know, in recent days, we have learned a good deal more about how extensive the Russian involvement in social media was, particularly the number of ads running on Facebook and how they were targeted. And some of this was using some of the people in Facebook who work with advertisers - big advertisers - and who help you target exactly the people you're trying to reach.

So this might have been - it appears to have been one of the main ways in which these Russian elements were trying to put a big thumb on the scale in the 2016 election.

turn 1 : (2) Grill: to question someone intensively and aggressively.

What was the main way in which the Russian elements were trying to influence the 2016 election?

Answer: Involvement


A tall building may become synonymous with a place, but it doesn't mean that it's born of that place. You can almost pick it up and put it in any city around the world and it would become synonymous with that city. And it denying thousands of years of vernacular architectural tradition, you know. . .

Yeah, yeah.

. . . to relate to environment and all these other things. So that's where the 95 percent figure, an arbitrary figure, comes from.

The Twin Towers in Abu Dhabi received the tall building innovation award. These buildings carry their own sunscreen, in a sense.

turn 0 : "You can almost pick it up and put it in any city around the world and it would become synonymous with that city." - This turn means that tall buildings are often designed in a similar way regardless of their location, and therefore lack a unique connection to the specific environment or culture of a place.

How are tall buildings often designed, regardless of their location?

Answer: Similar


The site of the wreck of the Houston's been known for quite some time. Why just the official confirmation now?

Well, the Navy became concerned over the years that the wreck was being salvaged by trophy hunters and commercial concerns overseas. Recreational dive companies have been leading dives on the Houston as well as the Perth, for years. But they began to fear for the integrity of the wreck. And it is a war grave. It's also custody of the U. S.  Navy, even though it's been undersea for more than 70 years now. And so what they did was, they launched an official expedition to document the state of the wreck and the first step in that process was to authenticate the identity of the ship, and so that's what made headlines this week.

Captain Rooks received the Medal of Honor for what?

He led the Perth into battle on that night and was quickly fallen upon by a far superior Japanese naval squadron. They had several heavy cruisers, a whole bunch of destroyers and the Japanese were masters of the art of nighttime naval combat. They would demonstrate this time and again through the early months of the war.

turn 3 : The Japanese were more skilled than the Perth in nighttime naval combat, which they would demonstrate in the early months of the war.

How did the Japanese demonstrate their superiority in nighttime naval combat during the early months of the war?

Answer: skill


Well, we think that the individual insurance markets need to be stabilized. There needs to be certainty. Right now, the insurance companies are putting together their plans for rating the 2018 insurance products, and they have no certainty from Congress regarding the support for insurance premiums for lower income people. Without knowing those, they don't know how to price their policies, and they're going to price them very high. So the bit - that's the biggest thing that needs to be addressed right now.

Dr.  Gurman, I move to ask you a question, both as a physician with a practice and the head of the AMA, how much time do you have to spend on matters that have nothing to do with medicine?

Well, unfortunately, a lot. We know from doing detailed studies where we actually follow doctors and minute to minute with a stopwatch find out what they're doing. The doctors are spending less than half of their time actually taking care of patients. So it's a big problem.

And how would you reduce that bureaucracy, though?Because, you know, bureaucracies run on (laughter) run on a paper trail in a sense.

turn 3 : (4) B: The speaker implies that reducing bureaucracy is not as simple as just getting rid of paperwork, as bureaucracies are inherently reliant on established procedures and processes.

What is the main concern of bureaucracy reduction according to the implied meaning in turn 3?

Answer: procedures


We are. . .

We are - yeah.

There's something - does that bother you or that we're experimenting on ourselves?

Oh, a little bit, I guess, you know?

turn 3 :  "Oh, a little bit, I guess, you know?" The literal meaning is that the speaker is acknowledging that they are bothered to some extent. However, the actual meaning could be interpreted as the speaker downplaying their concerns or trying to appear nonchalant about the situation.

How did the speaker seem to feel about the situation?

Answer: Nonchalant


Hurricane Dorian is pounding the Carolinas. Parts of downtown Charleston are already flooded. It has weakened since it hit the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm. At least 20 people are confirmed dead there, and that number is expected to rise as recovery efforts are just beginning. Parts of the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas are destroyed.

Alex Cepero stayed in the Abacos town of Marsh Harbour, thinking he could ride out the storm with his two dogs, but Hurricane Dorian destroyed his home while he was still inside of it. And I want to warn listeners that this is a wrenching story. Alex, thank you for talking with ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

You're welcome.

First of all, are you OK?Were you injured or hurt during the storm?

turn 0 : The impact of Hurricane Dorian resulted in extensive damage and loss of life.

How did Hurricane Dorian affect the Carolinas?

Answer: Flooded


(Unintelligible) exactly did some tests.

Marc, I hate to interrupt. . .

Yup.

. . . to say this is SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. I'm Ira Flatow with Marc.

OK.

turn 3 : The literal meaning of turn (4) is that B is interrupting A to introduce the radio program they are both on, "SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR," and to announce their names. However, the implied meaning is that B is politely interrupting A to take over as the host of the radio program.

How did PersonB take over as the host of the radio program?

Answer: Host


Yes. Certain pigments, for instance, fade. Certain pigments can become lighter or darker. You have to see it a little bit like in a hospital. You know, a patient goes in with a problem. There's a lot of different kinds of research done in order to make the proper diagnosis. And then there's a sort of a treatment plan presented. And then the actual operation may not be that extensive. I mean, that is actually the goal - to do as little as possible with the largest effect.

Operation Night Watch is going to be free for the public to see.

To follow, yeah - to follow.

Because there's going to be this glass chamber, people can follow along.

turn 1 : The public can view Operation Night Watch for free.

Which operation is free to view for the public?

Answer: OperationNightWatch


. . . they don't mean. . .

Herring, (unintelligible).

Well, they don't mean exactly what you may think by that. Herrings have a whole separate system connected to the swim bladder where they're pushing air around and sometimes letting it loose. And this is how they rise and fall in the water. And so it's by letting the air loose that they apparently also communicate. And at the Ig Nobel ceremony, one of the teams, who's from the Sweden, told us how they got involved with this, and this turned out to be the best part of the story.

So there's these two Swedish marine biologists, and they study fish, porpoises, whatnot. And about 15 or 20 years ago, the Swedish prime minister, Carl Bildt, was sort of on the warpath, repeatedly for years, telling the Swedish public that they were being invaded by submarines from their big neighbor, from Russia. And he kept saying this and there wasn't really any proof. There was an incident, years before, that was a sort of an oddball thing, but he kept saying there are submarines, and he kept saying they're even coming into Stockholm harbor, into our capital. He had the navy, the Swedish navy, put microphones in the water in Stockholm harbor. And they came up with a recording with sounds like rapids, metallic tapping, and so they thought and the prime minister thought, OK, we've got proof. Prime minister's planning to get up in public and announce that the Russians are basically attacking us.

turn 3 : In (4), the speaker tells a story about a Swedish prime minister who believed that his country was being invaded by submarines from Russia. The prime minister put microphones in Stockholm harbor and recorded sounds that he thought were proof of the Russian invasion. However, the actual meaning of the recorded sounds was different from the literal meaning, as they were caused by something else entirely.

How did the Swedish prime minister plan to announce the Russian invasion?

Answer: invasion


And the story is conveyed through the eyes of this young woman, this farmer's wife, who discovers it, actually, in a - she's kind of in an awkward situation. She's going somewhere where she's not supposed to be, and she sees it and she's not allowed to tell anyone. But she feels it's her personal burning bush. She takes it as a warning to go back.

I wanted to write it initially through her eyes so that you, too, would not know what you are seeing. But later. . .

If SCIENCE FRIDAY didn't spoil it.

Well, yeah. But you see what I mean?Because it is about perception and how we need to be - to understand what we're seeing before we can really see it, that's really key to understanding this whole issue of climate change and why we see or don't see what's right in front of us.

turn 3 : Climate change is hard to see because of how we perceive it.

Which issue is key to understanding climate change?

Answer: climate


And there were a lot of things we did with George, always trying to recover the Pinta population of tortoises.

But nothing worked out, huh?

Nothing worked out. George was never very interested in any other tortoises. He was pretty much of a loner. And if you think about his life on Pinta, he spent probably the first half of his life alone on that island, and maybe by the time he'd gotten company with other tortoises, he just wasn't too into socializing much anymore.

Now, what made him unique genetically?Why is he the last of his kind?

turn 3 :  "Why is he the last of his kind?" - The literal meaning of this question is asking for the reason behind George being the last of his species. The actual meaning is more complex, as the speaker is likely asking for an explanation of the genetic factors that led to the extinction of the Pinta tortoise population and George's unique genetic makeup.

What is the speaker asking for an explanation of?

Answer: Attempts


I failed chemistry really disastrously. Kind of tellingly, my father wanted me to take it because he wanted me to be a doctor. And I really didn't want to be a doctor. I wanted to be a writer and an actor. You know, a lot of people don't know how to break into show business.

(Laughter) But failing chemistry is the way.

First way.

(Laughter) So what prompted you to pick up science journals and read them later on?

turn 1 : Failing chemistry is a hindrance to becoming a doctor

What was the subject that PersonB's father wanted them to take?

Answer: Chemistry


Like, for example, in Denmark, they have these open sandwiches that they're very famous for. And they really say a lot about, you know, Denmark as a country, being a very rich agriculture region, and you see this on these sandwiches. You know, they're fully laden with a huge spectrum of different toppings, very sort of rich and opulent sandwiches that you can't even - you know, you have to eat them from a plate with knife and a fork, right?

Yeah.

And then if you go up to where I grew up, a sandwich there would probably be more of a, you know, a piece of flatbread with a layer of butter and a layer of cheese on it that you would eat standing up. And I think it's a very interesting thing, you know, those things that, you know, are kind of a broader concept exist in a big geographic region but that vary a lot depending on where you are.

Chef Magnus Nilsson of "The Nordic Cookbook. "Thank you, chef.

turn 1 : "a sandwich there would probably be more of a, you know, a piece of flatbread with a layer of butter and a layer of cheese on it" - This turn means that the sandwiches in the region where the speaker grew up are simple and easy to eat on the go, not that they are literally only made with flatbread, butter, and cheese.

What would be the typical sandwich in the region where the speaker grew up?

Answer: Flatbread


Credit's a basic input, just like fertilizer or fuel or labor. Farmers here need credit to be able to buy their fertilizer, number one, which is much more expensive than it used to be. Seeds, pesticides, everything - to have money to pay your employees every month. And so, when credit's delayed or not available, especially on fertilizer, it gets very complicated to be able to raise a crop. Nobody in modern agriculture can farm without credit.

And what's your credit situation like right now?

I have credit, but it was delayed. I've never had trouble getting credit here in Brazil. I've always paid my bills, and so credit's available for me. But this year, the credit promises were made, but then the credit wasn't going to arrive until it was too late to order the fertilizer and actually work out the logistics of receiving it. And so it's changed my plans a lot this year.

And timing is really essential for farmers. So, how is that going to play out there with your 2000 acres of soy?

turn 0 : Farmers need credit to buy expensive inputs like fertilizer.

Which input do farmers need to buy that is much more expensive than it used to be?

Answer: fertilizer


So, right then, your life changed. You quit your job. You made plans to leave your family for a year and go to China.

Well, yeah. My weight had gotten so out of control that I wasn't even working at that time, unable to work.

So, when you got there seven months ago, how much did you weigh?

I weighed approximately 646 pounds.

turn 0 : The turn "your life changed" in (1) is an idiomatic expression that means a significant event or series of events that dramatically altered the course of one's life. Its actual meaning is different from its literal meaning, which would be that the person's life physically changed.

Which expression in PersonA's response in turn 1 indicates that they were not working at that time?

Answer: Unable


Thank you. How are you?

I'm pretty good. Thank you. You must be stuck like glue on this, but, you know, you've played in three World Cups, including one of the wins for the U. S.  team in 1999. How would you describe what it's like to be out there on that field in that final game?

It's exhilarating, to be honest with you. And it's really interesting for me to watch on TV because on the game days, I feel similar to how I used to feel when I played just because I really still feel a kinship and a connection to the current team, even though it's been many years since I played. But I feel we're all connected and inspired by each other.

Well, what are your thoughts on this current team?

turn 1 : stuck like glue means to be attached to something, be it a particular issue or a person

Answer: Connected


Well, for me it's almost anything that I'm sent and asked to click on in which somebody else is supposedly really embarrassing themselves. And I'm supposed to find this funny. I'm supposed to enjoy the spectacle. But it's just a physical response that I can't, you know. I clench sort of every muscle in my body and I can barely bring myself to watch it and then end up pressing stop. So, you know, examples would be the recording that was around this week of an employee of a cable company attempting to make a departing customer stay using all sorts of extraordinary arguments, I'm told. I'm told it was very embarrassing for the cable company employee. But I don't know because I can't bring myself to listen to it.

The guy who proposed marriage to a woman at the ballpark - you know about this one?

Oh, this is going to be a wedding proposal that is rejected in public, I think?

Yeah, that's it.

turn 3 : Turn (4): The speaker is confirming that the proposal at the ballpark is likely to be a rejected one.

Which turn confirms the PersonA's assumption about the proposal at the ballpark?

Answer: Confirming


That's what won, finally, the attention of the old man. And only when he was tough did the old man respect him. And I think when his father became incapacitated, Bobby began to resort to who he was as a kid. As a kid, he was - he hung around all the time with African-American kids. Those were his playmates, even in Hyannis. He was - he, you know, Father Feeney - when Father Feeney said no salvation outside the Catholic Church, he railed against that, which was so extraordinary in that very Catholic family.

You know, Ralph Bunche - he insisted that that great African-American statesman get to speak to a integrated audience at UVA when he was in charge of the lecture series down there. There's all kinds of evidence of Bobby in the beginning being a liberal in the best sense of that word. And I think it just came more to life after Jack was gone and after the old man was out of action.

Well, I think the hardest thing for him - and to me, the sweetest part of the book - was his evolution on Joe McCarthy. There's no doubt that he loved the guy. It came through right to the end when he was driving in the car at National Airport. And Kathleen, his young daughter, said he was so stricken by the news that McCarthy had just drank himself to death at Bethesda Naval Hospital that he drove around the airport three times. He was just distraught.

turn 2 :  (3) Will American voters these days - and donors and journalists, for that matter - let a public figure change in public the way Robert Kennedy did?

How did Bobby's evolution on Joe McCarthy affect him emotionally?

Answer: evolution


I think the best example I can give is Nelson Mandela, who's paid more of a price, who sacrificed more, he won, and then at a point, he says, now it is time for me to go on. He, if anyone, earned the right to say I am going to sit here and be the president of South Africa till I die. He said no, I've served my time. The fact that I spent 27 years in jail notwithstanding, I'm going to move on, and I think that that is why everyone respected him as a great man, because he did not put his own vanity above the cause.

Reverend Sharpton, great to talk to you.

Thank you, have a great day.

Reverend Al Sharpton is a civil rights activist and host of the syndicated radio talk show Keeping it Real. He is also the President of the National Action Network.

turn 3 : something that was hinted at or suggested, but not directly stated. When a person looks at his watch

What did Reverend Sharpton do before mentioning the hint?

Answer: Reverend


The regime does blame rebels for escalating this bout of violence. And, as you say, there's a lot at stake here. It's a place that's swollen with civilians. A lot of people who've fled the fighting elsewhere in the country have taken refuge here, and aid workers are saying it would be a catastrophe if a full war took hold here.

Oh, this is amazing. So this is where a lot of people who have fled violence arrived in huge numbers, thinking that this might be their one last safe. . .

Right.

. . . Space. And if there are that many civilians there - like, what do we know about these airstrikes so far?How badly are civilians being hit?

turn 0 : There is a risk of a catastrophic situation if a full war breaks out in the area with civilians

How would you describe the potential outcome if a full war broke out in the area with civilians?

Answer: catastrophe


The way I coped with these disasters was seeing myself as the hero of my own story and thinking oh, okay, in the story, the guy survives. He doesn't kill himself. He doesn't commit himself to a mental hospital. He actually survives and thrives and overcomes these obstacles.

And in addition to that, you've also had kidney problems, and you talk really frankly about just how much strength it took you to do really basic things because you were constantly dealing with your body rebelling against you.

Yeah, I'm going through that right now. I'm on the top of the list for a transplant now, and I don't really want a transplant right now because I'm doing all right. So at this point, I'm kind of bring it on. I'm just, you know, I can take it.

What about the good stuff?There are many good things in your life, and two of them are Eva and Chet(ph), your kids. What are they like?

turn 3 : This turn is literal in meaning, as it is a straightforward question asking about the speaker's children.

Which turn in the conversation asks about the PersonA's children?

Answer: Turn3


This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Spies try to protect America from its enemies, but does that mean spying on friends too?The steady drip of intelligence leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden continues with the revelations that the National Security Agency tapped the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Guardian newspaper broke the story this week and also reported that the U. S.  spy agency intercepted 70 million phone calls and text messages in France. Now, the response from Germany and France has been swift, and as you might imagine, sharp. Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, called the spying shocking and unacceptable. He told Le Monde: We cooperate in the useful way in the fight against terrorism but that does not justify everything. P. J. Crowley is a former U. S.  assistant secretary of state for public affairs. He joins us in our studios. Thanks so much for being with us.

P. J. CROWLEY: Pleasure to be here, Scott.

Are Germany and France shocked, shocked like in Casablanca, or are they truly surprised?

There's scambling(ph) going on here, yes. I mean, Europeans have a different view of privacy than Americans do. So, I think there is a difference of attitude or perspective on this. That said, I don't think it should shock anyone that governments spy on each other.

Well, but these are allies.

turn 3 :  "There's scrambling going on here" - The speaker is not referring to actual physical scrambling. Instead, the speaker is using a figurative language to describe the reaction of the European countries to the news.

What is the speaker describing as "scrambling"?

Answer: Reaction


Because they need to. They need to become the number two search-engine in the world. Google is number one. Microsoft's MSN's portal is a lame duck in the number three position. This would give them a better search-engine opportunity, which would increase the amount of online advertising dollars, which is where everyone is going and why this would make a lot of sense to do.

So are they going to take the offer, you think?

You know, I hope so. It would be nice to see. You know, I would like to see Yahoo stay independent, but I don't know. I mean, they're talking about a thousand layoffs, Farai. So if it can stop people from losing their job, I'm all for it.

All right. Well, Mario, thanks a lot.

turn 0 : The speaker in turn (1) is not just explaining the reason why Microsoft needs to become the number two search-engine in the world, but also implying that acquiring Yahoo is the best way for them to achieve that goal. The speaker suggests that Microsoft's MSN's portal is not doing well in the number three position and acquiring Yahoo would give them a better search-engine opportunity, which would increase online advertising dollars. The speaker believes this acquisition would make a lot of sense to do.

What is the main reason for Microsoft to acquire Yahoo?

Answer: Search-engine


And in the end, what has speech enabled us to do as a species?

It's enabled us to think up strategies to head off what you think might be about to happen, and the strategies depend upon memory. And speech is a fantastic memory device. There's absolutely nothing like it, and I think it's time for people who are interested in evolution to say that the theory of evolution applies only - only to animals.

Tom Wolfe - his book - "The Kingdom Of Speech. "Thanks so much for being with us.

My pleasure, thank you very, very much for having me, Scott.

turn 0 : Speech has enabled us to communicate more effectively and creatively, enabling us to come up with solutions and strategies to deal with situations.

Answer: Strategies


(Laughing) And the cover of the New York Post a couple days ago, "Don't Let the Door Hit You. "

Yeah. So sensitive is the New York Post. This was a guy whose first year, his nickname was the Man-genius, and that quickly came undone.

Devolved. OK, but what about Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos?I mean, he was there for 14 years. He won two Super Bowls. Why was he let go?

It's amazing. For about 10 years, you couldn't say the name Mike Shanahan without saying offensive genius. And I don't know if a lot of people thought that he lost the offensive genius, but there were circumstances to his firing. His team lost its last three games. If you end the season . 500, you know, with eight wins and eight loses, it's better to do it on an uptick than a downtick.

turn 1 : Mike Shanahan was fired despite his past success due to recent poor performance.

How was Mike Shanahan's departure from the Denver Broncos explained?

Answer: Performance


Work on voter registration, voter mobilization, education, coalition building, work together to help end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reinvest in America. Convince young America that they really do have the power to change the course of the country. We must have a renewed and multiracial and multicultural coalition. These are the things that I've revolved my work around, and I intend to be pushing them real hard this summer and fall.

And do you think you'd go out on the stump with him if he wanted you to, or does he want you to?

Whatever proximity he wants. You know, he must make that decision, you know, as to who, you know, that campaign, you know, you have consultants, you have advisors, you have surrogates, you have supporters. I'm a strong supporter and have been so since before he announced, and I will continue supporting because I believe he represents the right side of history for all of America and really for the world.

Well, Reverend Jackson, thank you so much.

turn 0 : A is advocating for political activism and social justice

How is PersonA's advocacy characterized?

Answer: Activism


If you're a minority professional and you grow up understanding that there will be expectations placed upon you that you have to overcome, the reality of it is, if you go into this thinking you can just be good you'll end up with a mediocre career. And so "Good is Not Enough" is really just a sounding call to minority professionals saying, hey, you know, we can be players at this level but we can't just play good, we have to excel.

Let's break down a few of the things you say matter. One is networking. Why so important?

Networking is so important because in this day and age a lot of the jobs, a lot of the opportunities that will come your way will not be through Monster, will not be through the want ads, it will be through networking. And so from a career perspective the opportunities will come your way from networking, but more importantly networking is a great opportunity to learn from others who have been down the road that you're trying to go. For example, if, I met a company right now - I'm at Pitney Bowes, and I love being there - but if I were to look at an opportunity at IBM, if I had a network that includes someone at IBM, I could actually call and get a better idea of what it is I'm stepping into, because corporate culture is just critical.

But how do you find someone who is a peer or a mentor at another company?

turn 2 : Networking is crucial for career opportunities and learning from others' experiences

What is a great opportunity to learn from others and can lead to career opportunities?

Answer: Networking.


Look, I think the president's actually been very clear about the things that he wants. He wants to address border security, he wants to deal with chain migration, and he wants to deal with the lottery. And he's certainly willing to provide legal status for DREAMers. So if those are your four principle points and they've been known for months, there ought to be a way to reach an agreement.

Border security means a wall?

It means border security. The president's acknowledged he's not talking about a wall from sea to shining sea. But it does require physical structures in a lot of places. Back in 2006, Congress actually voted for about twice the amount of physical barriers that we have today - so finishing that off, rebuilding parts of it. But again, as both General Kelly and the president acknowledged, we're not talking about a wall across the entire length of the border. But we are calling for much more intense border security.

Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, thanks for joining us.

turn 1 : B is asking for clarification about what "border security" means, specifically if it means building a physical structure along the entire border.

How did PersonB seek clarification on what "border security" means?

Answer: clarification


You know, we like to be considered a young couple.

We are a young couple.

All right. Now, I want you to make my taste buds jump. I am not in front of any of your food, but I want you to describe this dish that sounds so intriguing, barbequed spaghetti. What does that taste like?

turn 2 : But I don't know about role model and the word role model, but I like the word responsibility. And Gina and I do feel a tremendous amount of responsibility in terms of the images we project, and the fact that, hopefully - you know, we get letters all the time, and I think one of the nicest letters we received was from one of our fans that watched the show that said, you know, you gals have really enhanced my marriage. Me and my husband, we get in the kitchen, we cook, and we spend time together. And it's those types of testimonies that really motivate Gina and I, and make us feel real good about what we're doing.  The phrase "enhanced my marriage" is a figurative expression that means the show has positively impacted the viewer's relationship with their partner.

Which phrase did the fan use to describe the impact the show had on their marriage?

Answer: Enhanced


We do a lunch business. We are in the central business district of Cincinnati. And then we also do some progressively busier dinner period with the theaters at night.

Yeah. So, how is the lunch crowd now?

Well, the lunch crowd is down. We do have a lot of people who used to have business expenses that do not anymore, expense accounts. And downtown Cincinnati, I guess, has experienced its own economic shortfall with businesses moving out of town and what not. So, lunch has seemed to be down a little bit. I am part of a - it's called the Greater Cincinnati Independence of Independent Restaurant Owners - which is a dying breed, anyway - but we're all pretty lamenting the lack of business and just the current climate that we're trying survive in.

So, you are in your mid-40s, I think?

turn 2 : The restaurant industry is struggling due to economic hardships.

Which industry is facing economic hardships?

Answer: Incorporating


One of the stories in the collection is called "Missed Connection-m4w" - men for women - and it begins sort of like a Craigslist post in missed connections and then evolves from there. And you actually first published this on Craigslist. Is that right?

Yeah. What the story is about is about this guy who can't work up the nerve to talk to this woman sitting on the same train car as him. And in fact, 60 years pass where they. . .

He also can't get up and leave.

He - yeah. Well, 'cause he's paralyzed by this idea of who this woman is even though he never actually talks to her. But - so I had the idea to write this fake missed connection and just post it anonymously on Craigslist.

turn 1 : The man never talks to the woman he likes for 60 years.

How long does the man fail to approach the woman he likes?

Answer: 60.


It's good to be here, Tony.

You know, you've been getting pretty hot under the collar about this issue, I understand. Why is it such a concern for you?

It's a concern for me because it's a misunderstanding that a lot of ex-convicts have. If you have a felony it has been in the past that often states do restrict or disenfranchise those who have a felony conviction. Those laws have changed over the years, and now in most states it's no longer the case, or there are means by which you can get your civil rights back. But a lot of people - a lot of ex-convicts or felons that I knew that ended up in my court system simply rested on the false notion that they did not have the ability to vote. And that ended and that kept them from further embracing or engaging in the community, and kept them separate, and apart, and not where they needed to be.

Is it a situation where an ex-felon is allowed - is entitled to have his or her voting rights restored, but the process by which those voting rights are restored is so cumbersome that they either don't know about it or they don't go through it?

turn 2 : The ex-convicts need to take an active role in the community and become more involved in order to get their civil rights back.

How did the false notion that ex-convicts cannot vote affect their engagement in the community?

Answer: Separate


They have been evacuated. It tossed these trailer homes like tin cans. And there was one woman that said that she had turned in early and felt her bed bouncing. And she was evacuated and is staying elsewhere now.

The flooding - this is not restricted to just this small part of the state. This is the whole state of Oklahoma that's going through this. Is that right?

Yeah, 25% of the state has had at least 14 inches of water in the last 30 days. And if you look at towns in northeast Oklahoma like Skiatook - they've had 21 1/2 inches, Nowata 23 inches. It's just crazy. And this is all coming to a head in Tulsa along the Arkansas River.

And what exactly is happening in Tulsa?

turn 1 : The flooding has affected the whole state of Oklahoma, not just a small part.

How much of Oklahoma has experienced at least 14 inches of water in the last 30 days?

Answer: 25%


Antivirus experts are calling Flame one of the most complex threats ever discovered. Once a machine is infected, the operator of the malware can expand its functionality almost like adding apps to a smartphone. Its operators sent out another app with orders to erase it this week, leaving no tracks behind.

Much like Stuxnet, Flame is also believed to be the handiwork of a nation-state. Why are antivirus experts so concerned about Flame?How does this malware tool, spy kit(ph) and eavesdrop?Who's behind Flame, and who are they targeting, and why is it being compared to Stuxnet?

That's what we're going to be talking about this hour. Our number is 1-800-989-8255, 1-800-989-TALK. My guest is Kim Zetter. She is senior reporter at Wired covering cybercrime, privacy, security and civil liberties. She's currently writing a book about Stuxnet and joins us from Oakland, California. Welcome to SCIENCE FRIDAY.

Thank you.

What makes Flame different?

Well, different from the average run-of-the-mill malware that criminals use?

turn 4 : "What makes Flame different?" - The literal meaning is a straightforward question about the characteristics of the Flame malware. The implied meaning is that the experts have identified Flame as a unique and potentially dangerous threat, and they want to know more about it.

Which malware is being compared to Stuxnet?

Answer: Flame


Yes, yes indeed, yeah.

Where are they now?

They're blue-collar, and many of them remain Democrats, although when the national election comes, many of them outside of Allegheny County do start voting Republican. Part of the reason is that this is an older state, and for pensioners, unless the economy is really going haywire and frightening them about the condition of their pensions and the future of their Social Security, they are going to worry less about breadbasket issues than they're going to worry about the social flashpoint issues.

And out here, Democrats, and we're talking about liberals, Democrats are pro-Second Amendment. They're pro-life. They are very religious. They're socially conservative. Gay marriage simply confounds them as a theory. In other words, we're talking about a place where the liberals have guns.

And so, where are those liberals going?Are they going to Obama or McCain?

turn 3 : Liberals in this place have socially conservative views.

Which political issue do the liberals in this place find confusing?

Answer: Gays


How do you perceive yourself at this point as a business woman, not just a comedienne?Because you used to be an Algebra teacher, you were also a small business owner. I'm sure that there is a whole industry behind what you do, having to deal with your bookings, et cetera. How do you deal with that part of it?

Well, knowledge is the key. I have a degree in Business Administration's, minor in Mathematics. And, unlike most comediennes, I was a business person before I got into this field. I am very aware of my bookings, I'm very aware of my accounting. I'm very aware of how to write jokes. So, it doesn't make it easier but knowledge helps it - helps me understand a lot of different things. So even like times now when we're in a recession, when the country is in a recession, and people aren't coming out to the shows as often the way they used to come - the audiences aren't packed - I, because I understand business, know that, OK, I'll move to smaller venues, I'll come in with a cheaper ticket. But I will still work as an artist. And as an artist, overall, you really want to work.

What makes you laugh?

What makes me laugh - kids make me laugh, and old people make me laugh.

turn 1 : A implies that her knowledge of business helps her manage the financial aspects of her career as a comedienne.

Which aspect of her career does PersonA say her knowledge of business helps her manage?

Answer: Accounting


Good to be with you.

This last Republican debate may have been the most contentious, at least between the candidates and the questioners. What do you see as the immediate fallout?

Now, at the same time, nobody's cast a single vote yet. Jeb Bush is sitting on a lot of money, and, of course, he has a name that's instantly recognizable. Is there really talk that this could be the end of his candidacy?

turn 2 : "Immediate fallout would be Jeb Bush's problem. He needed a revival, and he wound up looking worse than he had in the first two debates and out on the stump as well. The memorable punches in these debates tend to be counter punches. And Bush went after his one-time protege, Marco Rubio, and Rubio came back smart, fast, tough and got a highlight moment out of it, just one of several for Rubio, by the way."  Here, the speaker is discussing the consequences or negative outcomes for Jeb Bush after the debate. The implied meaning is that Jeb Bush's performance in the debate was disappointing or damaging for his campaign. The speaker highlights that memorable moments in debates usually involve counter-attacks or responses, and in this case, Jeb Bush targeted Marco Rubio, but Rubio responded effectively and gained a notable moment. The implied meaning goes beyond a literal description of the events and emphasizes the impact on Jeb Bush's candidacy.

What was the name of Jeb Bush's one-time protege that he went after during the debate?

Answer: Marco


That's right. Even as he says he's open to talking with China, the president has left in place this latest round of tariffs, and the tariff rate is still 15%. That's up from 10% when the tax was initially announced.

Trump is also threatening to raise the tariff rate on another $250 billion worth of Chinese imports that are already being taxed at 25%. Trump wants to raise that to 30% on October 1 unless there's some kind of deal between now and then. U. S.  and Chinese negotiators are supposed to meet here in Washington sometime this month in September, but we haven't seen a real date yet.

How is all this affecting businesses, consumers?

Consumers are still spending pretty freely. We got new numbers from the Commerce Department on Friday showing consumer spending grew at a solid pace in July. And that's encouraging because consumer spending has been the most durable pillar propping up the economy.

turn 3 : Spending is not an actual pillar but the strongest part of the economy.

How has consumer spending been supporting the economy?

Answer: Pillar


Yeah, unfortunately, yeah.

Oh, so it's not that laughing at your jokes will make you smart and attractive.

Well, it probably - if you try it probably would help over time. It'll take years, but yeah, it's a limited market kind of book - a niche market.

Well, let me go through some of these cartoons to give people an idea of what we're talking - one early on (laughter) a doctor sitting with a patient in the hospital and he has a ventriloquist dummy on his knee. And he says, I'm afraid Mr.  Bickles has some bad news.

turn 2 : This implies that the book has potential benefits over time, but it may not have widespread appeal and may only appeal to a small or specific audience.

What does the book's limited market suggest?

Answer: book's


And, of course, this gourmet chef has, as his confidant, food critic, and food taster, his cat named Apollo. So as you can expect, everything goes wrong that day. The question is, can everything be put right?

And we'll leave it with that because, I mean, there's such a lovely surprise at the end that we should let people get to on their own. So Steinbeck - did he write a lot of short stories as well?

He wrote a good number of short stories, but this is one of the few that has some very fine, comic elements to it. When I was reading it, I was thinking to myself, is this John Steinbeck?I mean, nobody's dead; nobody's crying. There was some crying in this story, but a lot of it just was very funny. And he just manages to take a very simple theme and, with great turns of phrase, fantastic prose, turn it into something that - when I read it, I said to myself, this is a little gem. And I was just so, so excited to be reading this.

Yeah, I feel like it was - if someone suggested the topic, no other writer could have made it just shine and come to life in this really cool way.

turn 0 : be put right means that something should be made correct, or something should be corrected

How does PersonA describe the theme of the short story by John Steinbeck?

Answer: Funny


It sounds good. But obviously, I just think it's important to point out, like, do not put your raw stuff. . .

Definitely.

. . . In the same container, if I could say that, like, super-loud.

When you marinate after grilling, you actually make a marinade that doesn't touch any of the raw fish or meat.

Got it. OK.  What about people who don't eat meat?There are a lot of people who really are trying to move more toward a plant-based diet. How do you manage that on the grill if you have limited grill space?Because, I mean, it depends on why you're not eating meat. I mean, if you're not eating meat because you have strong ideological reasons, you don't necessarily want that touching. How could you manage that?And what are some things that you should consider for the non-meat eaters?

turn 2 : It's important to emphasize not to put raw food in the same container

Which turn mentions the importance of separating raw food from each other?

Answer: 2


So this prosecution brings together a lot of theories that are very sexist that would justify massive control of pregnant women on grounds that they owe a duty to their fetuses to behave in certain ways and that - and ultimately make pregnant people vulnerable to prosecution for just about any kind of conduct that can be deemed risky.

Marshae Jones is African American. What is the relevance of race in your view?

Racism is what caused the notion that using drugs during pregnancy, which is a health problem, could be turned into a crime to prosecute pregnant women and mothers. We can trace that to the so-called crack epidemic at the end of the 1980s, early 1990s. And the first women who were prosecuted were black women who smoked crack cocaine during pregnancy.

And the vast majority of women who were prosecuted among hundreds of women were black women, even though there is evidence that drug use during pregnancy is not more likely to happen in any particular racial group or economic group. And so this was clear targeting of black women, which I believe is part of a long history of devaluing black motherhood in particular and also a result of discriminatory behavior in hospitals, where hospitals were much more likely to turn in black patients for using drugs during pregnancy than white patients.

turn 0 : The prosecution's theories are sexist and target pregnant women, particularly black women

Which group of women were more likely to be prosecuted for drug use during pregnancy according to the evidence mentioned in turn 3?

Answer: black


And for some young women in those societies, it was that just order. Those kind of dashed hopes were exploited. And part of the appeal of ISIS, I think, in those early days in countries like Tunisia and for girls like Nour, was that there was no other way to be politically active, to be a feminist of any kind. It was the only door that was open.

I was about to mention the story of Nour. She was a high school dropout from Tunisia. And you make the point in the book that she was sort of rebelling against a secular state. And it was her way of expressing her female identity.

Exactly. So Nour grew up in a Tunisia that was highly authoritarian but secular. So Nour was religious. She wanted to cover her hair. She went to school wearing a headscarf. And she was thrown out of high school for that because the headscarf was banned in public spaces like that in Tunisia before the 2011 uprisings.

You described this shocking scene where she's actually attacked by her teacher.

turn 0 : It's not a door but an opportunity that becomes available to them.

How was ISIS seen by some young women in countries like Tunisia?

Answer: B


It did. There's no doubt that people said, look, it's kind of like the Oklahoma land rush. We're going to rush out over the human genome, stake our claims, have patent protection. It gives us an incentive to go out there and look through the vast number of genes that make up us and figure out whether we can find disease correlations and so on. That said, that was kind of the old model, Scott. The newer way to go at this is to change those genes - try to insert a gene, alter a gene.

This is the synthetic material.

That's the synthetic side. And that's where the action is now. It's not, you know, the companies that were out there doing what I'm calling the turf grabs across the genome, in a way I think their work is over and the action is going to be on the synthetic side.

Which I think to repeat - what we said when introducing you - that's legally fine, right?

turn 2 : The companies were not grabbing turf but claiming things as their own.

What were the companies doing across the genome?

Answer: Across


How do you bring to life the world three centuries ago?

I did a lot of research for this novel. I like to say that my research was wide, but shallow. I read a little bit of a lot of books, and a book that really helped me was "The Door Of No Return" by William St.  Clair. He took a bunch of archival research about the Cape Coast Castle, so it's a book that really just talks about what life might have been like in the castle in and around the 18th century. And it really helped me wrap my head around what it might have been like for my characters. And then the rest, I think, is just a wild and vivid imagination.

Yeah. And it must be said you don't - you don't spare African slave traders from villany, do you?

I don't. I think, you know, I grew up here in Alabama. And the conversation around slavery is much different here than it is in Ghana. So I think I was a little bit more aware of it or aware, I suppose, of the result of it than the people living on the coast of West Africa who didn't get to see, you know, what the results of the slave trade was. And yet they have this huge monument in Ghana to slavery - this Cape Coast Castle that still stands, that you can still take tours in. I wanted to talk about the Ghanaen role in it - the complicity on our side of things.

turn 2 : (3) "Do you don't - you don't spare African slave traders from villany, do you?" - This turn means: Do you not show mercy or kindness to African slave traders in your novel?

What book helped the speaker understand what life might have been like for the characters in the novel?

Answer: The-Door-Of-No-Return


Exactly.

OK.  Go on. So after two weeks, what happens?

Well, she defies the ban. And as she was docking in the port, the ship rammed a small police boat that was blocking her - caused some damage, but no injuries. But she was arrested, and she was charged with what prosecutors actually claim was an act of war. Rackete also faces charge of abetting illegal immigration, and the NGO could face a fine of up to $57,000.

What does she say - the captain?Does she say, I was just - I needed to dock the ship?

turn 2 : "could face" a fine of up to $57,000 implies could be presented with a fine of up to $57,000

How much is the maximum possible fine that the NGO could face?

Answer: $57,000


I wouldn't say a list of specific charges but some general charges. So the one that is the most specific is the claim that in 1996 she went on a spy mission to China to Guangxi province and, you know, spied for the FBI. And, I mean, there's a number of issues with that. I mean, one of them is that I have all kinds of evidence that Sandy did not go to China in 1996. I have the evidence of her passport. I have the evidence of her paystubs.

I mean, she was a full-time employee of the Houston Police Department as a secretary, a clerk typist, when she allegedly was doing the spy work. The paystubs show that she'd taken 11 hours off during the time in question. I've also got a newspaper article that she appeared in. So, I mean, we have a fair amount of evidence that shows that she was not in China in 1996.

Why would the Chinese government be interested in putting your wife in prison if there wasn't something that made them suspicious?

So this is not the police that investigate regular crimes. This is the, you know, China Ministry of State Security. This is a bunch of spies. They don't trust anybody. And in point of fact, I mean, they look at people involved in nonprofit work like my wife with a great deal of suspicion. And the fact of the matter is the state security has sent a number of people to the U. S.  to spy, and the FBI has been catching these people. And I am sure that the Ministry of State Security is just not very happy about that.

turn 3 : In turn (4), the implied meaning is that the Chinese Ministry of State Security is trying to take revenge for the U.S. FBI catching their spies in the U.S.

What is the reason behind the Chinese government's suspicion towards people involved in nonprofit work?

Answer: Suspicion


The Fed's dual mission is always the same - to control inflation and encourage full employment. Now, right now, the numbers say that the Fed's done a pretty good job tapping the accelerator and tapping the brake when they've seen fit. But it is not their job to make sure that the president looks good. And so that's a source of real conflict between these institutions.

As we noted, the president has arrived in France for the G-7 meeting. He seems to also be using the occasion to get closer to Russia once more.

And apparently proposing that Russia be brought back into the group, an idea that's already been rejected today by the European Council president. This is one way that Trump uses Vladimir Putin and that relationship to perhaps pressure some of our allies more toward his positions. But it's also at least potentially a way in which Putin can use Trump to weaken the European alliance and advance his own agenda.

Ron, there has been so much violence and death this summer. And we know opinion polls show the American public broadly supports, for example, red flag laws in hopes of averting mass shootings. Congress seems to differ with the American public when it comes to trying to control access to guns.

turn 0 : "tapping the accelerator and tapping the brake" refers to the rate at which inflation is increased within this context.

Answer: Inflation


Well, I was abused by a priest when I was a child. And it caused me a great deal of difficulty with my life afterwards. I had a lot of problems with anxiety and depression.

How old were you when it happened?

I had just turned 13. I was in a children's hospital. And the priest who assaulted me was the Catholic chaplain of the hospital. And he also took indecent photographs, which had a lasting effect on me.

You were one of two sexual abuse survivors on the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Yet you resigned March 1. Can you tell us why?

I did because I accepted the appointment to the commission in the hope that the church was really beginning to show, you know, a sincere wish to change. And after three years, I resigned on some specific issues. But, basically, it was the resistance from some quarters in the Vatican to actually change.

Does it surprise you that someone as high up as Cardinal Pell has been accused?

turn 2 :  "indecent photographs" - This phrase refers to sexually explicit photographs, rather than simply inappropriate or offensive photographs.

Which type of photographs was the priest taking?

Answer: explicit


A lot of destruction, complete devastation - the poultry barns, for example, some of those barns are completely gone. Where the hardest wind gusts hit, it was like Godzilla came and just pulled everything up from the ground. With the banana plantations, you know, you can see when the weakest palm trees fell and broke - when they started feeling the winds because they're leaning one way. And then when the hurricane changed direction, then you see the other one's going to the other side and broken. So you can see the power (laughter) that the hurricane had.

What are we looking at in terms of how quickly they can start working again?

It will depend on the crop. For example, the coffee growers - the arabica bean coffee was being harvested right now. So they're working hard to collect from the ground whatever's left so they can sell it in the market. So we're giving them working capital to be able to pay their payroll, and then we'll start planning for next year's harvesting because it's a one-year crop. On the other end, some of the papaya plantations - growers, they also have bananas and plantains. They have younger trees. So if they cut down the banana trees, in eight, nine months they'll be able to get on their feet.

What does this mean for Puerto Ricans and their access to food?

turn 0 : The hurricane caused severe destruction and devastation in the area.

Which natural disaster caused the damage described in the dialogue?

Answer: Hurricane


Because banks are saying no, we can't do it?

Banks find the credit cards more profitable than traditional bank loans. Frequently they are able to charge, you know, much higher interest rates. Their interest rates are much more volatile. They can go from a 12 percent rate to a 30 percent rate because of any number of factors that may or may not be beyond the control of consumers and small business owners. You don't get charged for their percent on traditional bank loans.

So, are you getting calls from your membership and are they agitated?What are they saying to you?

I wouldn't say we've been getting a whole lot of calls right now. Mostly because I think - like I said, a lot of small business owners aren't quite sure what to think of the financial bailout. Also, a lot are hunkering down, trying to just weather the storm. And they're focused more on trying to run their business and, you know, make some sort of margin of profit with soaring energy costs and rising health care costs. And now all of this volatility, so they're just trying to, you know, weather through.

turn 3 : Small business owners are struggling to survive amidst rising costs and market volatility.

Answer: Weathering


Well, actually, we - there's three records on the chart, the chart of this year. Within the top of 30, you have Flo Rida, and then there - a couple of other songs that were charting this year were Alicia Keys and one by Timbaland with "One Republic. "

So, you know, in the - if you look at the top ten, one thing I'm happy about in terms of grading on the curve, if you look at the top ten, every decade that this chart has touched, is represented here. We have one from the 50s, and we also have the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s, and this decade represented.

But yeah, there's ample representation of recent hits here. One from this decade in the top 10 being by Mariah Carey, "We Belong Together. "

All right, what is changing about the music game with digital distribution?Does it affect how people buy singles, and what might be on the top 100 in the next 50 years?

turn 0 : The speaker is referring to the top 30 songs on the chart, not just three.

Which number is mentioned in turn 2 as a top 10 hit from this decade?

Answer: Top


Well, that would be an interesting question. Right now, we make a decision. We say we're going to harden particular targets to make them difficult for terrorists to attack. So yes, terrorists do act rationally and choose another target - they choose a less hardened target. The question is whether it could respond very rapidly to changing information.

And what do you say to those people who say - my God, this is hideous?It's blood money.

It is hideous in a sense. It is. There's no question. I share the revulsion of people who say - but people shouldn't profit from this. On the other hand, if allowing people to profit from this, from making these predictions, improved our ability to predict, then it might be something worth trying because of the lives it would save on the other side.

turn 1 : (2) A: Large terror attacks take a lot of work and a lot of planning. And if the market predicted a high probability of an attack in a particular place, it's not as though it's a trivial matter for a terror group to suddenly switch all of its resources to another place. I'm not suggesting this would work. It would be a tool that would be used alongside other tools. And I'm just suggesting an experiment to see if it can improve the accuracy of intelligence forecast.

What does PersonA suggest as a tool to improve the accuracy of intelligence forecast?

Answer: Experiment


Oh, no. There was a rally last week, but it was a - that was a buffoon bus. And it was a - it was a freak show, to be honest with you. I mean, it really was bizarre. I mean, it was a bunch of people from out of town in a bus, you know, yelling and screaming. I mean, it really was not much of anything, but. . .

I just want to interject. They may not share that characterization, but go ahead please, sir.

Yeah, I'm sure they don't, but it's accurate (laughter). But I really had no serious challenge from the left or the right. My re-election prospects looked quite good, actually. Most of my colleagues have multiple opponents. You know, I had just one who announced in the right, and I had one who announced from the left, but neither of whom are particularly viable.

Why leave when, arguably, your voice - it's more important than ever that you be heard?

turn 1 : (2) - This turn implies that the speaker does not agree with the characterization of the rally and is interjecting to remind the other speaker that the participants in the rally may not share the same opinion.

Which turn suggests that the speaker is considering not leaving because their voice is crucial?

Answer: Turn3


Well, so certainly President-elect Trump has issued a few statements on cybersecurity, including a campaign platform. Those are pretty thin on details. And some of his statements - it's been difficult to understand whether or not he - how literally to take those particular recommendations. Of his national security hires that have been announced at this point, none are known for having particularly strong cybersecurity backgrounds. So as we see more and more people coming into the administration, we might be able to start getting a sense of what exactly this administration's cybersecurity policy might look like.

Surely when you become the administration, you have a vested interest in national cybersecurity that maybe you lacked before, don't you?

Absolutely. I think while many of his statements during the campaign did not necessarily evince well-developed policy thoughts - he's going to have to come up with more specific ideas. One thing that Donald Trump might run up against is the existence of current laws. So, for example, he's indicated a number of times that he intends to transfer a lot of the cybersecurity mission to the Department of Defense to come up with a plan for defending critical infrastructure. And there are potentially rather serious consequences to sort of the militarization of civilian cyber defense. I think that they might find themselves coming up against an existing framework that doesn't necessarily square with the broad instinct towards wanting to turn towards the military to solve this problem.

I thought the Obama administration was pretty clear in saying, after they asserted that Russian attempts to meddle in the elections had been ongoing, that the United States was going to reply in kind. Can we assume those efforts are going on now?

turn 3 : asking if the US is responding to Russia's attempts to meddle in the elections "in kind".

Which turn mentions a potential issue with the militarization of civilian cyber defense?

Answer: Turn3


So it's sort of the end of era, then, for all of us who have seen him and visited the Galapagos and got to watch him poke around a little bit. It's sort of the end of an era.

It is definitely the end of an era, and everyone down here on last Sunday, when we got the news, it was a very difficult time for all of us both for the individual Lonesome George and for the fact that we lost this subspecies forever.

It also was an interesting thing here because it kind of reinforced the importance of the work we do and the future and trying to ensure that no other species or subspecies are lost in Galapagos. And the timing itself is interesting, as we have an international workshop planned for next week that is convened by the Galapagos National Park and part-organized by Galapagos Conservancy to discuss the tortoise situation on all of the islands and look at the next 10 years of research and management leading to better tortoise population restoration throughout the archipelago.

Have you been able to restore the populations to any extent?

turn 2 : "it kind of reinforced the importance of the work we do and the future and trying to ensure that no other species or subspecies are lost in Galapagos." This turn has a metaphorical meaning. It means that the death of Lonesome George highlighted the significance of preserving endangered species and preventing their extinction.

What did the death of Lonesome George reinforce?

Answer: Preservation


Hi, Lulu. Thanks for having me.

So Bashar al-Assad, the president, it seems has prevailed with Russian and Iranian support. Only one major rebel area remains. Has he won?

Well, it depends how you define victory. He has, for the moment, won the right to stay. And it does seem like the world, in many ways, wants to sort of normalize his presence. But I think it's pretty clear that it's not a victory of any real kind.

And the damage that has been done and that has been wrought does not appear to be facing any kind of true reconciliation or any kind of true reckoning. There's a lack of justice. There's a lack of accountability. And there's the presence of an incredible amount of impunity.

Well, take me into Syria. What are people feeling there now after these eight long years?

turn 0 : The person was not had, but was invited for the interview.

Which word describes how the person was invited for the interview in turn 0?

Answer: Invited


Absolutely. And that's on the left and on the right. You have your most liberal members of the House and Senate and your most conservative members of the House and Senate essentially joining hands coming 360 on this thing and saying we're all the populists here. We're not the centrists. We're not the establishment. We're speaking for the angry little guy. And there's some irony in that perhaps, and some discomfort when, you know, you look over and see who you're in bed with on this thing. But politics makes that kind of bed fellows, and we're certainly seeing it in this particular context.

Ron, we only have a few seconds left, but both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain voted for the provision. Is that good enough cover for them I guess during the campaign?

Well, it certainly makes it less of a presidential issue, and that had been a big problem, frankly, in the politics of it last week. Once you inject the White House contest into this, everything kind of tends to blow up.

That was NPR's senior Washington editor Ron Elving. He joined me from our headquarters in Washington, D. C.

turn 2 : The implication is that the Presidential contest will make a difference to this issue but that it is not literally going to be injected.

How will the Presidential contest affect the issue?

Answer: Less


Sure, you don't want the whole - that to be the second sentence of every every paragraph about you.

O'CONNELL: Yeah, Billie Eilish, who has Tourette's syndrome. . .

Right, which since I announced it, which I only announced it because I was, like, this needs to be cleared up. And of course, I said in that thing that I don't want it to define me or be who I am or whatever. And of course now, it's everything everybody talks about all the time. So it's great. And people keep asking about me about it in interviews.

O'CONNELL: (Laughter).

turn 2 : (3) implies that the speaker is annoyed that the announcement about their Tourette's syndrome has become the focus of attention, even though they had only announced it in order to clear things up.

What is the reason for the PersonA's annoyance in turn 3?

Answer: Focus


That's an essential mineral.

That's a big left turn for me. OK.

So we're going to - just a little pinch in there. I think that's nice. And then a little ice. And then we'll give it a little shaky-shake (ph), and then I'll pour you a drink here.

It's very pretty.

turn 3 :  (4), the speaker is commenting on something that is described as "very pretty." The literal meaning of the turn is that the speaker finds the thing being referred to visually attractive. However, the implied meaning of the turn is unclear and could depend on the context of the conversation. The turn could be a sincere expression of admiration, or it could be a polite or perfunctory comment that does not reflect the speaker's true feelings. Alternatively, the turn could be sarcastic or ironic, indicating that the speaker does not actually find the thing being referred to as attractive as it may seem.

How did the speaker describe the thing being referred to in turn 3?

Answer: Very


If you stand outside the old DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur, Ga. , you can't miss the 30-foot-tall obelisk erected there in 1908. It's a monument to Confederate soldiers, and its inscription calls those men part of a, quote, "covenant keeping race," praising them as men of virtues in peace and in war.

Well, as of this month, there's now a contextualizing plaque alongside that obelisk. It reads, in part, this monument and similar ones were created to intimidate African Americans and limit their full participation in the social and political life of their communities. That marker was approved by vote of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. And county Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson joins us to talk about that decision.

Welcome to the program.

Thanks so much, Melissa. I am happy to be here.

The original vote by the county commission was to remove that Confederate obelisk, but ultimately, that ran up against a state law in Georgia. What does that state law say?

turn 2 : You may not actually want to be here.

Which turn implies that the speaker is questioning the willingness of the guest to participate?

Answer: Welcome


So let's note this is the beginning of the idea of America going out into the world to make the world a better place by force when that seems to make sense to Americans. But there's also the identity of the individuals themselves. What did the personnel of the Rough Riders suggest to Americans about who America was?

Well, this is one of the ironies because one of the things that Roosevelt talked about and one of the things that he valued about the Rough Riders was this was not just his idea about American masculinity but also what in his mind was diversity, but within a very narrowly prescribed idea about what diversity was. They were all white. There were a few Native Americans who were in it. But there were - you know, there were no African Americans. There were there a couple of Hispanics.

But it was this idea of, well, that's what America is. And it was a very prescribed, very male, very white identity. And it linked up with, you know, I think a very chauvinistic idea about what we do with our military. I think this is all intertwined.

What do you mean about what we do with our military?

turn 0 : America thought it could make the world better by force

Which idea did Roosevelt value about the Rough Riders?

Answer: Diversity