NPR

Last night as I was driving the long drive home from western North Carolina, I happened upon an NPR station. I got really into NPR while driving across the US because I enjoyed the programs and was able to stay in touch with the news. I probably knew more about what was going on around the world and in the US then than I do now. My love of NPR faded away when I returned home because I was not able to get a station at home or in the car (Another reason why high speed internet at home could change my life).

So I listened to the news. I listened to an interesting piece about a world-class harmonica player (i love harmonicas). I listened to a frightening piece about robotics and war. Did you know we send drone pilots to drop bombs on people - even in civilian developments (with good insider knowledge of the location of people of interest)? I am bothered by this. I knew we had drone pilots in reconnaissance and spy planes. It seems there are no rules or regulations about this sort of thing. Whats next armies of robots? Look Clone Wars here we come. The Empire will rise again.

Then I listened to a fascinating guy talk about mushrooms. You can listen too until February 4th (be warned it is an hour). He covered all kinds of topics like how mushrooms can restore the environment and reduce fire hazards of forests. How mushrooms can be used to remove and then harvest toxic metals from the soil. Ho mushrooms can absorb radioactive materials, which can then be harvested. How mushrooms can be used to make ethanol and make soil at the same time (as opposed to corn which depletes the soil and makes lots of waste and then makes ethanol). I actually got dinner and went back to sit in my car so I could continue to listen to this guy. He knew every sort of angle that mushrooms could be used and are be tested. Mushrooms are anti-viral and anti-bacterial and they are testing them for cancer treatments (currently not as effective as chemo) and against other diseases and there are some that are great at curing TB and other that can be used to cure small pox and other poxes. Granted he is sort of a tree-hugging hippie who has smoked some shrooms, but he is also an amazing scientist who knows his stuff. I think we could use more guys like this trying to save the world.

And I think more people should listen to NPR. It's way better than watching the news.