Podcast
How would you describe the pandemic? Today we describe it with poetry. Whether it’s expressing anger, hope, or excitement, poetry paints the picture of the COVID-19 pandemic in ways social media posts and cable news never can.
We feature three poems:
We also feature musicians who wrote original songs about the pandemic:
With a lot of conflicting info about the coronavirus, many are asking: What info can we trust? In this podcast episode, neuroscientist Dr. Jason Shepherd helps us navigate fact vs. crap with coronavirus science. Dr. Jason Shepherd is a professor of neurobiology and, most recently, he wrote an article that went…viral…called: Misinformation Goes Viral. We also take an opportunity to answer listeners’ questions about COVID-19. Also, check out Dr. Jason Shepherd’s TEDMED video about how ancient viruses are to thank for our brain’s ability to have memories.
Stay tuned after the episode to hear some “quarantunes” written by listeners Dave Spackman and Eric Smith.
We all know about physical hygiene, but what about emotional hygiene (especially during a pandemic)? In a time where all our lives have been disrupted, therapist Keri Dyer helps us creatively navigate our emotional health. How are you coping with your stress and anxiety: binge-watching Netflix, eating junk food, overspending? In this episode, Keri Dyer gives us healthy ways of handling our emotions including: mindfulness, breathing exercises, and being playful with negative thoughts (playful? …you’ll see what we mean). For more emotional hygiene advice, watch our first podcast episode with Keri Dyer a few years back.
Also, we do a mini-feature at the end of this episode with Skylar Bennett, a co-founder of Tough Apparel. Tough Apparel was recently on Shark Tank where they showcased their iconic super-durable (and machine washable) Tough Tie. And most recently, they’ve pivoted to making fancy face masks. Check out Tough Apparel’s story and their ties, belts, socks, and masks at toughapparel.com
For the next few episodes in this season, we’re featuring coronavirus-themed original songs, submitted by listeners. And in this episode we’re kicking it off with “Six Feet Away” by Becky Burr and the Bluegrass Boys. You’ll find the video version of this parody love song on YouTube or on the Un-Uninformed Facebook Page.
How quickly should we open up the economy? We answer big questions like this with Andrew Dougherty (a.k.a. Big Daddy Dough), who is a macro-economist for China (and rapper). We tackle questions from listeners across the world such as: How will the US/China relationship be affected by this pandemic? How will the total lockdown in India affect their economy? How should governments respond to the pandemic?
In this episode you’ll hear two songs that Big Daddy Dough wrote while in his 14-day quarantine in Hong Kong: Quarantine Rap and Quarantine Room Service Breakfast Song. You’ll also hear a song from his parody rap/hip hop album that was featured in this podcast back in 2017.
We also talk about ways we can come together in this pandemic. Please consider donating to this GoFundMe Campaign which helps a humanitarian organization provide food for people in Indian slums. These are people who are unable to afford food with India’s total lockdown. $10 will feed a family for a week!
Also, here’s how YOU can be part of the podcast:
When San Diablo Churros had to halt all their churro catering services due to the pandemic, Scott Porter saw this as an opportunity. He combined forces with two other local food startups to create the Quarantine Survival Kit. This kit, available for delivery, features San Diablo’s famous churros, tostadas from Sobe Eats, and gourmet sodas from Thirst Drinks.
In this podcast interview, host Sean Sevy munches (quite audibly!) on churros and tostadas while Scott Porter talks about how his company strives to celebrate human connection amid pandemic. So it’s not just food he’s delivering in the Quarantine Survival Kits, it’s an experience. Oh, and the kit comes with a board game!
If you’re local to the greater Salt Lake area, you can get a Quarantine Survival Kit delivered to you by clicking here. But for the rest of you, San Diablo Churros now offers a take-and-bake churro kit on their website that can shipped anywhere in the US.
Scott Porter is just one example of someone creatively “COVID-19-ing.” How are you COVID-19-ing? In other words, how are you creatively navigating a new norm? If you have a cool story about how you are COVID-19-ing, Un-Uninformed Podcast wants to hear about it. Call and leave a voice mail at 513-INFORM-U.
In this new season, our goal is finding meaning while “COVID-19-ing.” In other words, how are we navigating this new normal? We’ll hear from our expert guests and YOU (that’s right, you the listener…see below). Listen to this episode to get a 13-minute preview of the season ahead!
Part I: Upcoming episodes:
Part II: How you, the listener can be part of the conversation:
True or False: Watching the news makes the world a better place for you. Many say this statement is definitely false because it seems the news just makes people depressed, angry, and polarized. So what if the news actually equipped viewers with ways to solve the problems they report on?
In this episode we are joined by Alicia Gettys who is out to change the way we view the news. She’s a producer of a new web series called Solution Time which addresses the solutions to the biggest world problems. They address some big issues: homelessness, poverty, drug abuse–without leaving viewers feeling hopeless. And they even pull it off with a little humor along the way.
Check out their newest episode on Veteran Homelessness at: SolutionTime.tv
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also reach out to us on FaceBook, Twitter, or you can leave us a voicemail or text at 513-INFORM-U.
Are voters choosing their politicians or are politicians choosing their voters? In one week, Utah voters have the opportunity to weigh in on this question. In this episode we’re talking about something called gerrymandering: when politicians rig the system by choosing their own boundaries for re-election. We talk to Blake Moore, a co-chair of the coalition called Better Boundaries, which is advocating for the ballot initiative to have an independent committee draw the borders for congressional and legislative districts, rather than the politicians themselves doing it. We also talk to Utah State Senate Majority Leader Ralph Okerlund, who wrote the official opposition to this ballot initiative known as proposition 4.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also reach out to us on FaceBook, Twitter, or you can leave us a voicemail or text at 513-INFORM-U.
In a little over a week, thousands of Utahns will be voting on bringing medicaid expansion to Utah. Medicaid expansion is part of the Affordable Care Act that brings medicaid to thousands of additional Americans than were initially covered. But states can opt out of this expansion. Utah is one of those states. That’s because Utah legislators saw that this expansion has a few costs. Now that medicaid expansion is a ballot initiative in Utah, voters get to ask themselves: Are the benefits worth the costs?
In this episode, we talk about the benefits and costs of medicaid expansion. We talk with RyLee Curtis with Utah Decides Healthcare in support of this proposition as well as Representative Robert Spendlove who opposes the initiative.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also reach out to us on FaceBook, Twitter, or you can leave us a voicemail or text at 513-INFORM-U.
This November, Utahns are voting on an initiative to legalize medical marijuana. This, of course, is a point of controversy. Supporters say it’s about time we help people suffering with conditions that can be helped by marijuana. People opposing this initiative say it goes too far.
Over the last few weeks leading up to the November elections, Sean Sevy set out to interview the top-dogs for the coalitions both for and against this marijuana initiative known as proposition 2. This podcast episode starts out with an interview with Connor Boyack, the President of the Libertas Institute which helped draft the initiative. Following this interview, we interview Jim Jardine who is on the executive committee for Drug Safe Utah, a coalition opposing proposition 2. In this second interview, we get breaking news of a huge plot twist in this entire medical marijuana debate. Give this a listen and you’ll see what we mean.
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In this new mini-season we’re talking about some hot issues: medical marijuana, medicaid expansion, and gerrymandering. Un-Uninformed is based in Salt Lake City, Utah where these three big issues will be on the ballot for this November’s midterm elections. So if you’re not a Utah voter–go ahead and not listen to this if you are fine being uninformed about these issues that will show up in your state soon if they haven’t already.
With only a few weeks left until midterms in the US, follow Un-Uninformed to get informed on these big issues. We’re talking to the top-dogs who are heading up campaigns both for and against these ballot initiatives. We’ve laid out these big issues so both Utahns and non-Utahns can have a clue on what’s going on when they go to the polls or just talk to their friends.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also follow us on FaceBook and Twitter.
We’ve seen our society be polarized over: democrat vs. republican, Christian vs. Atheist, black vs. white, etc., etc. The overarching issue here is something called tribalism. It turns out that tribalism is part of human nature as our brains categorize our world into two groups: the Us and the Them. So what do we do about it?
In this episode, Elizabeth Gamarra talks with Sean Sevy about the nature of tribalism and how we can overcome the natural tenancy to form polarizing tribes.
Elizabeth Gamarra and Sean Sevy shared the stage at TEDx Salt Lake City last year. If you would like to watch their videos, check out these links:
Human Mobility: A Uniting Journey of Perspectives | Elizabeth Katherine Gamarra
How Engineering Can Revolutionize Global Development (with toilets) | Sean Sevy
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“Whether you are a gun-lover, gun-hater, or someone in the middle, no one can deny that gun violence is a terrible plague on American society.” This is a line from the book Guns and the Law, which was written by two law professor on opposite sides of America’s gun debate: Andrew McClurg (pro-gun regulation) and Brannon Denning (pro-gun rights). So what are some of the solutions to the gun violence in America? In this episode, we talk to these two professors about some of the solutions they’ve posed in solving America’s gun problem.
Although both McClurg and Denning often hold opposing opinions on this issue, they both agree that the solution does not lie in the extremes. They are not calling for gun prohibition nor do they call for more guns as a solution. So what are the solutions? Take a listen to find out.
This is part 2 of our discussion on guns in America. If you haven’t checked it out yet, listen to part 1 here.
For more on McClurg and Denning’s book Guns and the Law, you can preview the first chapter on Amazon here.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also follow us on FaceBook and Twitter.
Talking about gun rights and gun control almost always triggers a heated debate. Almost always. In this episode, Sean Sevy talks with two law professors who are on opposite sides of the gun debate: Andrew McClurg (pro-gun regulation) and Brannon Denning (pro-gun rights). Not only can these two talk about guns passionately without strangling each other, but they even managed to co-write a book about the gun debate.
In this episode, we talk about the benefits of guns, the costs of guns, and we get an in-depth look at the intent of the 2nd Amendment.
For more on McClurg and Denning’s book Guns and the Law, you can preview the first chapter on Amazon here.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also follow us on FaceBook and Twitter.
Last week we talked about how the opioid epidemic kills more Utahns than guns and car wrecks combined. Now, with Part 2 of this discussion, we talk about some of the solutions to the opioid epidemic. Does the solution rely on doctors? Patients? We also talk about some of the benefits of a drug called naloxone, which can save the life of someone who just overdosed. So is there hope? Angela Stander Ito from the Utah Department of Health says: yes.
For more info on Utah’s opioid epidemic, visit opidemic.org
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In Utah, opioid overdoses have killed more people than car accidents and gun deaths combined. In this episode we talk about the origins of the opioid epidemic both in Utah and throughout the nation. Joining us is Angela Stander Ito from the Utah Department of Health to give us some of her insights as she fights on the front lines of this epidemic.
This is Part 1 of a 2-part series on the opioid epidemic. Part 2 will air next week, where we will be talking about some of the solutions to this epidemic.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also follow us on FaceBook and Twitter.
We all know that some companies make it and some don’t. But then there are those few companies that kick butt when it comes to being extremely successful and implementing radical innovation. There’s a science behind all of this. Joining us on this episode of Un-Uninformed is Dr. Sunnie Giles who has dedicated her research to this science. In fact, her new book is called The New Science of Radical Innovation. In this interview, Dr. Sunnie Giles gives Sean Sevy some of the secrets from her book on how to become a leader that can create a company as successful and innovative as Google.
Dr. Sunnie Giles’ new book is coming out April 10, 2018. For more information on purchasing this book, click here.
Also, Sean Sevy has done a book review on the book. Check it out here.
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After a three-month break, Un-Uninformed is back with a new season that will knock your socks off. Here’s what you have to look forward to:
This is going to be an awesome new season of Un-Uninformed. But it would be awesome-er if you contributed to the conversation by asking us your questions. Leave us a voice mail or text at 513-INFORM-U.
If you’re liking Un-Uninformed, subscribe in your podcast app. You can also follow us on FaceBook or Twitter.
Almost a quarter of the people in the world are Muslim. But how much do we really understand Islam and Muslim culture here in America?
Joining us in this episode is Maysa Kergaye, the coordinator for the Islamic Speaker’s Bureau here in Salt Lake City, Utah. She frequently reaches out to the community in helping people understand her religion and culture. But not only does she talk about being Muslim, but about her unique experience being Muslim in Utah (which state is often known for its Mormon majority). It turns out, she’s found so much in common with her Mormon neighbors that she can’t think of a place she would rather raise her family. Join us in this conversation where we talk about religion and culture and dispel a few rumors.
Many of the greatest conflicts in our world have been attributed to religious differences. So if religion has often been attributed to the cause of conflict, is religion creating world peace, or destroying it?
To answer this question we attend the Global Peace and Spiritual Life Lecture Series where the keynote speaker is Elder D. Todd Christofferson, an Apostle from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
But we also bring in another prominent voice on the show: the late John Lennon, who imagined a world of no religion as a means of having world peace.
So is religion destroying world peace or creating it? Listen to an Apostle and a Rock Star and we’ll let you develop your own opinion.
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