What was served at the REAL first Thanksgiving?
CultureCast
Thanksgiving is a time when we pretty much know what's going to be on the dinner table. It's almost religion that we have turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce. But here's some hard truth: almost NONE of that was on the table at the first thanksgiving in 1621. CultureCast food editor Sasa Woodruff is here to blow our collective minds!
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How to help migrant children separated from their parents
CultureCast
A number of organizations are helping migrants at the border, and here are ways for you to donate to help: The Texas-based — offers free legal help to families. for Immigrant Children’s Rights advocates for unaccompanied minors. provides legal representation to migrant children. represents entire families that cross the border. (Photo courtesy: on Flickr / Immigration protesters in )
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The man who predicted digital 'hell'
CultureCast
In 1995, presidential advisor John Eger predicted a digital "hell," in which the internet fueled social divisions and spread misinformation. We talk with Eger about how he could predict our current problems with such accuracy, his proposed solutions, and predictions for the next 20 years.
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The human toll of migrant family separations
CultureCast
The human toll of migrant family separations, undertaken by the Trump administration, is beginning to emerge in testimonies submitted to federal court. We hear excerpts. We are also looking at new summer food trends from the croissushi to freak shakes. (Photo Courtesy: Nina Robinson / BBC World Service)
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Nazis and fascism: The sobering rhetoric entering our cultural discourse
CultureCast
The forced family separations at the US-Mexico border have evoked comparisons to dark periods of recent human history in the US and elsewhere. A London-based human rights expert tells us about whether the comparisons are fair, and the danger signs around the world. Also, Michelle Obama offers words of inspiration to counter the dark events causing consternation.
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The baroness and her viral video
CultureCast
Baroness Janet Fookes of Britain's parliament appears in her first interview about an unlikely viral video from a BBC appearance in 1970, in which her interviewers were widely viewed as being sexist.
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The Parkland school shooting: should we blame video games?
CultureCast
On this episode: mass shootings and the media. After the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, one idea for change has gained ground: restricting children's access to violent video games and movies. We explore the history of that idea and how it's different this time. We also look at how the news media is debating whether its coverage of mass shootings has been too sanitized.
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"Ready Player One" and "Warcross": One a Spielberg movie, one not
CultureCast
CultureCast book editor Loretta Williams focuses on novels "Ready Player One" and "Warcross," which are getting a lot of comparisons to one another. "Ready Player One" was adapted by Steven Spielberg into a movie. The sci-fi story tells of a future dystopia with virtual reality at its center. "Warcross" is a similar story with a heroine as its protagonist.
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Christmas foods from Christmas songs; How to make GOOD fruit cake
CultureCast
The myths of candy canes origins... Figgy pudding... Wassail... and the dreaded fruit cake and how to make it actually good!
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Women finding their voice
CultureCast
At a time when we're asking women to 'speak up,' Michelle Obama talks about how we can cultivate women's voices at a young age. We also meet women voices, LITERALLY -- the all-female a cappella group La Caccina and their director Carling FitzSimmons.
info_outlineAn unlikely video has gone viral online -- sparking debate over whether it is an example of the type of sexism women have had to battle for generations or an innocent relic of its time.
The video is of a 1970 BBC interview with Janet Fookes, at the time a newly-elected member of Britain's parliament. In it, the interviewers seem more interested with the lawmaker's personal life and looks than her opinions and politics.
The video has inspired recent news stories. But no one has heard from the subject of the video: Janet Fookes.
On our latest episode, the Baroness Fookes of the UK's House of Lords joins us for an extended interview about that BBC appearance five decades ago, her sudden Internet celebrity, and her assessment of women's progress over the decades.