Why Are People Banning Books in Schools? Above The Noise 2022-05-04 | A lot of books are getting BANNED lately, especially those that focus on LGBTQ youth or the impact of racism. We all know books can be powerful, but many parents and politicians argue we need to protect kids from content they think is too mature, or even harmful. But what if you are LGBTQ or a person of color and these books reflect your lived experiences? For info on where to get free banned books or start your own banned books club, go to the Banned Books Book Club: bannedbooksbookclub.comSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBS** What are book bans and where are they happening? Books are being banned everywhere. A new American Library Association report says there were more than 330 “book challenges” in the fall of 2021. That's more than double the reports from 2020. Book challenges are basically when citizens request that it be banned from libraries and schools. Also, as it stands today there are a bunch of states that have introduced efforts to ban books, an Oklahoma state senator filed a bill to ban books that deal with really any aspect of sexuality, and in Texas, State Representative Matt Krause put over 800 books on a watch list. Also, it’s not just politicians; book bans are often organized by local chapters of conservative parent groups like Moms For Liberty and No Left Turn in Education. They argue that what students read about sexuality and race should be up to the parents, it's their right to choose how they raise their kids.** What's the history of book bannings? Taking a look back to 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin is probably the best-known example of banning a book in the U.S. The book shows the horrors of slavery, so it’s no surprise pro-slavery people called for the book to be banned and called it “pro-abolitionist propaganda.” Some historians point to it as one of the most influential books banned in the United States and some historians think the book was a catalyst for the civil war. Fast forward to the 1960s, folks were obsessed with banning what we now consider classics like J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” for things like language, sex, violence, and drugs, or Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” for its depictions of rape and language some even challenged it for being immoral, and even Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” which was challenged for rape and molestation but also for being anti-white.** Who’s impacted the most by banning books?If a student identifies with the character or the story from a book that's being banned, how does that shape how they see themselves? People who disapprove of these books consistently point to explicit sexual content, language, or ideas that their kids can’t handle because they’re too young as the reason for trying to ban books. But in practice, does banning these types of books just end up silencing non-white and non-heteronormative voices? A lot of the books being banned focus on LGBTQ+ stories and characters or People of Color, and sometimes the intersections of those groups. How do we protect students and children while making sure they see themselves in books or can see experiences and cultures they may not otherwise be exposed to?SOURCESnytimes.com/2022/01/30/books/book-ban-us-schools.htmlvox.com/policy-and-politics/22914767/book-banning-crt-school-boards-republicansteenvogue.com/story/students-protest-book-bansvox.com/culture/22918344/banned-books-history-maus-school-censorship-texas-harold-rugg-beloved-huck-finn-dr-seussharrietbeecherstowecenter.org/harriet-beecher-stowe/uncle-toms-cabinTEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussionsAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.00:00 - 01:03 - Intro to topic01:03 - 02:45 - What's going on with book bans today?02:48 - 04:34 - What's the history of banning books?04:58 - 08:12 - Who is most impacted by banning books? #bannedbooks #bookbans
How Your Brain Tricks You Into Negative Thinking Above The Noise 2023-07-19 | Ever find yourself in a negative thinking spiral? Of course you have! It’s human nature. Cognitive distortions aka thinking traps– are basically exaggerated or irrational negative thought patterns that can lead us to believe things that aren’t necessarily true. In this video, Myles Bess breaks down some common thinking traps and some tips on how to manage these this type of thinking. Co-produced with Common Sense Education in collaboration with Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education.SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV **What are cognitive Distortions?Cognitive distortions aka thinking traps are mental shortcuts that our brains take to help us process the world around us. They tend to be negative and irrational thought patterns– and engaging in this type of thinking is totally common and just the way our brains work. One theory for why we tend to think in this way is that we are programmed for survival, and focusing on worst-case scenario thinking has an evolutionary advantage. But when left unchecked cognitive distortions can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.**What are some common cognitive distortions?Psychologists have identified many different cognitive distortions, but this video focuses on these five:All or nothing thinking – with all-or-nothing thinking there’s no room for nuance– things are usually all bad or all good and you aren’t able to see the middle ground. If your thoughts have words like “never” “all” “always” “everyone” or “no one” you might be engaging in all-or-nothing thinkingLabeling – Labeling is when you put a negative label on yourself– I’m an idiot, I’m a loser, etc. Mind-Reading - Mind-reading is when you think you know what another person is thinking or why they behaved in a certain way. One little action can get totally blown out of proportion.Negative Filter - Negative filter happens when you only focus on the negative thing and ignore all the positives of a situation.The Fallacy of Shoulds - The fallacy of shoulds describes when you make up random, arbitrary, or unreasonable rules for yourself. Like, in order to be a good friend I should reply to my friend’s text right away– and if I miss a text then I’m a bad friend.**What are some tips to help challenge cognitive distortions? There’s a whole field of therapy dedicated to helping people identify, and process thinking traps as an intervention for things like PTSD, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. It’s called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (or CBT). However, just recognizing these types of thoughts can go a long way in helping you deal with them. To help you begin to recognize these thoughts– psychologists recommend watching tv and identifying when characters engage in that type of thinking. Once you recognize the thought, you can try to search for evidence that goes against that thought or come up with alternative thoughts to the thought you are having. Selected Sources: How to Recognize and Tame Your Cognitive Distortions (Harvard Health)https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-recognize-and-tame-your-cognitive-distortions-202205042738#:~:text=Cognitive%20distortions%20are%20internal%20mental,cut%20down%20our%20mental%20burdenCognitive Distortions: Unhelpful Thinking Habits (Psychology Tools)psychologytools.com/articles/unhelpful-thinking-styles-cognitive-distortions-in-cbt/#:~:text=Cognitive%20distortions%20were%20first%20noted,cognitive%20behavioral%20therapy%20(CBT)CBT for Teens: How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works (Newport Academy)newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/cbt-treatmentCognitive Distortions: 22 Examples and Worksheets (Positive Psychology)positivepsychology.com/cognitive-distortions15 Cognitive Distortions to Blame for Negative Thinking (Psych Central)psychcentral.com/lib/cognitive-distortions-negative-thinkingThe Evolved Basis and Adaptive Functions of Cognitive Distortions a (British Journal of Medical Psychologyproquest.com/openview/0b0d67db2dddaeee710c53a2744bf613/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=26543CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:53 What are thinking traps?2:17 All or Nothing Thinking3:28 Labeling3:51 Mind reading4:38 Negative Filter5:38 Fallacy of Shoulds6:43 Tips for reframing cognitive distortions#cbt #mentalhealth
To Bean Or Not To Bean: Is Coffee Helping Or Harming You? Above The Noise 2023-06-14 | Everyday the entire world is constantly consuming the same drug! That’s right – caffeine – with coffee being one of the most popular forms of delivery here in the U.S. WATCH Are Energy Drinks Really That Bad? youtu.be/5l0cjsZS-eMSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbstwitter.com/ATN_PBS *What is caffeine?*Caffeine is a psychoactive/psychostimulant drug that is found naturally in many types of plants. Caffeine is typically safe for consumption within appropriate doses. Despite being labeled as a drug, caffeine is generally not considered to be addictive. However, here in the U.S. caffeine use has become ingrained in our work culture, leaving many of us dependent on it.*How does caffeine affect your brain?*Ever wonder why you feel sleepy? Well, the chemical responsible for that feeling is called adenosine. While you go through your day, your brain is constantly creating it to help promote sleep activity. Caffeine as a chemical actually prevents adenosine receptors from absorbing the adenosine you produce. However, this doesn’t stop you from producing adenosine, which explains the crash many of us get after the effects of caffeine start fading.*Is Coffee healthy for you?*Well that mostly depends on you. As of right now, research shows that, for the most part, coffee is healthy for you. However, as with everything pertaining to diet, this is on a case-by-case basis. Coffee itself is a chock-full of polyphenols – a.k.a antioxidants – which can help prevent and repair oxidative stress you receive by living your life. Caffeine is also a polyphenol that has neuroprotective qualities. The trouble that most people have with coffee is with caffeine content itself. Everybody has different levels of caffeine tolerance, meaning that a healthy dosage of coffee or caffeine is different for everyone. A few clear signs that you have consumed too much caffeine are things like heart palpitations, jitteriness, anxiety, etc…*What role has caffeine/coffee played in work culture?*You could argue that during the industrial revolution, coffee was almost as valuable a resource as coal or oil was. It was the fuel to get the common worker through their day without keeling over in the middle of their shift. It wasn’t always like this though. The bean itself has seen a lot of use throughout human history as a form of medicine. In the 1400’s the method of brewing coffee was finally discovered. Literally revolutionizing the world, for better or worse playing a key part in both the American and French revolutions, as well as the industrial revolution. SOURCESCaffeine Classificationncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519490/#:~:text=Caffeine%20is%20a%20naturally%20occurring,widely%20taken%20psychoactive%20stimulant%20globally.Caffeine effects on childrenarchives.nida.nih.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2021/04/childhood-caffeine-exposure-may-negatively-affect-cognitive-functioningCaffeine Guidelinesaacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Caffeine_and_Children-131.aspx#:~:text=At%20this%20time%2C%20pediatricians%20advise,those%2012%2D18%20years%20oldCoffee Nutritionhttps://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coffee/The world’s most used psychoactivepubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9889511CHAPTERS0:00 Intro1:04 The Bean & What It Means To Human History3:24 Your Brain & Body On Coffee 6:23 Coffee: Dependence Or Addiction?#coffee #caffeine
Mind Control: How Apps Use Design Tricks To Hook You Above The Noise 2023-06-07 | Ever find yourself losing track of time while you’re on your phone? Well, that’s not by accident. Our favorite apps are intentionally designed to keep us on them as long as possible so tech companies can gather data from us about what we like and engage with. But what design tricks are these app companies using, and what is the impact on us??SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS*What are design tricks?*Design tricks are the ways tech companies use user interface design features to grab our attention. This can be a number of things such as; infinite scroll (scrolling that never ends)sound notifications, the heart or thumbs-up icon that appears when you like a post, the text bubble that pops up when someone is typing, and many more.*History of UX design*In the 90’s as a graduate student at Stanford, BJ Fogg ran the first-ever series of experiments to discover how computers could change people’s attitudes and behaviors. The idea behind Fogg’s work is that computers can be designed so that they influence the behavior of the people who use them. This is called “User Experience,” or UX, for short. Around the same time, Google was discovering if they analyzed search history, they could help with spelling errors in searches as they continued to explore this data they realized it had surprising power to predict things about us. *The Impact of design tricks*Design tricks are used to keep people on their devices for as long as possible so tech companies can collect user data that they can sell to third-party companies for profit. It’s a big part of how companies make their money. However, these tricks aren’t just keeping us glued to our devices; they can also heavily influence our thoughts and ideas about ourselves and the way we see the world around us. This can be especially true for younger people who have grown up having so much access to information with social media. Selected Sources:commonsensemedia.org/research/teens-and-mental-health-how-girls-really-feel-about-social-mediatheatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/facebooks-dangerous-experiment-teen-girls/620767pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/24/teens-and-social-media-key-findings-from-pew-research-center-surveysvox.com/recode/22351108/dark-patterns-ui-web-design-privacyvox.com/2018/8/8/17664580/persuasive-technology-psychologyvox.com/vox-conversations-podcast/2022/2/8/22910773/vox-conversations-johann-hari-stolen-focusfastcompany.com/90849616/its-way-too-late-to-stop-tiktokedu.gcfglobal.org/en/digital-media-literacy/why-we-cant-just-pick-a-movie/1https://www.deceptive.design/Timestamps00:00 Intro to design tricks00:58 Background02:30 Business model driving design tricks04:05 Mental health impacts05:20 Steps towards accountability#uidesign #socialmedia
Unbelievable News: We Just Won an Emmy! 🏆 Above The Noise 2023-06-05 | Journalist, host, and EMMY AWARD WINNER!!! Above the Noise host Myles Bess took home an Emmy at the 52nd Northern California Area Emmy Awards on Saturday night for his episode "Why Are People Banning Books In Schools?" The Above the Noise team has spent nearly a decade together producing content that educates and informs youth and challenges the status quo. When one of us wins, we all win.WATCH THE WINNING EPISODE HERE: youtu.be/FFJMpihW1y4
Does Social Media Lead To Social Conformity? Above The Noise 2023-05-04 | Is social media encouraging conformity -- or is it a way for us to express our individuality? SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS **What is conformity?**We’re all social creatures who want to be accepted by the people around us. For that to happen, we need some level of conformity, which is when we change our behavior to fit in with the people around us. We humans are some serious copycats. It comes in handy when we need to make a decision without enough information. Society ITSELF relies on conformity. Stopping at red lights, standing in lines, putting our trash in a trash can, wearing a suit and tie, politics, and even certain aspects of religion. The list goes on and on. Conformity really kicks into high gear when puberty hits. There’s this biological push to separate ourselves from our parents and develop our own identity that better aligns with our friends. And for a lot of young people, social media is where a lot of this identity formation can happen. **How does social media contribute to conformity?**You might think that having millions of people interacting with millions of different ideas and photos and videos would increase individuality and creativity, but there’s this little psychological concept called groupthink that can do the opposite. Research has shown that the larger the group, the more the people in that group tend to think alike. You might start out with a bunch of different and unique ideas and opinions, but only a small subset of those ideas will actually filter up to the top and get noticed. Our brains are subconsciously pushing us to reach group consensus. And social media can lead to so many other pockets of conformity that I’m sure you’ve heard of, like echo chambers, where we’re only hearing the same perspectives and opinions that reinforce what we already believe. You also got performative activism, where people pretend to support a cause because it’s trendy or gets them likes.**So is social media just some giant conformity factory that has us all trapped?**Nope! Social media, the very thing that can supercharge conformity, plays a big role in how we shape our own individual identities, especially in young people with developing brains. We’re signaling to others who we are by the photos we post, the info we share – and we can use this to influence how other people perceive us. One big part of creating an identity – for better or worse – has to do with social comparison. Like, when you think about your friends, how do you measure up? Are you more successful or less successful? Are you better-looking or worse-looking? It all taps into another psych concept that social media can exploit. It’s called reflected appraisal. It’s when we think about ourselves in the same way we think other people think about us. Social media might be screaming at us to conform, but if we’re able to be more authentic when using it, we can tap into our REAL interests, instead of the algorithm dictating to US what our interests are. In the end, conformity isn’t all good or all bad. It depends on how and why we’re conforming. Is it mindless participation, or are we actively choosing something that aligns with what we value? CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:52 What Is Conformity, Really?2:33 Your Brain On Conformity3:22 The Role Of Social Media6:40 Creating IdentitySOURCESWhy Imitation Is at the Heart of Being Humanhttps://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_imitation_is_at_the_heart_of_being_humanThe Brain Science of Conformitywsj.com/articles/the-brain-science-of-conformity-1492722013Relationship development in teensstanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=relationship-development-90-P01642Benefits and Costs of Social Media in Adolescencepublications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/140/Supplement_2/S67/34168/Benefits-and-Costs-of-Social-Media-in-Adolescence?autologincheck=redirectedOpposing Effects of Oxytocin on Overt Compliance and Lasting Changes to Memorynature.com/articles/npp2014273The power of groupthinknature.com/articles/s41467-020-20037-y?utm_sourceEcho chambers in social networkshttps://www.eui.eu/news-hub?id=echo-chambers-in-social-networks-how-to-eliminate-the-spread-of-misinformationAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. #socialmedia #identity #conformity
What REALLY Happens To Our Old Electronics? Above The Noise 2023-04-12 | Check out Two Cents and the PBS Earth Month Playlist: youtube.com/watch?v=qd2ansbh6Lk&list=PLzkQfVIJun2J5q9CIXPAlL95FSb0tJul7&index=84America tosses out tons of old electronics every year. Literally! Around 6.92 million tons in 2019 alone and a lot of that e-waste contains toxic chemicals, things like lead and mercury. If those are not handled properly, they can contaminate the environment and cause serious health issues... So what actually happens to all that hazardous e-waste? You might not like the answer...Basel Action Network: ban.orgE-stewards recyclers: e-stewards.org/find-a-recycler**What is e-waste?E-waste is basically anything with a plug or battery that you don’t want/ need anymore. It’s your old electronics. And the bad news is that a lot of that stuff contains toxic materials like lead, mercury, and brominated flame retardants. If this waste just gets tossed in landfills or burned in incinerators it can contaminate the environment and cause serious health issues. Smoke from burning e-waste is very toxic.**What happens to our old electronics?If you take your e-waste to a collection site or recycler, then those electronics are likely taken to a recycling facility and processed there. E-waste is tricky to recycle because there are so many different types that all contain a different mix of materials, some of which is toxic. At a recycling facility, it’s often sorted, and data is deleted from devices. Some devices or components can be refurbished or reused, while others will be processed. This can mean that parts like metals and plastics can be separated out, and then sold to smelters to go back into manufacturing. But, sometimes recyclers end up shipping old electronics overseas to developing countries– where they do not have strict environmental and safety standards. This exposes workers and the environment to those toxic substances, which has created massive environmental and health problems. The World Health Organization estimates that 18 million children work at these dangerous e-waste dump sites around the globe.**What should you do with your old electronics?Dropping your electronics off at an e-stewards certified recycler is one of the best ways to ensure your e-waste won’t go overseas and will be handled responsibly. E-steward-certified recyclers have pledged to not ship their stuff overseas, and handle the waste in an environmentally sound way. They have surprise inspections to make sure they are doing so.What is a circular economy?A circular economy is the opposite of designing for the dump. Instead of extracting raw materials from the earth, making something, and then dumping it when you’re done with it, you would reuse and recycle materials and use those materials in the manufacturing process so that you are generating less waste and extracting fewer raw materials from the earth. E-waste recycling is part of the circular economy.SELECTED SOURCESStaggering E-waste Statistics 2023 (Toner Buzz)tonerbuzz.com/blog/e-waste-facts-statisticsWhat is E-waste? (Global E-Waste Statistics Partnership) globalewaste.org/what-is-e-wasteThe Importance of Cell Phone Recycling (Repowered)getrepowered.org/importance-of-cell-phone-recycling/#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20will%20buy,that%20are%20discarded%20every%20year.Planned Obsolescence (Consumers International)consumersinternational.org/news-resources/blog/posts/built-to-fail-is-planned-obsolescence-really-happeningChildren and Digital Dumpsites (World Health Organization)https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240023901A New Circular Vision for Electronics (World Economic Forum)www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_A_New_Circular_Vision_for_Electronics.pdfGlobal Transboundary E-waste Flows 2022 (United Nations)ewastemonitor.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Global-TBM_webversion_june_2_pages.pdf00:00 Intro?00:40 What is e-waste?01:22 Why is there so much e-waste?02:54 Where does all our e-waste go?05:49 e-stewards recyclers and ERI06:57 A circular economy07:58 Solving the e-waste problem#earthday #environment #ewaste
Why Is Gen Z Rejecting the U.S. Military? Above The Noise 2023-03-30 | The U.S. military faced a historic recruitment crisis in 2022, failing to meet goals for enlisting new soldiers by a wide margin. Why are so many young people saying no to military service?WATCH Should Cops Be In Schools? youtu.be/1ZaZLDZIu8wSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS **Is the U.S. military facing a recruitment crisis?All branches of the U.S. military except for the Marine Corps failed to meet their recruiting goals for new soldiers in 2022, with the Army having the biggest shortfall (they missed their target by 15,000). This is reported to be the worst recruiting crisis since 1973, the height of the Vietnam War. **Why is Gen Z rejecting the U.S. military?More than 20% of people between the ages of 18 - 25 failed to meet eligibility requirements, and only 9% of people in this age group even report interest in joining the military. Most experts agree that the crisis is caused by competition from other jobs that offer good pay and benefits, and Gen Z’s lack of trust in the military as an institution. Much of that lack of trust is caused by greater access to information about sexual assault, racism, homophobia, and a growing lack of interest in the military lifestyle. **How does the U.S. military recruit new enlists?For most of U.S. history, the military has relied on mandatory conscription (aka, the “draft”) every time there has been a major war. But youth protests against the Draft reached a peak during the Vietnam War, leading to the end of the draft in 1973. Since then, the military has relied upon an all-voluntary force - forcing them to increase recruiting efforts. Since the 1970s, the military has increased its spending each year on ads and recruiters. Many of these recruiters visit high school and college campuses. More recently, the military has focused its marketing efforts on social media influencers and e-games to reach more young people.**What is the JROTC?The U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) calls itself a “character development and citizenship program for youth,” not a military recruiter. The National Defense Act of 1916 established organized JROTC programs at public and private educational institutions. In 1964, Congress expanded the program to all military services and changed from active duty to shared support from the services and schools. But the JROTC creates a direct pipeline for enlistment, and their programs are especially prevalent in low-income school districts that serve students of color - and recent reports show that students are often enlisted in JROTC without their express consent. SELECTED SOURCESArmy misses recruiting goal by 15,000 soldiers (Army Times, Oct. 2022)armytimes.com/news/your-army/2022/10/02/army-misses-recruiting-goal-by-15000-soldiersFall 2021 Propensity Update (U.S. Department of Defense)jamrs.defense.gov/Portals/20/Documents/YP51Fall2021PUBLICRELEASEPropensityUpdate.pdfMilitary Esports: How Gaming Is Changing Recruitment & Morale (U.S. Department of Defense, Dec. 2022)defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/3244620/military-esports-how-gaming-is-changing-recruitment-moraleHow 2020 is Impacting Gen Z's Worldview (Morning Consult, June 2020)morningconsult.com/form/gen-z-worldview-trackerDemographics of the U.S. Military (Council on Foreign Relations, Jul. 2020) cfr.org/backgrounder/demographics-us-militaryThousands of Teens Are Being Pushed Into Military’s Junior R.O.T.C. (New York Times, Dec. 2022)nytimes.com/2022/12/11/us/jrotc-schools-mandatory-automatic-enrollment.htmlMilitary Recruitment Provisions Under the No Child Left Behind Act: A Legal Analysis (Congressional Research Service, Jan. 2009)https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc743656/m1/1/high_res_d/RS22362_2009Jan29.pdfOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (United Nations, May 2020)ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/optional-protocol-convention-rights-child-involvement-childrenCHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:59 - History of military recruiting in the U.S.01:58 - U.S. military recruiting tactics today03:00 - Why Gen Z is rejecting the U.S. military04:13 - Racism within U.S. military 05:00 - What is the JROTC?06:24 - Benefits of joining the military07:17 - Ethics of recruiting minors into the military07:25 - No Child Left Behind Act and student data collection07:35 - UN Convention on the Rights of the Child09:18 - Alternatives to military service10:10 - U.S. military recruitment goals 2023#military #militarylife #recruiting
Is Lab-Grown Meat The Answer To Our Meat Eating Problems? Above The Noise 2023-03-15 | Is Lab-Grown Meat The Answer To Our Meat Eating Problems?Gene Editing & CRISPR: How Far Should We Go?youtu.be/wnlJ6dRfPFgSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS **What is lab-grown meat and how is it made?**Instead of growing the entire animal, lab-grown meat allows you to only grow what you're going to eat, and that happens with cells. You grab some cells from the animal through a tissue biopsy, and then you can isolate and separate out the specific cells that you want. Then, you immerse those cells in a nutrient broth and that gives them all the nourishment that they need to grow and survive. And they’re housed in what’s called the bioreactor. The bioreactor controls all of the environmental conditions to facilitate and promote their growth. So as the cells grow in the bioreactor, they get to larger and larger numbers, and you can achieve almost an infinite number of cells from this process. Then, you separate the cells from the broth and form into a 3D shape that looks similar to a cut of meat, and that is what you eat on your plate.**What’s the point of growing meat in a lab**We have a meat problem. We raise BILLIONS of animals every year, and for many of them, the conditions are pretty terrible. AND the whole process is a big contributor to climate change in 3 big ways. Number 1 is land use and carbon dioxide.The earth’s surface is mostly water, and only a fraction of the land can be used to grow food. And most of THAT land is either grazing land for animals or land used to grow food to FEED the animals. We’re actually cutting down forests to make MORE space so we can eat MORE meat. And that’s a problem, because trees capture CO2, which you probably know is a BIG contributor to climate change. So, the more we eat meat, the fewer trees grow, and more CO2 escapes into the atmosphere. Number 2 is fresh water. Raising animals for meat takes a LOT of fresh water – and that’s a finite resource. That means we can run out. Pound-for-pound, raising meat takes a lot more water to grow than a non-meat source of protein like soy.Number 3 is greenhouse gasses coming from the animals themselves. They’re constantly emitting carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, both of which contribute to climate change. Cattle are the WORST, because, well, cow burps! Each year, a single cow will belch about 220 pounds of methane, which doesn’t stay in the atmosphere as long as CO2, but is WAY WORSE when it comes to warming the atmosphere.SOURCES6 Pressing Questions About Beef and Climate Change, Answeredwri.org/insights/6-pressing-questions-about-beef-and-climate-change-answeredBreakdown of global land use todayourworldindata.org/land-use#Fact check: How bad is eating meat for the climate?dw.com/en/fact-check-is-eating-meat-bad-for-the-environment/a-63595148Cultivated meat: Out of the lab, into the frying panmckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights/cultivated-meat-out-of-the-lab-into-the-frying-panPer capita red meat and poultry consumptioners.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=103767#:~:text=The%20latest%20USDA%20forecast%20indicates,per%20capita%20retail%20weight%20basis.Beef: The “King” of the Big Water Footprintswatercalculator.org/news/articles/beef-king-big-water-footprintsCows and climate changehttps://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/making-cattle-more-sustainableAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:56 How Lab-Grown Meat Is Made3:27 Cooking Lab-Grown Chicken4:04 The State Of Lab-Grown Meat4:47 How Traditional Meat Hurts The Environment7:22 Lab-Grown Meat Isn't Perfect
Uncovering The Dark Side of Highways: Its Impact On Communities Above The Noise 2023-03-09 | How did the U.S. Interstate Highway System hurt low-income communities of color?Watch our full episode here: youtu.be/ow5NMC5CqckThe United States was still racially segregated at the time of highway expansion in the 1950s and 60s. Communities of color were not prioritized when some of these choices of where to place highways were made. Black and white communities were largely divided, and many of the highways were literally built around Black neighborhoods, isolating those communities away from the rest of white America. This also led to displacement as some highways were built right through neighborhoods, tearing down housing and businesses displacing and destroying Black communities as they weren’t protected and considered as politically valuable as wealthier white communities were.#Shorts #highways #environment #racism
The Secret Ways Highways Are Killing Us Above The Noise 2023-03-01 | Highways are everywhere in America and are a big part of our everyday lives -- but is their presence shortening our lives? Myles Bess explores the health impacts of freeways and looks at removing them as a potential solution.Watch: "The Psychology of Parasocial Relationships" youtu.be/OdcEyj8s0h8SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS What is the history of the highway system in the U.S.?Short answer: former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He had seen examples in his early career of highways in America, but it wasn’t until WWII when he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe that his dream of an interstate highway system really started to take shape. While stationed in Germany he saw how the allies used Germany's ~Reichsautobahn~ (their high-speed roadway system) to move goods, supplies, and people super efficiently, helping them nearly win the war. His thinking was that Americans need highways to get around, be evacuated in case of an emergency like war, or move supplies in case of a war. So after becoming President, he passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. By the ’90s there were 45,000 miles of road built.How did highways segregate and displace communities of color?The United States was still racially segregated at the time of highway expansion. Communities of color were not prioritized when some of these choices of where to place highways were made. Black and white communities were largely divided, and many of the highways were literally built around Black neighborhoods, isolating those communities away from the rest of white America. This also led to displacement as some highways were built right through neighborhoods, tearing down housing and businesses displacing and destroying Black communities as they weren’t protected and considered as politically valuable as wealthier white communities were.What is environmental racism?Now that we know how, why, and where the highways were placed, what impact are they having on us today? Environmental racism is racial discrimination in environmental policy decisions. Looking at Oakland and Los Angeles as examples, we see that folks who live closer to highways have higher exposure to the pollution which can cause an array of health problems such as asthma, other respiratory issues, lower life expectancy, and potential developmental delays for children.What are potential solutions to highway pollution and displacement?Many cities across the U.S. have removed portions of freeways or have announced studies to look into removing them. One argument that’s always brought up is that removing highways could increase traffic, or commuting would be worse somehow. However, most projects are only talking about removing a portion of a highway-- not the entire thing-- and typically the highways being proposed for removal aren't used as heavily as other portions of the highway or are in poor condition. There's also the question of reparations: how do we compensate the communities most impacted who are still dealing with the effects of highway expansion today? In 2022, President Biden proposed 1.9 billion dollars in grants to fund “Neighborhood Access and Equity” as part of the Inflation Reduction Act to help rebuild communities impacted by highways and infrastructure. While it remains to be seen how this funding will be distributed and implemented, it is considered an important step towards progress by many affected communities.Selected Sources:npr.org/2021/04/07/984784455/a-brief-history-of-how-racism-shaped-interstate-highwaysnytimes.com/interactive/2021/05/27/climate/us-cities-highway-removal.htmllatimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-11-11/the-racist-history-of-americas-interstate-highway-boom edf.org/airqualitymaps/oakland/health-disparitiesncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8011332portofoakland.com/files/PDF/Air%20Pollution%20and%20Health%20Risks%20ACPHD.pdf00:00 Intro00:39 History of highways in America01:58 How were Infrastructure choices made03:28 Environmental Racism Impacts04:55 Removing Highways as a solution06:00 Mandela Parkway #highways #pollution #environment #urbanplanning 06:31 Reparations for communities impacted by highways
Are Parasocial Relationships Healthy...or Harmful? Above The Noise 2023-02-22 | Do you feel a special connection with a celebrity or famous person? You might be in a parasocial relationship. Myles Bess explores the psychology of parasocial relationships and seeks to answer the question: Why do some people have them and are they harmful?Watch "Is Autism a Disorder or a Difference to Be Celebrated?" youtu.be/dtckq9qOvEQSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS *What is a parasocial relationship?*Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships where one person spends all this time and energy on another person, usually someone famous like an actor, musician, athlete, or influencer, and that second person has no idea the other person even exists. They’re pretty common.*Why do some people form parasocial relationships?*There are a few different ideas for why some people might form these bonds. One theory is called parasocial attachment theory, which suggests that forming parasocial relationships has a lot to do with your attachment style. Attachment styles describe how you relate to people and it’s thought to be influenced by how you bonded with your caregivers when you were young. People with avoidant attachment styles tend to not form these types of relationships, whereas people with more anxious and secure attachment styles tend to have a wider variety of parasocial relationships.*What are some benefits of parasocial relationships?*Parasocial relationships can actually help motivate positive changes and well-being for some people. The tween and teen years in particular are a time when people tend to form parasocial relationships, and some research suggests those relationships can help with identity formation and autonomy. Some research has found that when celebrities share their mental health struggles, can motivate people to seek out information about mental health and make people feel like they are part of an in-group that might have similar struggles. Additionally, some research suggests that parasocial relationships can actually help decrease prejudice and stereotypes. *What are some of the downsides of parasocial relationships?*Parasocial relationships can be problematic if they interfere with or take the place of real-life relationships. For example, research has found that they can contribute to anxiety, loneliness, and social isolation, especially if they involve social media. And there’s research that suggests that intense parasocial relationships can be linked to addiction to social media platforms. And if someone feels a parasocial connection to someone who displays problematic or negative behavior or traits, then that person might also pick up some of those things as well.SELECTED SOURCESWhat are Parasocial Relationships (Medical News Today)medicalnewstoday.com/articles/parasocial-relationshipsParasocial Relationships: The Nature of Celebrity Fascinations (Find a Psychologist)findapsychologist.org/parasocial-relationships-the-nature-of-celebrity-fascinationsWhat are Parasocial Relationships (Psych Central)psychcentral.com/health/parasocial-relationshipsWhat is attachment theory? (VeryWell Mind)verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337New Thriveworks research shows abundance of parasocial relationships in the US (ThriveWorks)thriveworks.com/blog/research-parasocial-relationships/#:~:text=New%20research%20from%20Thriveworks%20shows,in%20real%20life%20(IRL).The relations between YouTube addiction, social anxiety and parasocial relationships with YouTubers: A moderated-mediation model based on a cognitive-behavioral framework (Humans and Computer Behavior)sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563219301827The role of media figures in adolescent development: Relations between autonomy, attachment, and interest in celebrities (Personality & Individual Differences)https://www.academia.edu/1951577/The_role_of_media_figures_in_adolescent_development_Relations_between_autonomy_attachment_and_interest_in_celebritiesCHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:40 What is a parasocial relationship?1:47 History of parasocial relationships?2:47 Parasocial attachment theory3:59 Potential benefits of parasocial relationships 5:48 Potential drawbacks of parasocial relationships6:46 Parasocial relationships and human nature
Private Jets Vs the Environment | #shorts Above The Noise 2023-01-26 | Are private jets really that bad for the environment? Watch our full episode on this topic -- youtu.be/3hg2rzbYimAPrivate jets are getting a lot of hate from climate activists, but the truth is aviation as a whole only accounts for about 2.5% of global CO2 emissions. But the big problem with private jets is that just a small number of people are responsible for A LOT of the CO2 emissions that come from flying. To learn more about the environmental impact of private jets and some policy proposals aimed at keeping them in check-- check out our longer video on the topic and let us know what you think!#privatejets #climatechange #carbon
Are Private Jets REALLY Bad for the Environment? Above The Noise 2023-01-18 | Would taxing private jets help the fight against climate change? Myles explores the data on private jet emissions and how much they contribute to climate change.Check this out, too! How Beavers are Fighting Climate Change: youtu.be/juFtc_xAjKY*What causes climate change?*Since the Industrial Revolution– we’ve been burning more and more fossil fuels like gas for cars, or natural gas and coal for electricity. And all this releases tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, which is a problem because CO2 is a “greenhouse gas.” Greenhouse gases are molecules that trap heat in the atmosphere, which leads to an overall warming effect on the planet. CO2 isn’t the ONLY greenhouse gas, there’s methane, nitrous oxide, and some others in the mix. AND burning fossil fuels isn’t the only way greenhouse gasses are released into the atmosphere. BUT CO2 currently accounts for the greatest warming. And since the late 1800s when global average temperatures have increased by about 1-degree celsius and this overall warming has had a huge impact on the climate causing things like more severe droughts, water scarcity, wildfires, floods, melting of polar ice, and sea level rise. And if we want to keep climate change from getting WAY worse, we need to reduce our CO2 emissions.*How much carbon dioxide do private jets emit?*A private jet can emit 2 metric tons of CO2 in just one hour. For comparison, the average car emits about 4.6 metric tons in an ENTIRE year! And private jet use is gaining in popularity. In 2021, there were over 3.3 million private flights. One report estimates that in 2016, private jets emitted about 33.7 million tons of CO2. For comparison, Denmark, a country with 5.5 million people emitted 27 million tons of CO2 in 2020. And private jets are five to 14 times MORE POLLUTING than commercial airlines on a per-passenger basis. When it comes to private jets there’s a disproportionate amount of CO2 coming from a very small group of people who can afford this luxury. *What to do about private jet pollution?*Some people are calling for a straight-up ban on private jets, which is getting some traction in places in Europe. Since trains have a much lower carbon footprint, France has already banned commercial short-distance flights when there are train routes available. Others think we should heavily tax private aviation and use those taxes to invest in greener private jet technologies– which could help reduce the environmental impact of private jets.SELECTED SOURCESPrivate Jets: Can the Super Rich Super Charge Private Aviation? transportenvironment.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021_05_private_jets_FINAL.pdfClimate Activists in at least 13 Countries Protest Private Jets nbcnews.com/science/environment/climate-activists-least-13-countries-protest-private-jets-rcna56666Private Jet Use is More Popular Than Ever cnbc.com/2022/07/19/private-jet-use-is-more-popular-than-ever-and-first-time-buyers-are-driving-record-sales.htmlThe global scale, distribution and growth of aviation: Implications for climate change sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378020307779#Climate Change And Flying ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions-from-aviationCarbon emissions of richest 1% set to be 30 times the 1.5°C limit in 2030 oxfam.org/en/press-releases/carbon-emissions-richest-1-set-be-30-times-15degc-limit-2030Celebs with the Worst Private Jet Emissions (Yard)weareyard.com/insights/worst-celebrity-private-jet-co2-emission-offendersClimate Change in US Will Hurt Poor People The Most (CNBC)cnbc.coCHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:50 Popularity of private jets1:36 How much CO2 do private jets emit?2:14 Private Jets and climate change4:23 Policy ideas for private jets5:18 Conclusion
Beavers on the Brain Above The Noise 2022-12-15 | Did you know that beavers are the largest rodents in North America? And they have ORANGE TEETH? Learn more about their amazing climate change fighting powers in our full episode: youtu.be/juFtc_xAjKY#beavers #climatechange #ecosystem
How One Dude Fooled The World Into Believing A Vaccine Caused Autism Above The Noise 2022-12-07 | There is a ton of autism misinformation out there, but one of the most damaging is the totally debunked claim by Andrew Wakefield that the MMR vaccine causes autism. But, once misinformation is out in the world, it’s REALLY hard to reel it back in, and the myth still persists to this day. Learn more about Autism and its history here: youtu.be/dtckq9qOvEQ#autism #neurodiversity #pbs #kqed #abovethenoise
Is Autism A Disorder Or A Difference To Be Celebrated? Above The Noise 2022-12-07 | Is Autism A Disorder Or A Difference to Be Celebrated?Take the PBS Digital Studios annual survey! http://to.pbs.org/2022SurveyWhat If You Take ADHD Drugs But You Don’t Have ADHD?youtu.be/6_49BC6_UUgSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS **What is autism?**If you look up the definition of autism, you’ll get something like this: autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that can affect how people behave, communicate, interact, and learn. The OFFICIAL diagnosis goes by ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder. But, there’s no one look or symptom you can point to and decree – this person has autism! It exists on a spectrum, meaning it shows up differently depending on the person.**What is neurodiversity?**The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that everyone’s brain develops in a unique way. That’s how we get the concept of neurodiversity, which is the idea that there is no one, universally accepted definition of what a “normal” brain is. It basically focuses on how the kinds of behaviors we consider “normal” vary depending on the culture we live in. When someone behaves as expected by their society, they can be considered neurotypical. Most of society is built around how neurotypicals go about their day. But as I’m sure you know, there are tons of people who don’t fit in with how society expects them to be. This includes many people with brain-base disabilities like autism, ADHD, Tourette’s – the list goes on. Many of them consider themselves neurodivergent.**What is the difference between the medical model of disability and the social model?**Most disabilities have historically been viewed through the lens of the medical model. Using this view, a disability is something that needs to be fixed or cured. Like, if someone needs to get into a building, but that person is in a wheelchair, they need to adapt in order to get up the stairs to get through the door. The social model, on the other hand, focuses more on how the environment can be adapted to better fit the person. Using this model, you would build a ramp, so the person in a wheelchair could get into the building.SOURCESAutism spectrum disordernature.com/articles/s41572-020-0146-4The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversityjournalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/myth-normal-brain-embracing-neurodiversity/2015-04Why the focus of autism research is shifting away from searching for a 'cure'nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/cure-autism-not-so-fast-n1055921Clearing Up Some Misconceptions about Neurodiversityblogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/clearing-up-some-misconceptions-about-neurodiversityHistory of autism. The beginnings. Collusions or serendipitychrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1244751.pdfIt’s time we dispelled these myths about autismbbc.com/future/article/20151006-its-time-we-dispelled-these-myths-about-autismThe Vaccine-Autism Myth Started 20 Years Ago.time.com/5175704/andrew-wakefield-vaccine-autismAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:59 The Concept of Neurodiversity2:12 Neurodivergent vs Neurotypical5:33 History of Autism7:12 Medical Model vs Social Model#autism
How Beavers Are Helping Fight Climate Change Above The Noise 2022-11-30 | Beavers are dam-building, furry little cuties but did you also know that these adorable rodents can help protect landscapes from wildfires and drought and fight climate change?Watch "Can Wildlife and Humans Co-Exist In Cities?" youtu.be/sE0ebSGDltwSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitterinstagram.com/abovethenoi… twitter.com/ATN_PBS *How do Beavers mitigate climate change?*Beavers are a keystone species - any organism, from animals and plants to bacteria and fungi that play a crucial role in holding a habitat together. A beaver's main goal in their habitat is to make a pond for themselves to live in. They do so by building a dam and digging a bunch of little canals out from their ponds. What they are really doing, though, is slowing down the flow of water. This not only helps them survive, but it also benefits humans. The slowed-down water has time to sink into the soil and spread out into the floodplain. And so when things like drought or forest fires happen, there's more stored water in the earth that prevents fires from spreading.*Beaver History*There used to be a BUNCH of beavers on this continent; there were anywhere from 100 to 400 million beavers here before the European fur trade and colonial settlements. But between colonizers building homes near streams and wetlands and also the fact that most Europeans thought beavers were pests and only valued them for their fur, beavers nearly went extinct, with their population shrinking by 90%.*Coexisting w/ beavers*Many Indigenous communities here in the U.S. have always known about the positive impacts of beavers. Today, some tribes are working with local governments to help restore beaver populations and building artificial logjams to encourage beavers to come back. Humans and beavers are very similar, so sharing a territory with an animal like that challenges our human desire to be in control. This can be tricky but beavers are just doing what they’re on this earth to do: something that Indigenous people have recognized for years as necessary to human-nature balance. So going forward how do we humans adapt our environment to include beavers and all that they do?Selected Sourcesnrdc.org/stories/keystone-species-101scientificamerican.com/article/the-beaver-emerges-as-a-climate-solving-heronrdc.org/resources/beavers-natures-wetland-ecosystem-engineerssfchronicle.com/climate/article/California-beaver-17421023.php?sid=5ad93b982a077c56b0777fbd&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headlines&utm_campaign=sfc_morningfixnbcnews.com/news/world/hunted-extinction-england-s-first-wild-beavers-400-years-allowed-n1236023hcn.org/articles/wildlife-klamath-tribes-want-beavers-back-in-the-beaver-stateyakimaherald.com/sports/outdoors/unprecedented-salmon-recovery-funds-to-benefit-yakima-basin-projects/article_0cae59b2-3e98-11ed-b190-7b019001a3d6.htmlaudubon.org/news/a-world-without-beavers-world-without-wildlife-we-lovesmithsonianmag.com/science-nature/taking-nuisance-beavers-out-suburbs-can-help-save-salmon-180977491latimes.com/california/story/2022-09-07/california-launches-beaver-restoration-program-to-fight-climate-changeeducation.nationalgeographic.org/resource/keystone-speciesmotherjones.com/environment/2022/09/beavers-wildfires-wetlands-conservation-flooding-publicistChapters: 00:00 Intro01:05 How do Beavers fight climate change?02:41 Beavers and Carbon03:00 Keystone Species03:45 Beavers through History05:12 Ecological Amnesia05:46 Indigenous communities and Beavers7:00 Coexisting with Beavers#beavers #climatechange #biodiversity
Thanksgiving Facts Native Americans Want U 2 Know #shorts Above The Noise 2022-11-24 | Many Americans celebrate today as a day of family, feasting and gratitude. But for many Native Americans, the way the history behind the holiday is taught is problematic. For some, it’s considered a national day of mourning.What are some ways we can acknowledge and understand this history? #thanksgiving #indigenous #nativeamerican
4 Things Natives Want U 2 Know #shorts Above The Noise 2022-11-21 | If you have any big takeaways this #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth, it should be that Indigenous Peoples are still here! Misconceptions about #IndigenousPeople have existed within media for decades, but now more than ever, we're seeing communities push back against outdated stereotypes and misinformation.This is a great time to begin amplifying, listening, and learning from Indigenous voices, and a reminder to continue this work even after November is over.#AboveTheNoise #PBSDS #PBS #KQED #IndigenousIssues #NativeAmerican #NAHM
What is the Indian Child Welfare Act? #shorts Above The Noise 2022-11-10 | If ICWA is ruled unconstitutional it will undermine the previously acknowledged tribal sovereignty of over 573 federally recognized Native tribes.Indigenous community members note it's important for Indigenous children to stay connected to their culture to strengthen their identity and sense of belonging.
How CEOs Are Buying Political Influence | #shorts Above The Noise 2022-11-07 | Lobbying is a $3.7 Billion Industry. Lobbyists get paid to try to convince lawmakers to adopt or oppose policies on behalf of their clients. There are thousands of different groups that have lobbyists either working directly for them or hiring lobbyists from lobbying firms. And these groups can range from big corporations and trade associations to public interest nonprofits. Learn more about how lobbying works here: youtu.be/nhNsb6tVAI0#democracy #lobbying #corruption
How Does Lobbying REALLY Work? Above The Noise 2022-11-02 | Are lobbyists really as bad as their reputation?Is the Electoral College Killing the Democratic Process? youtu.be/8eVnaTYfROUSUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS**What are lobbyists?Lobbyists get paid to try to convince lawmakers to adopt or oppose policies on behalf of their clients. There are thousands of different groups that have lobbyists either working directly for them or hiring lobbyists from lobbying firms. And these groups can range from big corporations and trade associations to public interest nonprofits. **Are lobbyists bad?Lobbying itself is generally thought of as a fundamental right guaranteed by the first amendment in the constitution as the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. At its core, lobbying is just a way for citizens to engage with lawmakers on issues that are important to them. Most of the critiques around lobbying have to do with how money is involved. It’s really expensive to run a political campaign, and one way that lobbyists can get facetime to talk to politicians is to throw big fundraisers for them, and lobbyists themselves can actually donate to political campaigns. And most of the biggest spenders on lobbying represent business interests. This raises equity issues about what types of organizations can afford to hire lobbyists and ultimately whose voices influence policy. **How does lobbying work?A lot of lobbying is building relationships with politicians and finding out who has the interest and power to help with your cause. And money isn’t the only currency in lobbying, politicians also pay attention to how many people are calling their offices and care about an issue, how many people are sending emails or writing notes about an issue. Getting facetime with politicians and their trusted advisors is extremely important when it comes to lobbying,**Do lobbyists for non-corporate causes ever win?*Yes, even though corporate interests outspend public interest groups– lobbying can still work to bring about change that isn’t necessarily pro-business. For example, The Nature Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit successfully lobbied for congress to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is a pot of money reserved for conservation efforts to offset environmental damages caused by the oil and gas industry. SELECTED SOURCESLobbying (The National Museum of American History)https://americanhistory.si.edu/democracy-exhibition/beyond-ballot/lobbyingHow Corporate Lobbyists Conquered American Democracy (The Atlantic)theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/04/how-corporate-lobbyists-conquered-american-democracy/390822Gold-Level Clubs for Lobbyists (Politico)politico.com/news/2022/08/11/campaign-clubs-lobbyists-00050939Top Spenders on Lobbying 2021 (Open Secrets)opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-spenders?cycle=2021Midterm Election Spending (Open Secrets)opensecrets.org/news/2022/09/2022-midterm-election-spending-on-track-to-top-9-3-billionBig Pharma Went All In to Kill Drug Price Negotiations (Kaiser Health News)khn.org/news/article/big-pharma-oppose-drug-pricing-negotiations-historyTesting Theories of American Politics https://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/mgilens/files/gilens_and_page_2014_-testing_theories_of_american_politics.doc.pdfFighting Special Interest Lobbyists Power Over Public Policy (Center for American Progress)americanprogress.org/article/fighting-special-interest-lobbyist-power-public-policyAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:56 What are lobbyists?1:47 Lobbyists and money2:32 Lobbyists for businesses4:50 Environmental lobbying7:50 Conclusion#lobbying #lobbyists explained
Stressed About Voting in the Midterm Election? #shorts Above The Noise 2022-10-31 | Voting for the midterms have you stressed? No worries! Myles has got you with these last-minute voting tips! Have you voted yet? Let us know. If you want more detailed civics content, be sure to check out our long-form playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBtTC9WRs2VmaPJHQn5hMu_usoWtfEiJM#vote #election #midterms2022
Just Say No And The War On Drugs #shorts Above The Noise 2022-10-28 | In the 1980s, Nancy Reagan started her "Just Say No To Drugs" campaign, and President Ronald Reagan turned the war on drugs up to an 11. Penalties for nonviolent drug offenses became much harsher. How did that affect everyday U.S. Citizens?Watch: "Why is D.A.R.E. Back in Schools?" youtu.be/6WMHuWMVNY0#AboveTheNoise #PBS #KQED #shorts
Share or BEWARE: Misinformation and Disinformation #shorts Above The Noise 2022-10-25 | Misinformation and disinformation don't have to be scary--if you have the tools to resist them. Cheyenne Bearfoot (our social engagement producer) and Vincent Yandall (our production intern) are kicking off #medialiteracy week with a few tips for you!#AboveTheNoise #PBS #KQED #medialiteracy #medialitwk
Why Is D.A.R.E Back in Schools? Above The Noise 2022-10-19 | If "just say no" didn't work 30 years ago, can it really work today?Is Marijuana Actually Medicinal? youtu.be/WbIauaBdQHE SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS**What is DARE?**DARE stands for drug abuse resistance education. It brings cops into classrooms to teach students drug prevention, with the prevailing belief being that any amount of drug use, no matter how small, is harmful to the individual AND to society. DARE began in the early 80s in LA, but by the 90s it had gone national in nearly 75% of all school districts. **Was DARE effective?**According to the science, not really. The “just say no” to drugs message AT BEST worked in the short term, but wore off within a year or two. At the end of the day, having students say “no” just doesn’t leave a lasting impact on most of them because they’re parroting back a message to an adult. It doesn’t mimic REAL LIFE situations where they’re gonna need to say no to friends and other students.**Is the new DARE of today a better version?**In 2008, DARE adopted a new school curriculum called “Keepin’ It Real”. Keepin’ It Real was developed at a university by researchers that study and understand drugs and addiction and how that stuff affects the adolescent brain. And it’s different from the old, zero-tolerance DARE in that it’s not about “just saying no” and instead is more focused on helping students with their decision-making skills. Cops have been re-trained so it’s more interactive and less based on lectures. And students can have discussions with other students. Studies conducted by the 2 researchers who created the program show it’s effective at reducing drug use and helping students resist peer pressure. But not everyone in the public health community is convinced the new DARE is much better than the old DARE. One peer-reviewed study came to the conclusion that the evidence is “weak” and that it “may not be suited for nationwide implementation.”**What is harm reduction?**It’s a new breed of drug education. It goes beyond just saying no. So like, if you DO say yes, how do you keep yourself as safe as you can? With harm reduction, how you measure success is different. It’s not, “Are students doing drugs less?” Instead, it’s how safe are they if they do drugs or are around drugs. So like, knowing how edible cannabis affects you vs smoking it. Or how to recognize the symptoms of an overdose and how best to respond to it. When harm reduction is taught well, it’s been proven to prevent death, injury, disease, overdose, and substance misuse. And one thing you WON’T find in harm reduction programs – cops – because you can’t really have cops saying “drugs are bad” and then a sentence later be like, “but this is how you can be safe if you DO use them.” It’s kinda like a conflict of interest.SOURCESWhy anti-drug campaigns like DARE fail https://www.vox.com/2014/9/1/5998571/... A brief history of DARE, the anti-drug program Jeff Sessions wants to revivehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/w...The New D.A.R.E. Program—This One Workshttps://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...Drug Education Curriculum Moves Beyond ‘Just Say No’ to Teach Harm Reductionhttps://www.edweek.org/teaching-learn... LESSONS FROM D.A.R.E.:THE COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH AND PRACTICEbja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/cci_dare.pdf Coming to the new D.A.R.E.: A preliminary test of the officer-taught elementary keepin' it REAL curriculumhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science...Truth and D.A.R.E.: Is D.A.R.E.’s new Keepin’ it REAL curriculum suitable for American nationwide implementation?https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/1... About KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro1:01 Origins of DARE3:05 What The Science Says4:21 The New DARE6:31 Harm Reduction#drugs #prevention #teens
Mental Health & School: Above the Noises Best of Compilation Above The Noise 2022-10-14 | School can be stressful. So can social life. And family, amIright? We made this compilation of some of our favorite episodes that address mental health issues that many students face as a reminder to reflect and take care of themselves.SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBS**Homework In High School: How Much Is Too Much?Work-life balance is something that many of us, not only students, struggle with. The current expectation of students within the United States is that they can attend class AND complete their homework, while still maintaining a social life. (Not even taking into account any extracurricular activities, jobs, hobbies, or unexpected events!). With the increasingly busy lives of students, homework is getting harder and harder for them to manage. We hear directly from students and teachers about their perspectives.**Why Is Gen Z The Loneliest Generation…Ever?A sense of belonging is critical to the health of students’ mental and emotional well-being. We unpack what actually happens in your brain when you’re experiencing loneliness with psychologist and TikToker, Dr. Justin Puder; and how to develop helpful strategies for students to navigate feelings of loneliness. The video also features students sharing their experiences and reflections on why Gen Z is so lonely, and how social media can both help with connection and make us feel more isolated. **Who Gets Imposter Syndrome, And How Do You Deal With It?Imposter syndrome is the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills. As we go through life we all have to deal with imposter syndrome in one way or another. The vast majority of individuals suffering from imposter syndrome don’t have the know-how to counteract these negative mental loops. This episode goes into detail about the 5 subgroups of imposter syndrome, why we suffer from imposter syndrome, as well as some useful advice to break from these mindsets. We also talk to a first-generation college student about his experiences with imposter syndrome, and how common feelings of “not being enough” can be for students who are the first in their families to attend college. **How Does Being Popular In High School Affect Your Future When you’re in high school, it can seem like being popular is the most important thing in the world. But what happens to people who are popular in high school after they graduate? When you are young the pressures of trying to be popular can weigh heavily on your shoulders. For some of us pursuing popularity is an all-consuming mission even to the point of detriment. We cover two main forms of popularity - status and likeability - and how they each have different impacts over the long run..TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussionsAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro00:40 - Homework - how much is too much?06:50 - Loneliness - how to cope with it?19:46 - Imposter Syndrome - tips for dealing30:22 - Popularity - different types and long term effects#mentalhealth #life #stressrelief #mentalhealth #school #students
Surprising Health News About Churros Above The Noise 2022-10-05 | Is there a dark side to eating churros? Watch our new season to find out about this and many other urgent topics!SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBSWe're launching a new season of Above the Noise, hosted by Myles Bess! Subscribe so that you get notified every time we drop a new episode. The trailer was written, filmed, and edited by our former intern, Alexander Gonzalez. Thanks, Alex!Our media ecosystem can be overwhelming. News notifications blast headlines, pundits yell from their soapboxes, companies lie to sell us stuff, and folks spread misinfo all over the Internet. There’s usually an agenda behind everything we see: financial, political, or promoting a worldview. It may be easier than ever to consume information, but it’s harder than ever to make any sense of it. But don’t worry…Myles has got you! He’ll be analyzing trending issues that most impact the next generation.TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussionsAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.#churros #asmr #asmreating
The REAL Reasons College Is So Expensive Now Above The Noise 2022-09-28 | There's a lot of hype around the high cost of college, and students are wondering where their money is going. Also watch: "Is Free College As Good As It Sounds?" youtu.be/ZeThhqpZ9oISUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBS**How did college get to be so expensive?After the passing of the G.I Bill, the U.S. government gave money to returning soldiers to pay for college. This means regular everyday folks could get a higher education instead of just wealthy people, which worked as the percentage of folks going to college grew from its signing up until a few years ago.**What is administrative bloat?After the pandemic forced at-home learning on many students, they started thinking about where exactly their dollars were going. Administrative bloat is a term used to describe when resources and money go to administrative positions instead of teaching positions. The Department of Education found that positions like college presidents, deans, and provosts grew by 60 percent between 1993 and 2009, which was 10 times the rate of tenured faculty positions. However, is that all bad? As college becomes more diverse and more competitive there is a higher need for positions in student services to ensure students have equal opportunities at succeeding.***How do cuts in state funding contribute to rising tuition?Beyond administrative bloat and increases in student services there’s been a trend of states cutting funding to schools and to make up for that decrease in funding the cost of college has risen thus increasing the amount of debt a student needs to take out to be able to pay for it. Women and minorities are taking the brunt of the debt as they on average have more than white borrowers. The high amount of debt students are accumulating is slowing down trademarks of being an adult and again has folks reevaluating if paying all that money is worth it for them.**What are some ideas for making college more affordable in the U.S.?President Biden announced canceling some debt for borrowers making under 125k a year. However, that doesn’t stop the cost of college from being extremely expensive for most folks out there. Other countries offer free college or tuition at a way cheaper price than here in the U.S but that means getting rid of some of the more glamorous things we associate with the college experience like living on campus for example. It also means potentially higher taxes for citizens, basically, a lot would have to change in the states for college to resemble what European countries are doing.TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussionsAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.TIME STAMPS00:00 - Intro00:53 - History of college as we know it today02:04 - Where are students' dollars going?03:11 - Administrative Bloat04:23 - Cuts caused costs of college to rise05:30 - Disportationate debt held by minorities and women06:40 - Free college like EU Countries?#college #studentdebt #highereducation #HASHTAGS
Can TikTok Be Good For Your Mental Health? Above The Noise 2022-09-21 | There’s a lot of noise on mental health TikTok, but there’s also some truly helpful info! We chatted with Dr. Patrice Berry for tips on how to get the most out of it. Be sure to check out her channel too: youtube.com/c/DrPatriceBerrySUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS**Is Mental Health TikTok actually good for your mental health?TikTok can be a great place to connect with people and feel seen, especially since it’s not exactly easy for everyone to just find a therapist and go to therapy. A long history of racial disparities in mental healthcare can make it especially hard for BIPOC folks to get care. But on TikTok, there are a lot of therapists sharing great info. But it’s also important to know that TikTok is not therapy. In order to get a proper diagnosis you have to be assessed by a mental health professional, and when you’re in therapy you can get individualized treatment plans, which TikTok obviously can’t provide. **What are some of the problems with mental health TikTok?Anyone can post something and claim that it’s legit info, when in fact it may not be. Often times stuff can be oversimplified or overly general, so it can be easy to walk away feeling like you’ve got the thing when you might not. **What are some tips for getting the most out of mental health TikTok?First, who is posting the content? An actual licensed mental health professional– someone who’s had specialized training in mental health– has more credibility than a life coach or a social media influencer. Also, how does the content make you feel? If you leave the app feeling hopeful or you’re finding beneficial information, then you’re likely engaging with content that works for you, but if you leave the app feeling bad about yourself, then maybe you need to reassess the type of content you are engaging with and don’t be afraid to just take a break from TikTok. It can be super easy to compare yourself to others and to take on other people’s struggles and burdens as your own.**Can I control what I see on TikTok?The TikTok algorithm serves you the type of content you engage with the most. So make sure you are only liking, sharing, and commenting on the stuff that makes you feel good or you find helpful. So actually leaving negative comments on a post you don’t like can actually boost that post– and you may end up seeing a lot of similar content. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Therapy directories:Www.psychologytoday.comwww.therapyden.comWww.inclusivetherapists.com The Youth Mental Health Project: ymhproject.org/resourcesSociety for Adolescent Health and Medicine: https://www.adolescenthealth.org/Reso...National Alliance on Mental Illness: https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Kid... SELECTED SOURCES:https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACA...https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhe...https://ct.counseling.org/2020/05/the...https://confluence.gallatin.nyu.edu/c...https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/... https://www.psypost.org/2022/03/misle... https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/new... https://www.mediamatters.org/tiktok/t... About KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Gilead Foundation, the Koret Foundation, the Stuart Foundation, Campaign 21 donors and members of KQEDCHAPTERS0:00 Intro1:13 Pros of Mental Health TikTok2:45 Misinformation on mental health on TikTok4:15 Tips for navigating mental health TikTok
C🌽rn and Media Literacy? Yes! | #shorts Above The Noise 2022-09-02 | 🌽 How has #medialiteracy helped you? Media Literacy is a 21st-century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with messages in a variety of forms -- from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy. If you want to sink your teeth into more buttery kernels of information, give us a SUBSCRIBE!Wanna improve your media literacy skills? We've got plenty of videos available on @AboveTheNoise, like these:How to Make Social Media Algorithm Work For YOU: youtu.be/tPqI0n44zP8Why Are Conspiracy Theories So Popular Online? : youtu.be/V5xHcok8WLYCan You EVER Win An Argument Online? youtu.be/DE6cKML2LPE
What Would Young You Think About You Now? | #shorts Above The Noise 2022-09-01 | It's little Myles! This trend was too wholesome for us to pass up. Just a reminder that your younger self would probably be really proud and excited to see where you're at today, so don't be so hard on yourself. And subscribe to @AboveTheNoise so you can catch all of our videos and help Myles get more views! Lol. Like our latest episode that investigates the pros and cons of the 4-day work week. youtu.be/mCgFBoolOw0
Why Do We Work 40 Hours A Week? Above The Noise 2022-08-24 | Why isn't a 32-hour week the norm already? The history behind the 40-hour work week and why we still have it.SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBS*How did the 40-hour workweek become the norm?*Let’s rewind back to the Industrial Revolution, where workers weren’t uncommon to put in 12-hour days, 6 days a week. Workers back then weren’t stans of this arrangement, which is what led to the labor movement. By the 1880s, the slogan on everyone’s lips: “eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for what we will.” In the 1920s, Henry Ford shocked the world by shortening the workweek for his assembly line employees down to 40 hours/week. And when the Great Depression hit in the 1930s, the U.S. Gov’t saw Ford’s shorter workweek as a way to fight the massive unemployment crisis – companies would need to hire more workers to get the job done. By 1940, a series of laws made the 40-hour workweek the norm in the U.S. And it’s been that way ever since*What’s the economic reasoning for switching from a 40-hour to a 32-hour workweek?*From 1979 to 2020, the productivity of the typical U.S. worker increased 62 percent, but the average pay only increased 17 percent. Companies were making more and more profit, but they weren’t sharing it with most of their employees. So where ARE all the profits going? Basically, 2 places. The salaries of people who are already in the top 20 percent, and shareholders who make money from owning company stock. The takeaway for many: if I’m not seeing the benefit to all this increased productivity, what motivation do I have to keep putting in 40 hours a week?*Has a shortened workweek actually been tried anywhere?*Yes! Iceland conducted a country-wide experiment to answer the question: what would happen if people worked fewer hours for the same pay? From 2015 to 2019, a little over 1 percent of the working population had their hours reduced from 40 hours a week to around 36 hours with no reduction in pay. Not exactly a 4-day workweek, but close. And it was a success. Productivity did not decrease, and most workers reported feeling happier, healthier, and more well rested.*Can the 32-hour workweek work in the U.S.?*It was easier to make happen in Iceland, where 90% of its workers are in unions, making it MUCH easier to bargain for a shorter workweek. Here in the U.S., only 10% of workers are in unions. Tech companies have been ground zero for experimenting with shorter work weeks, to varying results. California has a stalled bill in its state legislature to redefine the state’s workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours, but it’s stalled and pretty much has no chance of passing. Until then, offering shortened workweeks is a voluntary, company-by-company decision.SOURCESHow the 40-hour work week became the normnpr.org/2021/11/05/1052968060/how-the-40-hour-work-week-became-the-norm The five-day workweek is deadvox.com/22568452/work-workweek-five-day-four-jobs-pandemic The 300,000-year case for the 15-hour weekft.com/content/8dd71dc3-4566-48e0-a1d9-3e8bd2b3f60fWhat really happened in Iceland’s four-day week trialwired.co.uk/article/iceland-four-day-work-weekGoing Public: Iceland’s journey to a shorter working weekhttps://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ICELAND_4DW.pdfWhy a California Congressman Has Proposed a Four-Day Workweeknytimes.com/2022/03/21/us/four-day-workweek.htmlThe 4-Day Week Is Flawed. Workers Still Want Itwired.com/story/four-day-week-burnout About KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:46 The Origin Of The 40-Hour Workweek2:59 Shorter Workweeks Are In Our DNA4:32 Worker Pay Separates From Productivity6:42 Iceland Experiments With A Shorter Workweek8:15 Bringing the 32-Hour Workweek to the U.S.
Comparing the Overturn of #RoeVWade to #TheHandmaidsTale is Harmful #shorts Above The Noise 2022-07-08 | The overturn of Roe V. Wade is a targeted continuation of the ongoing violence BIPOC women and gender non-conforming groups face.The U.S., in fact has a long history of this type of dystopian violence; the non-consensual sterilization of Indigenous women to eliminate Indigenous Peoples and the forced birth of Black babies during chattel slavery to increase the labor force are just two examples of the war on one's #RightToChoose.Comparing this to the dystopian events portrayed in the fictional world of #TheHandmaidsTale fundamentally reduces the pre-existing history and experiences of these groups.Don't let this history be erased!
How Do We Address #GunViolence in the U.S.? #shorts Above The Noise 2022-07-06 | On July 4th, the U.S. was rocked by yet another senseless act of gun violence…You’ve probably heard a ton of different opinions about how to deal with this crisis, like better mental healthcare or more rigorous background checks. We’ve certainly created a lot of videos discussing gun violence in America.This topic has been an extremely polarizing one for DECADES, with some folks saying guns aren’t the issue, while the majority of Americans are saying we need SOME gun control. But agreeing upon the specifics of any proposed policy is where things get tricky.We want to hear from YOU. What changes do you want to see when it comes to how we handle gun violence in the U.S.? What would make ALL communities feel safer? What can we do about this? What needs to be done?The only way this is going to get solved is if we come together and advocate for our safety. For more information check out our playlist with longer videos on the topic: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBtTC9WRs2Vlc9qVWWkSiH8Zh1s_luQpr
Inflations got me feeling like… #shorts Above The Noise 2022-07-01 | OK, we know corporate consolidation isn’t the only reason you’re seeing your grocery bill go up, but enforcing antitrust laws and breaking up big monopolies can be one long-term strategy to fight inflation. There’s a lot of noise out there about the FED raising interest rates to combat inflation, so be sure to check out our video about fighting inflation to find out more about what raising interest rates can do, and other options for getting these price hikes under control.youtu.be/vC58VUiTrbk#shorts #inflation
Can Inflation Be Fixed? Above The Noise 2022-06-29 | Things are expensive! How can we get prices under control? Myles digs into different ways to fight inflation. This is part two of a two-part video series on inflation. Check out part 1: youtu.be/3TfQuU4QMGMSUBSCRIBE to Above the Noise so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS* What is inflation?Inflation is the increase in the cost of goods and services over time. It’s measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics using the Consumer Price Index (CPI)-- which looks at the cost of a bunch of different items called a “basket of goods”. In general terms, inflation happens when “there’s too much money chasing not enough goods.” And the Fed tries to keep inflation at around 2% each year.* How has the US dealt with high inflation in the past?The last time inflation was really high was back in the late 70s and early 80s. At that time, Paul Volcker was the chairman of the Federal Reserve– which is like the bank of all banks – it sets monetary policies to help control the flow of money between banks. One of the ways it does that is by setting interest rates. When it comes to borrowing money an interest rate is what the bank charges you to take out a loan. The higher the interest rate, the more money you’ll pay the bank. So back in the late 70s when inflation was really high the Federal Reserve decided to raise interest rates a ton– up to 20%. The thinking was that inflation was really bad because there was too much money floating around, so raising interest rates makes it harder to access money. And this did bring inflation under control BUT it caused unemployment to surge and led to a big recession.*Why does increasing the interest rate control inflation?Generally speaking, when interest rates increase, it makes it more expensive for consumers to take out loans to buy things, and it makes it more expensive for businesses to invest in things necessary to run their business. So companies do less business, they lay off workers, people lose their jobs, spending goes down and unemployment increases. Since people are buying less– prices drop and inflation goes down. Economists also say that rising interest rates that much that quickly also sent a strong signal to businesses that the Fed wasn’t going to allow inflation to get out of control. If businesses think that inflation will keep going up, they’re likely to raise their prices in anticipation of keeping up with the higher cost of living.* What are some long-term ways to control inflation?There are a variety of long-term ways to control inflation in the future. One is ending our dependence on fossil fuels since they tend to contribute a lot to overall inflation. Green and renewable energy prices are more stable and aren’t dictated by the global oil market which can be very volatile. Other solutions include bringing back more manufacturing to the US to help alleviate some of the supply chain bottlenecks caused by covid shutdowns in factories abroad and reduced shipping schedules. Housing is also a contributor to inflation so adopting policies that allow for more affordable housing can help with inflation in the long run. Breaking up monopolies and mega-corporations could also help control inflation in the long run. When markets are dominated by a few players, it’s easier for businesses to get away with raising prices because they don’t have as many competitors keeping the prices in check. SELECTED SOURCESfederalreservehistory.org/essays/great-inflationnplusonemag.com/issue-34/reviews/other-peoples-blood-2cnbc.com/2022/05/17/powell-says-the-fed-will-not-hesitate-to-keep-raising-rates-until-inflation-comes-down.htmlcnn.com/2022/05/10/politics/inflation-interest-rates-us-economy-what-matters/index.htmlwsj.com/articles/price-controls-to-fight-inflation-gets-new-fans-11654269023rooseveltinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/RI_Rethinking-Inflation-Policy_Brief_202110.pdfnewrepublic.com/article/164528/deal-inflation-get-off-fossil-fuelstheguardian.com/business/2022/apr/27/inflation-corporate-america-increased-prices-profitsthehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/561279-competition-will-stop-inflationTEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussions00:00 What’s inflation?00:58 What’s causing inflation?02:12 Historical Perspective: the Volcker Shock05:15 Inflation and Interest Rates Today06:18 Price Controls07:00 Switch to Renewables07:22 Address Supply Chain Bottlenecks07:35 Affordable Housing Policy07:55 Break up monopolies
Did You Know the First #Pride Was a Riot? #shorts #LGBTQHistory Above The Noise 2022-06-28 | We’re sharing this brief history of #PrideMonth to acknowledge the 53rd anniversary of the #StonewallRiots–an event many consider to be the catalyst for the LGBTQ+ movement. Although LGBTQ+ rights have come a long way, the continued struggle against hate and inequity persists today. #AboveTheNoise #ATN_PBS #KQED #PBS #Pride #TransRights #QueerLiberation #LGBTQ #LoveIsLove #MarshaPJohnson
Fact-Checking 101 with Myles #shorts #factcheck Above The Noise 2022-06-27 | It can be overwhelming out here in the media universe. So many facts, all the time. But how can you figure out what information to trust? Myles breaks down his top tips for evaluating sources - and, as a bonus, cleaning shoes. Why not? #shorts #facts
A Brief History of Juneteenth #shorts #juneteenth Above The Noise 2022-06-19 | Juneteenth FINALLY became a federally recognized holiday last year, but some folks still have no idea what this important day even is and it isn't taught much in school. What do you think about that?
What Is Rainbow-Washing? #short #pridemonth #LGBTQ Above The Noise 2022-06-18 | #RainbowWashing is when companies co-opt popular LGBTQ+ iconography as part of their marketing strategy to reach the LGBTQ+ community and allies.What do you think of this behavior?🌈🤔••Here are just a few organizations that are committed to making a REAL impact to the #LGBTQ community 365 days a year! @humanrightscampaign@trevorproject@itgetsbetter@eqca@glaad@pointfoundation
If Cis-Men Got Periods… #shorts #periods #tamponshortage Above The Noise 2022-06-17 | Period poverty is real y’all. 16.9 million people who menstruate live in poverty and two-thirds of them can’t afford period products. (Source: Journal of Global Health Reports, 2021) The supply chain bottleneck is not making things any better.
Inflation Horror Movie | #shorts Above The Noise 2022-06-16 | Right when you think you are getting good at adulting...BAM! Inflation sneaks up on you. But what the heck is inflation, anyway and how does it happen? Watch our 2-part series on inflation - its root causes, and potential ways we can get it under control. WATCH HERE: youtu.be/3TfQuU4QMGMSUBSCRIBE to Above the Noise so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS
Whats REALLY Causing Prices to Rise? Above The Noise 2022-06-15 | If it seems like things are more expensive these days, it’s cause they are! Myles digs into the current causes of inflation. SUBSCRIBE to Above the Noise so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi... twitter.com/ATN_PBS** What is inflation?It’s the increase in the cost of goods & services over time. It’s measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics using the Consumer Price Index (CPI)-- which looks at the cost of a bunch of different items called a “basket of goods” They release monthly reports, so when people say inflation is at 8% this month, what they usually mean is that stuff on average costs about 8% more than it did the same time the previous year. The Federal Reserve sets policies to try to keep it around 2%.* Is inflation bad?As of April 2022, inflation was around 8% and it becomes a problem when wages don’t keep up with the rising cost of things. According to a UPenn analysis, in 2021 wages for the lowest-paid workers did go up by about 6.5%. But the increase in those earnings didn’t keep up with inflation in 2021. Even middle-income earners' wages had a hard time keeping up with rising costs. *What’s causing inflation?There’s lots of debate about what's causing the current inflation. But in general, economists tend to point to agree on a couple of things. The first is supply chain issues from shutdowns during the pandemic. World wide a lot of factories shut down, materials stopped being mined, and shipping companies reduced their schedules. This created bottlenecks making it harder for us to get stuff we wanted to buy. Meanwhile, a lot of us were stuck at home and started ordering stuff online so demand for things rose. Supply was low and demand was high so you get inflation. Our dependence on fossil fuels is another big driver of the inflation we are seeing. The US is still very dependent on fossil fuels which are at the mercy of the volatile global oil market and influenced by things like geopolitics, financial downturns, and war. Currently, oil prices are super high, partly because of the war in Ukraine.** Did covid stimulus cause inflation?There’s lots of debate among economists about this. But the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco did an analysis showing that both Trump and Biden’s stimulus plan could account for about 3 percentage points of the inflation we are seeing– but there’s a large margin of uncertainty around that number.**Is corporate greed responsible for inflation?In certain markets– there are just a few companies that control a large portion of the market– which makes it easier for them to raise their prices because they have less competition. And now, they can use the excuse that inflation is making it more expensive for them to run their business, so they have to increase their prices. But there are some reports of some big companies raising their prices and reporting record profits– suggesting that they are raising their prices more than they really need to, and that contributes to inflation as well. Moral of the story: lots of different things are impacting inflation.SELECTED SOURCESnbcnews.com/business/business-news/whats-causing-inflation-economists-point-fingers-different-culprits-rcna16156vox.com/22996474/inflation-federal-reserve-nairu-ngdp-powellhttps://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2022/2/21/did-wages-keep-up-with-inflation-in-2021theguardian.com/business/2022/apr/27/inflation-corporate-america-increased-prices-profitsfrbsf.org/economic-research/publications/economic-letter/2022/march/why-is-us-inflation-higher-than-in-other-countriesweforum.org/agenda/2022/02/why-oil-prices-matter-to-global-economy-expert-explainseia.gov/finance/markets/crudeoil/spot_prices.php#:~:text=The%20volatility%20of%20oil%20prices,fixed%20in%20the%20near%2DtermTEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussionsAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.00:00 Intro00:45 What is inflation?02:12 History of inflation03:10 Are wages keeping up with inflation?04:04: Causes of inflation supply chain05:40: Covid Stimulus and inflation06:14 Inflation and gas06:34 Inflation and corporate greed
Should Teachers be Armed? #shorts Above The Noise 2022-06-10 | #shorts I feel like we’ve been talking about the arming teachers with guns debate for years. Oh, wait we have! We did a whole video about this 4 years ago, and it’s still relevant. In that video, we talk to students to get their perspectives, and we talk to someone who trains teachers to handle guns. It's fascinating! Check it out and tell us what you think about this idea. youtu.be/HXMOIVUmVlU
Why Are Gender Neutral Pronouns Controversial? Above The Noise 2022-06-01 | Gender pronouns are small but controversial words - especially when it comes to gender identity. Myles digs into the history of gender pronouns and asks: why do they matter?Co-produced with Peer Health Exchange: peerhealthexchange.orgDownload selfsea here: Android: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phe.selfsea iOS: apps.apple.com/us/app/selfsea/id1604374862SUBSCRIBE to Above the Noise so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBS** What are pronouns in the English language?They are these little words we use to replace the words for people’s names, places, or things. Which are NOUNS. Pronouns are the terms people choose to refer to themselves that reflect their gender identity. The most commonly used these days are he/him, she/her, or gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them.** How do pronouns relate to gender identity?When it comes to pronouns to identify a person, we get into identity and that’s where things get complex - and, often political. The big thing personal pronouns often signal is someone’s gender identity. According to scientists, gender isn’t a rigid he/she binary rooted in the sex a person was assigned at birth. Biology and culture BOTH influence our identity, which can be fluid. That means it’s not carved in stone and can change - and it can also be a spectrum. And gender’s not something anyone can ascribe to you– it’s each person’s internal sense of how they personally identify. **What is transgender?Some people don’t always identify with the sex they were assigned at birth, or the gender pronouns others use to describe them. Often these folks identify themselves as transgender. They may have been assigned female or male but may not identify with that label. **What is the opposition to gender-neutral pronouns all about?There is a LOT of resistance to using gender-neutral pronouns. In fact, according to Pew Research, almost half of all Americans say they feel “somewhat or very uncomfortable” using they/them pronouns. And the level of discomfort has a lot to do with age, and where you fall on the political spectrum. A common excuse you may see out there is that using “they/them” to describe individual people is “poor grammar.” This isn’t technically correct - people use they/them to describe singular people all the time. As in, “Who parked their car here? They did a terrible job.”**What is the history of gender-neutral pronouns? There is a long history of people inventing gender-neutral pronouns. One linguist found more than 250 proposed gender-neutral pronouns going back the last few centuries. Examples include “hiser” (1850), “thon” (1858). “ze” (1888) and “hir” (1930) and “ve” (1970). And in 1850, the British Parliament passed a law that the pronoun “He” must be used to describe people of ALL genders. Most of these older language norms have fallen into disuse - but it’s important to note that language is always evolving to reflect new social norms. **Why is it important to respect which pronouns people want to use?Two words: safety and respect. Pronouns signal to the world our gender identity, and part of respecting each other’s humanity is honoring how we all identify. SOURCESnpr.org/2021/06/02/996319297/gender-identity-pronouns-expression-guide-lgbtqnbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/beyond-he-she-1-4-lgbtq-youths-use-nonbinary-pronouns-n1235204 pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/05/gender-neutral-pronounsbostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/09/05/the-long-long-history-and-bright-future-genderless-they/LhGIzOTm6PPKMKws8cE2SN/story.htmlmedium.com/trans-talk/pronouns-have-always-been-political-a32c753a1539kqed.org/forum/2010101888336/taking-cues-from-texas-and-florida-more-states-propose-bills-targeting-queer-and-trans-youthTEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussionsAbout KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas.00:00 - Intro01:27 - What Are Pronouns?01:47 - Gender Identity 02:36 - Two-Spirit Identity03:06 - Resistance to using gender-neutral pronouns04:07 - History of gender-neutral pronouns06:16 - Politics of pronouns#pronouns #pride #lgbtq
Grooming Your Beard With Myles Above The Noise 2022-05-28 | Myles demos his beard grooming technique.#Shorts #Beards
Is It Time To Stop Animal Testing? Above The Noise 2022-05-18 | Much of the animal testing we do isn’t necessary anymore, but we keep doing it. Why?SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter!instagram.com/abovethenoisepbs twitter.com/ATN_PBS** So why do we experiment on animals? **For decades, many companies tested their products on animals to see if they were safe. Animal testing really took off in the 1930s after 17 women were blinded and 1 died from using a mascara. After that, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) started regulating cosmetics. And by 1962, animal testing was required for certain kinds of research beyond cosmetics and remains so to this day. It’s a touchy subject because many animal rights activists say that the animals are put through painful procedures without much regard for their welfare.** So can we, like, NOT test on animals and still develop safe medicines? **There are indeed alternatives to animal testing. Some of the most powerful are “organs-on-chips.” Scientists take human cells and grow them on little plastic chips to form tiny man-made organs. Basically, it’s living human tissue. This is huge, people! Like, you can understand how human lungs respond to a new drug without causing any pain to any animals! Another alternative to animal testing is to use computer algorithms that can analyze tons of data that we already have. For instance, recent research shows computer models of human heart cells can predict when drugs will have bad side effects better than animal tests. Researchers are excited about all of these alternatives for two big reasons: animal testing is expensive, and it’s just not very accurate. Plus, there are all kinds of new fancy personalized medicine and therapies now that are so specific to human biology that animal studies don’t work at all. ** So why haven’t we ditched animal testing entirely yet? **The biggest challenge is always people. It’s convincing the people that work in the pharmaceutical industry to change the way they do things. It’s hard for people to take a risk. So, when it’s time to approve something for testing, fund some research, or publish some study, researchers and the institutions that they work for usually want to see animal tests, even when it’s not required. SOURCEShumanesociety.org/resources/animals-used-experiments-faqncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3123518nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79961-0 understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/resources/animal-research-essay-resources/history-of-animal-researchfda.gov/cosmetics/product-testing-cosmetics/animal-testing-cosmeticssciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/draize-testhttps://caat.jhsph.edu/principles/forewordcongress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2565/text?q=%7B http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-03/01/c_139775617.htmscientificamerican.com/article/should-computer-simulations-replace-animal-testing-for-heart-drugs TEACHERSGet your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. learn.kqed.org/discussions About KQEDKQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:32 History of Animal Testing2:14 State of Animal Testing Regulations in the U.S.2:54 Alternatives to Animal Testing5:31 Obstacles to Change8:43 Summation & Outro#animals
The Teens Who Help Make Our Show #shorts #short Above The Noise 2022-04-26 | Did you know we have a youth advisory board who help us choose topics, and give us feedback on our scripts and style for Above the Noise? Yeah, we do - they are 16 high school students from around the San Francisco Bay Area and we meet with them twice a month. This week we're having a "Youth Takeover" at our PBS station (KQED) and here's what our youth advisory board is up to. (Shoutout to Aviva, Laia, Jessie, and Kaitlyn for all of the hard work they put in!)You can also check ALL the Youth Takeover pieces here: kqed.org/youthtakeover#AboveTheNoise #PBS #YouthVoices #PBSDigitalStudios #KQED
