Roughly Speaking

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Roughly Speaking
Local film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed join columnist Dan Rodricks to review the year's best movies. (PHOTO CREDIT: Lacey Terrell/TriStar Pictures).
Roughly Speaking
Closing out 2019 at the movies
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Closing out 2019 at the movies

Local film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed join columnist Dan Rodricks to review the year's best movies. (PHOTO CREDIT: Lacey Terrell/TriStar Pictures).

A new take on the crab cake?

Thirty years is a long, good run for any restaurant, and so attention must be paid: Saturday, Oct. 12 marks three full decades for Nancy Longo’s Pierpoint in Fells Point. It was early 1989 when Longo bought the Emma Giles Tavern, a rowhouse-barroom at 1822 Aliceanna Street, with an ambition to turn it into a restaurant serving “Maryland cuisine with a contemporary style.” As her 30th anniversary approached, Sun columnist Dan Rodricks paid a visit for the Roughly Speaking podcast and recorded a conversation with Longo in the Pierpoint kitchen.In this episode: Secrets of a great crab cake. Plus, something new: The Crab Corn Coddie, a mashup of a classic crab cake and the Baltimore coddie, with some sweet corn added for crunch. It was Dan’s idea, developed at home, and he asked Longo to bring her expertise to the evolving recipe. The chef was game to give it a try. In fact, Longo liked the concept so much she plans to put the Crab Corn Coddie on Pierpoint’s menu as a special on Wednesday evening, Oct. 23.

The Orioles' rebuild and the long road ahead

The Orioles have encouraged fans to have patience through he next few years of Baltimore baseball until the rebuild process shows results.

The Kirwan Commission and the fight over public school reform

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has voiced opposition to the ambitious Kirwan Commission proposals calling them “half baked” and “fiscally irresponsible.” With recommendations for how to pay for the plans slated to go public this month, lawmakers expect a clash between Hogan and his allies and supporters of education reform.

In Carroll County, an emotional church-state issue divides residents

In Carroll County, Maryland, a years-old lawsuit that sought to bar the county’s commissioners from leading prayers at their meetings came to a dramatic close this month. But residents might not be content to let the fight end.

Saving the symphonies: The BSO's familiar plight

After a summer-long work stoppage and public back-and-forths with management, the BSO’s future appears more uncertain than ever.

Cal Ripken's other streak: Being mentioned in dozens of rap songs

Nearly two decades after his retirement from the Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. remains an icon sports world, especially in the Baltimore area. But as it turns out, Ripken’s legacy has inspired more than just baseball fans.

In Baltimore schools, disparities in and out of the classroom affect performance

Education advocates say that the difference between Baltimore County and Baltimore City test scores shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Cal Ripken references in rap lyrics

Baltimore Orioles star Cal Ripken has been honored in several rap songs.

A year after scooters first hit Baltimore's streets, safety and equity concerns persist

On Baltimore streets for over a year, dockless scooters are no longer a novelty. And, with the city recently awarding permanent licenses to four vendors, they, along with dockless bikes now coming online, will be part of its transportation mix for the foreseeable future. So far, things have gone smoother than with their Baltimore Bike Share predecessor, but equity and safety issues raised during the pilot program remain. In this episode, Baltimore Sun interns Oyin Adedoyin and Christine Condon share what residents and doctors are saying about the vehicles and explain why Baltimore may be especially well suited for the dockless networks. They’re joined by Sun transportation reporter Colin Campbell.

For Maryland football and new coach Mike Locksley, low on-field expectations belie high stakes after scandal

Did the University of Maryland unnecessarily roll the dice by hiring Mike Locksley in the wake of a nationally-reaching scandal that involved the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair and allegations of a “toxic” football culture fueled by the coaching staff and administration, or has the Washington, D.C. native demonstrated enough growth and potential to lead a Big Ten football team to a brighter future?

The two sides of the Maryland gun debate

While Maryland gun rights advocates argue that the state’s attempts at curbing shootings have backfired, gun control supporters counter that the state hasn’t done nearly enough to save lives.

After Trump tweets, examining what the federal government has done for Baltimore

What role has the federal government played in Baltimore over the years, and what can it do now to move the city forward?

Baltimore Sun Editorial Board: Better to have a few rats than to be one

Editorial writer Peter Jensen reads The Sun's July 27 editorial, ----Better to have a few rats than to be one.----

How an all-Asian American and Pacific Islander improv troupe in Baltimore is sketching their own narrative

An all-Asian American and Pacific Islander comedy troupe in Baltimore seeks to rewrite the script, carving out their own place on stage to promote visibility in a space where it’s traditionally been lacking.

Three decades after killing his son, Lawrence Banks is charged with murdering his daughter. We examined the cases in between.

The horrific slaying of Dominique Foster led to a weeks-long search for her killer. Police found the 43-year-old’s body hidden near a dumpster on May 12, missing a head, as well as hands, arms and lower legs.Foster’s own father, Lawrence Banks, is charged in her death. The 65-year-old Baltimore man was previously convicted of killing his son and another man. According to Foster’s husband and court records, Banks allegedly abused his daughter as a child, threw her through a window as an infant and continued to engage with sexual behavior with her as an adult.How did Banks avoid longer punishment and, after further accusations of violence, end up reconnecting with his daughter? In this episode, Baltimore Sun police reporter Jessica Anderson joins Newsroom Edition host Pamela Wood to retrace her reporting and research into the suspect’s past. **WARNING: Content may be explicit for some listeners.

Is Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan as bipartisan as he claims?

Despite pledges on the campaign trail to remain a unifying force in Annapolis throughout his second term, Gov. Larry Hogan sparked outcry from Democrats last week as he announced he would not release $245 million that the legislature put into the state budget for programs and projects including school construction, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and summer jobs for city youth.

Since you asked: Four Baltimore stories inspired by your curiosity

This week, you’re the producer, as breaking news and transportation reporter Colin Campbell shares four You Ask, We Answer stories inspired by Sun readers’ curiosity. Come underground, underwater, to the back of the restaurant, and back in time as we reveal lesser-known facts about Federal Hill Park, the Inner Harbor, carryout staple Lake Trout and two Baltimore neighborhoods.Related links:What do you wonder about the Baltimore area that you'd like us to investigate?https://www.baltimoresun.com/ask/bs-you-ask-we-answer-20190228-htmlstory.html'Secret' tunnels are hidden under Baltimore's Federal Hill. Where did they come from and what lies inside?https://www.baltimoresun.com/ask/bs-md-ci-federal-hill-tunnels-20190514-story.htmlYou asked: What's really in Baltimore's Inner Harbor? Here's what we found.https://www.baltimoresun.com/ask/bs-md-ci-what-is-in-inner-harbor-20190404-story.htmlYou asked: What is lake trout? The story behind the Baltimore delicacy with a misleading name.https://www.baltimoresun.com/ask/bs-fo-lake-trout-20190417-story.htmlYou asked: How do Baltimore neighborhoods get their names? The origin behind Pigtown, Sandtown and more.https://www.baltimoresun.com/ask/bs-md-baltimore-neighborhood-origins-20190425-story.html

Reporting from Baltimore's immigrant communities during a week of warnings

President Donald Trump spooked Baltimore’s immigrant community last week by announcing that millions of undocumented citizens would be arrested and deported in federal immigration raids across the country. The deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Howard County on Wednesday sparked further concern, fear and uncertainty.In this episode, Baltimore Sun reporter Thalia Juarez sheds light on Baltimore’s immigrant communities and how they’ve responded to the ongoing threat of deportation. She joins guest host John O’Connor, a former radio reporter with WNYC and a current Baltimore Sun politics editor, for an in-depth discussion about the state’s complex relationship with immigrants and the challenges that lie ahead for vulnerable communities.

What to do, where to go and what to see this summer in Baltimore

With so much to do, see and taste this summer, many of Baltimore's hidden gems may get lost in the shuffle.

Behind the scenes of 'Cops and Robbers' with Justin Fenton

Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton spent the last year reporting on the inner-workings of the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force members and their leader, Sgt. Wayne Jenkins. What exactly did he spend his time doing? Hear more about his reporting process and his fight to obtain records.

Cops and robbers: New findings reveal how corrupt Baltimore officers got away with their crimes

On the surface, former Baltimore Police Sgt. Wayne Jenkins appeared to have earned his reputation as a rising star in the department for his unparalleled ability to get guns off the streets. But a deep dive into Jenkins and the force in which he operated reveals how the well-regarded cop — and the elite Gun Trace Task Force squad he led — manipulated the criminal justice system to rob and steal with impunity over the course of several years. On this episode, Justin Fenton joins Newsroom Edition host Pamela Wood to review key takeaways from the series, explain his reporting process and provide an overview of the road ahead for the Baltimore Police Department.

Myths, misconceptions and misnomers: Demystifying the opioid crisis

Despite increased awareness of the opioid epidemic, the public health crisis continues to ravage communities across the nation each year. This holds true especially in states such as Maryland, where the number of opioid overdose deaths per year has escalated into the thousands. Gov. Larry Hogan even declared a state of emergency in March 2017, becoming the first governor in the nation to take such a step.A new book published by two Baltimore-based experts in addiction medicine and public health suggests that a connection may exist between opioids’ continued havoc and a general misunderstanding of the pandemic — from the language utilized to describe those afflicted with substance-use disorders to the distribution of funds meant to decrease the death toll.Together, married couple Yngvild Olson and Joshua Sharfstein wrote “The Opioid Epidemic: What Everyone Needs to Know,” to discuss the misconceptions about the opioid crisis and what lawmakers, physicians and citizens can do to address it. They sit down with Baltimore Sun investigative reporter Doug Donovan to review key takeaways from the book.Call the Behavioral Health System Baltimore at 410-433-5175 if you are in crisis.

Rodricks: Trump, political tribalism and the push for impeachment

In the wake of the Mueller report, a new CNN poll shows an increase among Democrats for Donald Trump's impeachment while Republicans remain adamant in their support of the president, evidence of what presidential historian Richard Striner describes as tribalism -- fierce political loyalty beyond ideology and mere partisanship.Meanwhile, former vice-president Joe Biden is the current front-runner among Democrats seeking their party's nomination. But Biden's status is starting to take a hit from the party's progressive wing.On the show: Mileah Kromer is associate professor of political science and the director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College; she oversees the Goucher Poll. Richard Striner is a professor of history at Washington College and an author of books on American presidents, film and architecture.

After two catastrophic floods in three years, Ellicott City reckons with its future

In 2016, historic Ellicott City experienced a record flood that tore lives, businesses and the county apart. In 2018, it happened again —\u160\uanother devastating flood, perhaps even more egregious\u160\uthan the first.A year after the 2018 storm, Howard County has put forth a massive plan to reduce future flooding in the town. But after experiencing so much loss, how confident are residents and business owners in their government to keep them safe?In this episode, Howard County Times reporter Erin B. Logan joins Newsroom Edition host Pamela Wood to detail the town’s recovery in the wake of two deadly floods.

It's crab feast time in Maryland. How the industry is doing and how to host your own.

Welcome to summer in Maryland, where crab is king. Last year, the state’s popular crustacean industry suffered as nearly half of Maryland’s crab houses were unable to secure enough H2-B visas for foreign workers, whom they rely on to pick the meat sold at restaurants and supermarkets. Some reported revenue decreases of 50 percent or more.But this year’s crab market appears to be in better shape, as the Trump administration made 30,000 additional visas available for the temporary labor program. While Maryland’s crab proprietors say they feel confident about this summer’s crab yield, they’re concerned about what the future holds for their businesses, as the demand for temporary worker visas continues to surge.On today’s episode: Baltimore Sun weather, science and environment reporter Scott Dance joins Newsroom Edition host Pamela Wood for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of Maryland crabs, the state of their habitat in the Chesapeake Bay and what you need to know before hosting your own cookout.

Exit interview with Herb Smith who co wrote the book on Maryland politics

When you’ve devoted nearly 46 years to teaching political science and a good part of that time to being a pundit, you get to have an exit interview when retirement grows nigh. This spring’s semester at McDaniel College in Westminster was Herb Smith’s last as a professor of political science. For many years, he was a regular go-to political commentator for Maryland reporters, and his keenest skill was bringing historical perspective, and much-needed humor, to current affairs. Smith and former state secretary of state John Willis literally wrote the book on Maryland politics --- published by the University of Nebraska Press in 2012, and titled, ----Maryland Politics and Government: Democratic Dominance.---- On this show: Herb Smith reflects on American politics from the time of Eisenhower to Trump.

Should the Preakness stay in Baltimore?

The battle over keeping the Preakness in Baltimore has ignited a divisive political conflict that’s quietly been brewing, mostly out of public view, for years. For nearly 150 years, the second jewel of the triple crown has hosted names like Seabiscuit, Secretariat and dozens of two-legged celebrities for the Preakness, including models, athletes, and actors. The race attracts hundreds of thousands of fans to the area on Preakness weekend.But despite its historic roots, the millions of dollars it generates, and a state requirement that Baltimore must host the Preakness barring an extreme disaster or emergency, its owners have expressed more interest in investing its future in its Laurel Park facility, some 30 miles away.Baltimore Sun reporting revealed this year that the Canadian-based Stronach group, the owner of the track and the race, has spent most of the state aid it receives for track improvements on Laurel Park since 2013. Though track in Laurel hosts significantly more horse racing events than its Baltimore counterpart and may prove to be in better condition, city residents, neighborhood leaders and others maintain that moving the Preakness away from Baltimore would wreak further havoc on an area in decline.In this episode: Community leaders, city residents, policy experts and Baltimore Sun reporters wade in to help untangle the question at the heart of this debate: Is the Baltimore Preakness worth saving? *Note: A previous version of this episode misstated when the Baltimore Colts left Baltimore. The Colts left Baltimore in March 1984. We regret the error.

The Ravens big gamble on Lamar Jackson and other offseason storylines you should follow

Call it beginner’s luck, but rookie Lamar Jackson’s record-breaking 2018 season left the Ravens management wanting more. So much more, in fact, that they traded veteran quarterback Joe Flacco for a fourth-round NFL draft pick and did not play him after he recovered from his week 9 hip injury — a decision that many criticized during the infamous Wild Card Round playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which ended in a 23-17 defeat. With Flacco’s departure, the team has vowed to head in a “new direction,” with Jackson at the helm. Outside of the Ravens’ administration, not everyone is as confident in this rebranding effort or Jackson’s ability to carry an offense — much less get through a game without fumbling. However, the team’s management, now headed by new general manager Eric DeCosta, is sticking by its decision.Ravens beat reporter Jonas Shaffer joins Roughly Speaking host Pamela Wood to discuss the Ravens’ big gamble on Lamar Jackson and other important decisions that the team has made as it enters the 2019 season.

Pugh’s legacy and what to expect from Baltimore’s next leader

How will history remember Pugh? Baltimore Sun reporters Luke Broadwater and Ian Duncan join Pamela Wood to discuss the many shades of Pugh’s legacy. Then, editorial page editor Andy Green joins to comment on the kind of leader the city seeks to move it forward.

Questions we still have after the FBI’s raid of Mayor Catherine Pugh’s home and office

Many woke up Thursday to the news that federal law enforcement agents had raided multiple locations in Baltimore with ties to Mayor Catherine Pugh, who has been on a leave of absence as mayor for the past four weeks. The raids confirmed that federal as well as state officials were investigating Pugh’s activities. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, all members of the Baltimore City Council and several other state officials have called for Pugh’s resignation. Her attorney, Steve Silverman said she was not “lucid” enough to make a decision about stepping down. But that could change by next week, he said.On this episode: Baltimore Sun politics reporters Pamela Wood and Luke Broadwater break down this week’s dramatic crescendo and what pieces of information have yet to come to light.

Mayor Catherine Pugh and Gov. Larry Hogan's two very different weeks

Two prominent Maryland figures entered the spotlight this week, albeit for very different reasons. Days after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's return from New Hampshire, an early-caucus state considered a ----must---- stop for potential presidential candidates, federal law enforcement agents spread out across Baltimore, raiding City Hall and other several other locations with connections to Mayor Catherine Pugh. It was the first confirmation that federal authorities, as well as state officials, were investigating the mayor's activities, who has been on a leave of absence as she recovers from pneumonia for four weeks.On this episode, Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks discusses the high-profile moments-in-parallel with McDaniel College political science professor Herb Smith, Sun editorial page editor Andy Green and Sun State House bureau reporter Luke Broadwater.

What started the Baltimore riot? A reporter explains the updated, but still incomplete, answer.

On April 27, 2015, the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral in Baltimore, police and youth clashed near the Mondawmin metro stop in a skirmish that would thrust the city into the international spotlight. For four years, police, youth and others there that day has shared their version of events, leaving unanswered questions. Who, in reality, initiated the confrontation? And who was responsible for shutting down the transit service that day, a decision that left many high school students stranded in the center of the clashes?Baltimore Sun reporter Kevin Rector has sought to review surveillance footage from that day to paint a clearer picture. The Maryland Transit Administration continues to deny that request. But for the first time, the MTA has released records related to the April 2015 unrest that provide new insights, and revive old questions, about one of the most controversial and consequential moments in Baltimore’s history. Rector sits down with Roughly Speaking host Pamela Wood to discuss the findings and provide insight into a four-year-long hunt for surveillance video that he and many others believe they are entitled to view.

Remembering Maryland's House of Delegates Speaker Michael E. Busch

In the final episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun State House reporters Luke Broadwater and Pamela Wood talk with Goucher College pollster Mileah Kromer about the legacy of House of Delegates Speaker Michael Busch. He presided over a progressive agenda as speaker that included ending the death penalty, decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana, legalizing same-sex marriage and in this session raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.

Overriding Gov. Hogan's vetoes, the failure of medically assisted suicide and the 'joint chiefs' in Annapolis

Overriding Gov. Hogan's vetoes, the failure of medically assisted suicide and the ----joint chiefs---- in Annapolis: In the penultimate (13th) episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun State House reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Mileah Kromer talk about the Democratic-controlled legislature's override of Gov. Larry Hogan's vetoes, including the $15 minimum wage, and the failure of medically assisted suicide. Sun politics reporter Pamela Wood joins to discuss several gun control measures and the debate over whether school should start after Labor Day. The show's guests are two of the most influential, but little-known people in Annapolis: Alexandra M. Hughes, the chief of staff for House of Delegates Speaker Michael Busch, and Jake Weissmann, the chief of staff for Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller. Among other topics, they discuss the evolving scandal rocking the University of Maryland Medical System over allegations of ----self-dealing---- and no-bid contracting among board members, including Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.

The 1819 Maryland case that affirmed Hamilton's genius on banks and federal power (episode 512)

The uber-musical “Hamilton” comes to Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater in June, and in this episode of the show: Some Maryland history related to Alexander Hamilton, founder of the nation’s financial system and its first Secretary of the Treasury. In McCulloch v. Maryland, a case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court in the winter of 1819, statesman Daniel Webster defended the legitimacy of a national bank that had opened a branch in Baltimore. The Maryland General Assembly, sympathetic to struggling state bankers, had tried to tax the federal bank out of existence. Webster invoked Hamilton’s belief in the ----implied powers---- of the Constitution to broadly define the national government’s supremacy over the states. As a result, McCulloch is considered one of the most important Supreme Court decisions in history.Our guest, Kathleen Day, covers the decision in her new book of American financial history.A long-time journalist, Day is now on the faculty of the Johns Carey Business School, where she lectures on the history of the country’s banking system and why financial crises keep happening. Her book, ----Broken Bargain -- Bankers, Bailouts and the Struggle to Tame Wall Street,---- was published earlier this year by Yale University Press.

University of Maryland Medical System scandal, the fight to save the Preakness and the youngest lawmakers in Annapolis

In the 12th episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun State House reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Mileah Kromer talk about the evolving scandal rocking the University of Maryland Medical System over allegations of ----self-dealing---- and no-bid contracting among board members. Sun politics reporter Pamela Wood joins the discussion about the continuing battle to save the Preakness from moving to Laurel. The show's guests are the youngest lawmakers from each General Assembly chamber: Sen. Sarah Elfreth, 30, an Anne Arundel Democrat and Del. Julian Ivey, 23, a Prince George's County Democrat, who discuss everything from oysters and gun legislation to the biggest lessons they've learned from their first session in office.

'Healthy Holly,' crossover day, and Sen. Bill Ferguson

In the 11th episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun State House reporters Luke Broadwater and Pamela Wood talk about the intense scrutiny facing the University of Maryland Medical System over its contracting practices, including $500,000 in payments to Mayor Catherine Pugh for self-published ----Healthy Holly---- books. They also discuss the flurry of legislation moving in the General Assembly on ----crossover day---- — the deadline for most bills to pass from one chamber to the other.The show's guest is Sen. Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat who serves on the Kirwan commission to improve public schools. He says he hasn't ruled out a run for mayor.Related links:Baltimore Mayor Pugh resigns from UMMS board as 8,700 books she sold to hospital system sit in warehousehttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-pugh-resigns-umms-board-20190318-story.htmlSen. Ferguson calls on Baltimore Mayor Pugh to return $500,000 to medical system from book dealhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ferguson-pugh-20190318-story.htmlRepublican Gov. Larry Hogan calls Democratic-controlled Maryland legislature 'reckless' and 'pro-criminal'https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-democrats-20190318-story.htmlMaryland House of Delegates OKs bills requiring long gun background checks, banning 3D-printed gunshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-house-gun-bills-20190318-story.html

The massive redevelopment of the old Bethlehem Steel land in Sparrows Point (episode 511)

Amazon, FedEx and Under Armour are the first major tenants of Tradepoint Atlantic in Baltimore County, the sprawling former site of the largest steel-making operation in the world, where more than 30,000 men and women were employed in 1959. But Bethlehem Steel is long gone, and now Tradepoint Atlantic, a private joint venture, is in the process of redeveloping the waterfront land for a hub of e-commerce and manufacturing. So far, the complex features mostly warehouse and distribution centers with 3,500 jobs. More are coming, and Tradepoint plans to redevelop the old Beth Steel shipyard into a deep-water port for bulk materials. Investors believe they will eventually bring 10,000 jobs and another 7,000 related jobs to the Point. In this episode: Aaron Tomarchio, a senior vice-president of Tradepoint Atlantic, gives a tour of the 3,300-acre complex and catches us up on the massive redevelopment project.

Medically assisted suicide, the handgun review board and Del. Eric Luedtke

In the 10th episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about the House of Delegates' vote to legalize medically assisted suicide, the effort to repeal the Handgun Permit Review Board and how a Sun investigation is changing state policy. The show's guest is Del. Eric Luedtke, a Montgomery County Democrat who gave moving testimony on the so-called ----aid-in-dying---- bill. Sun reporters Pamela Wood and Catherine Rentz provide insight and analysis.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.

The Lisanti censure, the fight over Preakness, and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford

In the ninth episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about the House of Delegates' censure of Harford County Del. Mary Ann Lisanti after she apologized for using a racist slur. They also check in on important bills moving through the General Assembly, including two that affect the future of horse-racing in Maryland. The show's guest is Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, who talks about how the GOP needs to move beyond the ----hardcore right.---- Sun reporters Pamela Wood and Kevin Rector provide insight and analysis.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Related links:Maryland delegate says she won't resign after House censures her for 'racist and hateful slur'https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-lisanti-censure-20190228-story.htmlAs Pimlico faded, its owners were pouring money into their Laurel track. Was anyone watching?https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/bs-md-pimlico-accountability-20190226-story.htmlMedically assisted suicide bill moves forward in Maryland General Assemblyhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-death-bill-vote-20190301-story.htmlLong at home behind the scenes, Boyd Rutherford takes on new roleshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-boyd-rutherford-succession-20150622-story.html

After four decades under cover, a Baltimore party band records its first album (episode 510)

Gazze is one of the Baltimore area's oldest party bands, going back to teen dances in the 1970s. In fact, if you attended a wedding, bah mitzvah, dance, bull roast, crab feast or fundraiser over the last 47 years, there’s a good chance the music at that event came from Gazze -- a cover band with a brass section and a talented lead singer and dancer, Dwight Weems, the last of the founding members.In this episode: Can a group that played other people’s music for 40-plus years come up with its own? Gazze has done it, recording an album of 11 original songs at Invisible Sound Studio before it closed for good last year. On the show: Dwight Weems and four members of the current Gazze -- vocalists Shannon Ramsey and Dana Satisky, guitarist Dave Leoni and keyboard man Marty Cannelli. The conversation was recorded at Stages Music Arts in Hunt Valley. Gazze's album, Building 46, is available online.

Unspecified gender option sought for Maryland IDs; sexual assault waiver investigation gets results

Sun investigation into sexual assault waivers gets results; the debate over gender neutral driver's licenses; and an interview with Sen. Stephen Hershey: In the eighth episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about what it's like being a State House reporter and spotlight some of the key debates in the Maryland General Assembly, including whether to add a non-binary gender classification on drivers' licenses. The show's guest is State Sen. Stephen Hershey, an Eastern Shore Republican, who is minority whip. Sun State House reporter Pamela Wood provides analysis.Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Related links:Anne Arundel County police to stop asking sex assault victims to waive rights to investigationhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-sexual-assault-waiver-reaction-20190219-story.htmlM, F or X: Democratic senator's bill would allow gender-neutral option for Maryland driver's licenseshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-drivers-license-gender-20190220-story.htmlMaryland Senate rejects nominees to handgun permit review board, citing board's rate of granting appealshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-handgun-board-nominees-20190222-story.htmlMaryland GOP wages 'Fight for Five' campaign to end Democrats' supermajority in state Senatehttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-fight-for-five-20181017-story.html

Four great, un-Oscar-buzzed movies you must see (episode 509)

Over dinner at Gertrude's in Baltimore, film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed talk about the 2019 Oscars and four great movies you probably won't hear much about during Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. Take notes in case you missed them: ----If Beale Street Could Talk,---- and ----First Reformed,---- both victims of major Oscar snubs, and two foreign-language films: ----Shoplifters,---- and ----Capernaum.---- Linda and Chris handicap the major Oscar categories for us, and they debate the merits of Alfonso Cuaron's ----Roma,---- currently considered the frontrunner for Best Picture. Linda DeLibero directs film and media studies at Johns Hopkins University. Chris Reed is professor and chair of the department of film and moving image at Stevenson University.

Government Edition: Goucher Poll, a possible new Bay Bridge, Del. Shelly Hettleman

Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer go in-depth on the Goucher Poll results on the key issues facing Marylanders, including whether to raise the minimum wage, legalize marijuana and ban tobacco for people younger than 21. The show's special guest is District 11 state Del. Shelly Hettleman, a Baltimore County Democrat who speaks about her work to expand testing of rape kits and other issues. Sun State House reporter Pamela Wood and breaking news reporter Sarah Meehan also join the discussion.“Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Related links:Goucher Poll: Legalizing pot, raising minimum wage, banning plastic foam products popular in Marylandhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-goucher-policy-poll-20190215-story.htmlMaryland lawmakers consider raising the age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-tobacco-age-20190215-story.htmlHere's where Maryland's next bridge across the Chesapeake Bay could start and endhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-co-bay-bridge-20190211-story.htmlThousands more untested rape kits revealed in Maryland as authorities ramp up efforts to process evidencehttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-untested-rape-kits-20181107-story.html

Government Edition: The great Labor Day school fight, tougher gun laws, and Del. Vanessa Atterbeary

In the sixth episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer discuss the heated debate over the General Assembly's push to overturn Gov. Larry Hogan's order that public schools may not start classes until after Labor Day, before interviewing District 13 state Del. Vanessa Atterbeary, a Howard County Democrat and vice chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee. After extolling the diversity of her district, Atterbeary shares her reaction to the unfolding scandal in Virginia, and describes the racism she says she witnessed in the state as an undergraduate. Sun State House reporter Pamela Wood and Opinion Page editor Andy Green also stop by.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Links:Maryland Gov. Hogan fights back against lawmakers over post-Labor Day school year starthttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-labor-day-20190207-story.htmlRepublicans condemn Democratic senator's remark on Maryland Gov. Hogan as attempt to link him to George Wallacehttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-pinsky-governor-20190208-story.htmlThe handgun board that couldn't shoot straighthttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-0207-handgun-permit-20190205-story.htmlFresh faces of power in Annapolis in the 2019 Maryland General Assembly sessionhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-assembly-fresh-faces-20181224-story.html

One of the worst Supreme Court decisions ever (episode 508)

In this episode: A look back to 1896 and a landmark Supreme Court decision that is considered one of the worst in the court's history. In Plessy v. Ferguson, the court upheld a Louisiana law that required racial separation on passenger trains. The decision preserved and furthered segregation (----separate but equal----) throughout the nation well into the 20th Century. Guest: Baltimore-based journalist and author Steve Luxenberg, a former Sun reporter and editor, and senior editor at The Washington Post. His new book, being published this week, is “Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America's Journey from Slavery to Segregation.” On Wednesday at 7 p.m., Steve Luxenberg will be in conversation with Judge Robert M. Bell, former chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, at the Church of the Redeemer, 5603 N. Charles Street. The Ivy Bookshop will have copies of the book for sale at a signing following the program.

Government Edition: Hogan's State of the State, gun laws and Sen. Justin Ready

Hogan's ----State of the State,---- gun laws and Sen. Justin Ready: In the fifth episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about tax cuts, gun laws and Gov. Hogan's ----State of the State---- speech, before interviewing State Sen. Justin Ready, a Carroll County Republican. Sun reporters Pamela Wood and Doug Donovan join the discussion.----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Links:Gov. Hogan calls for targeted tax cuts, school oversight and tougher sentencing in 'State of the State' speechhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-state-20190130-story.htmlFact check: Filling in the details on Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's rosy view of bipartisan state leadershiphttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-facts-20190130-story.htmlMaryland Democrats seek to make state 'foam free,' cut prescription costs, hike minimum wage to $15 an hourhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-democratic-priorities-20190129-story.htmlGun control advocates push to ban build-your-own guns, expand background checks on private saleshttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-gun-control-20190131-story.html

Government Edition: Anton Black, criminal justice and Sen. Jill P. Carter

In the fourth episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about criminal justice issues affecting Maryland, including the Anton Black case and a proposed police force for Johns Hopkins University, before interviewing State Sen. Jill P. Carter, a Baltimore Democrat who is the former director of Baltimore's Office of Civil Rights. Sun reporters Pamela Wood and Talia Richman join the discussion.Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Links:https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-anton-black-greensboro-20190124-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-bloomberg-hopkins-police-20190122-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ci-carter-letter-20181018-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-house-livestream-20190122-story.html

Turning Baltimore's abandoned houses and vacant lots into affordable homes (episode 503)

Baltimore's long-standing problem with thousands of abandoned houses and blighted communities is gradually being addressed -- with state funds for demolition and initiatives by the city to raise funds for affordable housing and new development in previously overlooked neighborhoods. One of the key organizations on the affordable-housing front is Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. Since it came on the scene in the 1980s, Habitat Chesapeake has built or restored about 750 homes in the city, Baltimore County, Howard County and Anne Arundel County.On this show: A catch-up conversation and ride-along with Mike Posko, CEO of Habitat Chesapeake, about the non-profit's building projects and its HabiCorps skills-training program.We visit two neighborhoods where Habitat has completed projects -- Woodbourne-McCabe in north Baltimore, and Orchard Ridge in the northeastern part of the city.

Government Edition: Immigration, education, Hogan 2020?

Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about Gov. Larry Hogan's inauguration, budget and whether ----Hogan 2020---- is real, before interviewing District 20 State Sen. William C. Smith Jr., a Montgomery County Democrat who is chairman of the Veterans Caucus. Sun reporters Pamela Wood and Liz Bowie join the discussion.Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Links:https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-inauguration-20190116-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-niskanen-20190117-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-budget-takeaways-20190118-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-budget-preview-20190117-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bs-md-kirwan-report-20190118-story.html

Government Edition: Miller’s health, crime and robocalls

In the second episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller's cancer diagnosis and other issues before interviewing State Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Baltimore County Republican who was the target of what prosecutors say was an illegal robocall. Sun reporter Pamela Wood joins the discussion, and we hear some of Miller's best zingers from the General Assembly floor against Comptroller Peter Franchot.Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.

Putting refugees to work in Atwater's Big Kitchen

Even as the Trump administration drastically curtails the nation's refugee resettlement program -- in the midst of the worst global refugee crisis in history -- Atwater's, the local restaurant group, has been putting refugees to work baking cookies and making soup. Working with the International Rescue Committee in Baltimore, Atwater's has provided jobs at its central ----Big Kitchen---- in Morrell Park and at two of its six locations for 11 refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Central African Republic and other nations. In this episode, we hear from Ned Atwater, the founder and owner of Atwater's Traditional Food; David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, and Mary Ricchezza, employment specialist with the IRC in Baltimore.

Polls, water bills, and the 2019 Maryland General Assembly session

In the first episode of ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition,---- Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Broadwater and Goucher College pollster Dr. Mileah Kromer talk about the results of the recent Gonzales poll before interviewing District 43 State Sen. Mary Washington and District 40 Del. Nick Mosby about their new legislation concerning exorbitant water bills and other issues affecting their Baltimore districts. ----Roughly Speaking: Government Edition---- is a partnership between the Baltimore Sun and Goucher College that will run during the 90-day Maryland General Assembly session.Links:https://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-luke-broadwater-20141007-staff.htmlhttps://www.goucher.edu/learn/academic-centers/people-politics-and-markets/faculty/mileah-kromerhttp://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=sponpage----tab=subject6----id=washington----stab=01http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=sponpage----tab=subject6----id=mosby01----stab=01https://baltsun.carto.com/builder/3af4ef26-96cd-4897-929a-9bd679957dc3/embedhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-tax-sale-legislation-20190107-story.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-gonzales-poll-20190107-story.html

Baltimore Sun editor and publisher Trif Alatzas on the importance of community journalism in 2018 (episode 450)

In this year-in-review episode of the Roughly Speaking podcast, our last of 2018, columnist Dan Rodricks speaks with Triffon G. ----Trif---- Alatzas, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Baltimore Sun Media Group, about the mass shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis and its aftermath. Alatzas talks about the day of the horror, the response of police, the community and other news organizations, and how the Capital recovered from the loss of four veteran journalists -- Wendi Winters, John McNamara, Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen -- and advertising assistant Rebecca Smith. Alatzas also talks about the move of the Sun's operations out of its long-time Calvert Street headquarters to Sun Park in Port Covington.

Was there any good news in 2018? Yeah, as a matter of fact (episode 449)

Dan chats with Baltimore Sun reporter Christina Tkacik about her ----good news---- story in the annual year-in-review package.

How Sinclair's plans to challenge FOX News went bust (episode 448)

How a huge media merger, primed for approval by the Federal Communications Commission and its Republican chairman, went wrong. Just a few months ago, Sinclair Broadcast Group, based in Hunt Valley, appeared ready to close a $3.9 billion deal for Tribune Media that would make Sinclair the most powerful broadcast group in the nation with more than 200 stations, a presence in New York and Los Angeles and a challenge to FOX News in the conservative media arena. But first the Sinclair-Tribune deal hit snags, then collapsed — even though the Trump administration supported the merger and the FCC chairman favored consolidation. In August, Tribune ended up suing Sinclair for $1 billion for breach of contract.On the show: Sun media critic David Zurawik elaborates on his review of Sinclair's year on the Z on TV blog, and in print this weekend.

Release: James Featherstone and life after a life sentence (episode 447)

Arrested 40 years ago at age 16 in the murder of a promising Johns Hopkins medical student, James Featherstone received a life sentence for his conviction. If not for a major ruling by the Maryland Court of Appeals – known as the Unger ruling – Featherstone believes he would have died in prison. Since his unexpected release in 2014, he's managed to find work, but not the full-time job he seeks. He's been speaking to boys and young men in trouble with the law, hoping to save them from lives of crime and failure. And he's made friends with Carol Classen, the woman who was engaged to marry the man Featherstone was convicted of killing.In 1979, his first year as a columnist for The Baltimore Evening Sun, Dan Rodricks covered Featherstone's trial. Four years ago, he wrote about his release. And now, for this episode of Roughly Speaking, he visits him at his rowhouse in northeast Baltimore.

When men went to war over Chesapeake oysters (episode 446)

In the 19th Century, the Chesapeake Bay became a battleground over oysters as watermen from New England and New York invaded local waters to harvest the valuable shellfish for a growing international market. Maryland watermen picked up guns to fight off the dredge boats from up north, prompting the Maryland General Assembly to establish an Oyster Navy to try and keep the piece. But many men died in the long war, says Greg Bartles, historian of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, the forerunner of the oyster police.

Artist Randall Gornowich sees a big green dinosaur lurking behind his big pink flamingo (episode 445)

Randall Gornowich, the Baltimore artist who created the famous 30-foot pink flamingo perched above Cafe Hon in Hampden, plans to enhance his creation with a big, green homage to the bird's ancient ancestor. Listen to this episode of Roughly Speaking to understand why there's a T-Rex lurking behind the flamingo when you visit Hampden for the holidays.

Trump, the Crown Prince and the murder of a journalist (episode 444)

President Trump's support of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, against the CIA's conclusion that he ordered the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, follows Trump's incessant criticisms of White House reporters and the American news media generally, calling it ----the enemy of the people.---- The Sun's media critic, David Zurawik, joins Dan for another conversation about Trump's war on the press and how journalists should be covering the 45th presidency.

A national spotlight for Baltimore's old movie theaters (episode 443)

The National Building Museum in Washington has opened up four galleries to feature photographs, relics and oral histories about the theaters that once brought motion pictures to dozens of Baltimore neighborhoods. The exhibit, ----Flickering Treasures: Rediscovering Baltimore's Forgotten Movie Theaters---- is based on the 2017 book by Amy Davis, an award-winning staff photographer of The Baltimore Sun. In this encore episode, Dan speaks with Amy Davis about her project to capture what remains of the city's old movie houses.

Before you shop, some expert tips on Thanksgiving cocktails, wine and dinner (episode 442)

Before you shop for the makings of a Thanksgiving feast, we offer some tips from three experts who've been guests on Roughly Speaking:For the before-dinner cocktails he described in Episode 287, Baltimore bartender Brendan Dorr tells what you need for the well-stocked home bar -- not the booze, but the bitters to finish them and the appropriate glasses in which to serve them.Confused about what wine to serve with Thanksgiving dinner? Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, has a simple suggestion. When he was on the show last year, Attticks led us on a tour of all 70 Maryland wineries.Want to try at least one new dish? John Shields of Gertrude's restaurant and author of The New Chesapeake Kitchen, suggests oyster dressing, cornbread stuffing, maple-glazed sweet potatoes, apple-chestnut stuffing, corn pudding and black walnut pie. All of John's recipes were previously published by the Bay Weekly.Links:https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-aperitifs-20170811-htmlstory.htmlhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-maryland-wineries-20171121-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.bayweekly.com/articles/cooking/article/chesapeake-thanksgivinghttps://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/new-chesapeake-kitchenhttp://bayweekly.com/articles/cooking/article/chesapeake-thanksgiving

Likely Maryland's oldest citizen, one week from 111, Downing Kay is in good health and good humor (episode 441)

In today's episode, Dan makes a return trip to the home of Downing Kay, who was born Nov. 23, 1907. She is most likely Maryland's oldest citizen. She will turn 111 next week, one of only an estimated 50 Americans who are 110 or older. She's in good health, plays Scrabble and still takes the Zumba class at Pickersgill Retirement Community in Towson.She was born Downing Jett and grew up in a rowhouse in the Walbrook section of Baltimore. Her father was a clothier on West Fayette Street. Her parents and four siblings later moved to a house on Carlisle Avenue in Forest Park. She graduated from Forest Park High School and Maryland State Normal School (now Towson University), became a schoolteacher, a wife, a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother. A long life, and still going strong.

A psychologist warns that Trump's 'malignant narcissism' could lead to fascism (episode 440)

Baltimore-based psychologist John Gartner is a leader of a group of mental health professionals called Duty To Warn. Alarmed at what they see of the president's personality and mental state, they seek to have Trump’s cabinet invoke the 25th Amendment, which lays out the procedure for removing a president who is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.” The petition has garnered more than 70,000 signatures. Since Gartner and the group went public about a year ago, there has been a book, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, which includes the writings of 27 psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health experts who argue that their moral and civic “duty to warn” America about Trump supersedes professional neutrality and a rule against long-distance assessments. On Wednesday, the day after the mid-term elections, Dan caught up with Gartner at his office in Towson.

Zurawik on Fox: Shilling without shame for Trump (episode 439)

The Sun's media critic David Zurawik talks about Sean Hannity's role as a shill for President Trump and Fox's empty claims that the right-wing cable power is concerned that its popular host violated journalistic standards by appearing at a Republican rally on the eve of Tuesday's election.

Inside an election night newsroom (episode 438)

As results start to come in from polling places across Maryland and across the country, Dan spends a few minutes with Sun reporters and editors covering the 2018 midterm elections.

The Sun's Andy Green on the Maryland football scandal (episode 437)

In this episode: Sun columnist Dan Rodricks and editorial editor Andy Green review a week of developments that rocked the University of Maryland, College Park, the football program and the University of Maryland System Board of Regents.

How to chowder up the Chesapeake blue crab, with John Shields and Yolanda Johnson (episode 436)

As the cook in charge of making crab soup every day at Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen in Baltimore, Yolanda Johnson is known as the Patapsco River Soup Queen. She makes classic crab soup and cream of crab soup. But what about crab chowder? New England has creamy clam chowder. Manhattan has its own version of clam chowder. Why not chowder up the Chesapeake blue crab?John Shields, the owner of Gertrude's and author of books on regional cooking, challenged Yolanda Johnson to come up with crab chowder. The results were delicious, and you can get the recipe below. Remember: ----Nothing takes the chill off like chowder.----John Shields' new book is, ----The New Chesapeake Kitchen,---- from Johns Hopkins University Press.Chesapeake Crab Chowder(Serves 4 to 6)1/2 stick butter, or 2 tablespoons butter ---- 2 tablespoons bacon grease1 small onion, diced3 stalks celery, diced about the same size as the onion2 tablespoons all-purpose flour4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed2 cups crab or fish stock3 cups heavy cream1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves1 bay leaf1 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper1 pound lump crabmeat, gently picked over for shellsCrumbled bacon bits, for garnishChopped flat leaf parsley, for garnishDirections:In a four-quart saucepan, melt the butter or butter and bacon grease. Saut\u233\u theonion and celery until both are slightly tender, about five minutes. Whisk inthe flour and cook for one minute. Add the potatoes, stock, cream, thyme andbay leaf. Bring almost to a boil, reduce heat, and cook over medium heatfor about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Add thecrabmeat, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking for 5 minutes to heat thecrabmeat through.Serve the chowder sprinkled with bacon bits and garnish with parsley.

David Zurawik on the dangers of Trump`s war on the press (episode 435)

Do Donald Trump's constant harangues against the news media, and CNN specifically, pose, in the present climate, a clear and present danger? Could the president's incessant descriptions of the press as ----the enemy of the people---- incite more violence against journalists or news organizations? On the show today: The Sun's media critic, David Zurawik, talks about Trump's belligerent rhetoric and its effect on the press and the country. ----Trump's war on the press is a war on democracy,---- Zurawik says.

Music and movies to get you in the mood for Halloween (episode 434)

It's the Roughly Halloween special, to get you in the mood with movies and music. Horror movie aficionado Terence Hannum returns to share some of his favorite creepy music scores, ahead of ----Dead Air,---- his annual two-hour show on WLOY at Loyola University. Film critics Christopher Llewellyn Reed and Linda DeLibero note the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein, the novel, with a look at Frankenstein in film through the years. Special thanks to WLOY and the Johns Hopkins-MICA Film Center for their help with the production of this episode.

Sun reporter Kevin Rector on Maglev: 15 minutes from Baltimore to Washington (episode 433)

Baltimore Sun reporter Kevin Rector spent some time this past summer taking a deep look at the proposal to build a multibillion-dollar, magnetic levitation train (or Maglev) system along the Northeast Corridor of the United States, starting with a track between Washington and Baltimore. Kevin’s reporting on Maglev took him to Japan, and he spent a lot of time speaking with those in the Baltimore-Washington region who want to replicate Japan’s 311-mph Maglev system here. Dan interviewed Kevin on a busy platform at Penn Station in Baltimore to hear what he learned about high-speed train travel that could get passengers from Baltimore to Washington in 15 minutes.

How public libraries and playgrounds can restore civility to American society (episode 432)

Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library won some national recognition this month, making Reader's Digest's list of the 10 ----nicest places---- in America. If Baltimoreans spent even more time in the Pratt branches -- and, even better, if people from the suburbs joined them there -- we might have a more civil, less polarized country. That's an argument sociologist Eric Klinenberg has been pushing -- invest in the country's ----social infrastructure,---- he says, to increase the opportunities for human interaction and the possibilities for a healthier, less isolated and angry society. Klinenberg, who visited Johns Hopkins University this week, is the author of ----Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life.---- He is professor of sociology at New York University.

Baltimore through a windshield, darkly (episode 431)

The biblical phrase, ----through a glass, darkly,---- has been used widely in popular culture as the title of books, plays, poetry and at least one movie. It means having a blurred or limited view of reality. The phrase can be applied to the recent public discourse over Baltimore's squeegee dilemma -- what to do, if anything, about the boys and young men who offer to wash windshields at busy intersections. Some of the ----squeegee kids---- see their prospective customers as rude, even hostile. Some drivers complain that they've been abused and harassed by youths with spray bottles and long-handled squeegees. And still others have an aesthetic criticism -- they see squeegee kids and panhandlers as public nuisances, reflecting badly on Baltimore and making it seem like a ----third-world city.----On the show today: Wrapping up a week of squeegee news with Sun reporter Yvonne Wenger. Reflections on the poor in our midst with American culture commentator Sheri Parks.

The Maryland Lynching Memorial Project seeks remembrance and reconciliation (episode 430)

Will Schwarz, a Baltimore-based filmmaker and video producer, founded the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project to remember the 40 documented victims of lynchings in the state, the last being George Armwood, who was killed by a mob on the Eastern Shore 85 years ago this week. The Maryland project is part of a national movement, led by civil rights advocate Bryan Stevenson and his Equal Justice Initiative. On Saturday, at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, the names of Maryland lynching victims were read aloud, and Schwarz screened his short documentary on the Armwood lynching. In this episode: Will Schwarz talks about his ongoing project to collect soil from the grounds where Maryland lynchings took place and to get Maryland counties to memorialize the atrocities and the victims. We hear comments from Stevenson and excerpts from Schwarz's film.For more information: See the Sun's multimedia presentation on Maryland's grim legacy of lynching and hear previous episodes of Roughly Speaking on a student project to account for the lynchings and an oral history of the aftermath of Armwood's death by the late Clarence Mitchell Jr.

Does Lexington Market really need to be replaced? (episode 429)

A couple of years ago, the mayor of Baltimore announced plans to tear the market down and build, on the parking lot to its south, a big glassy structure to replace it. That plan provoked groans -- not only at the design, but at its estimated $60 million price tag. Earlier this month, officials working on Lexington Market’s renovation came up with a new plan, not as expensive and one, they say, that can be put in place faster. The city chose Seawall Development, the firm behind the R. House food hall and other projects in Remington, to construct a new market for the vendors on the south lot, as before, but not the big glass box. The new plan calls for opening the Lexington Street arcade, built in the 1980s, into a grand pedestrian mall between Paca and Eutaw Streets. The plan would retain the market’s east building, where most of the vendors are now, and offer the west building, across Paca Street, for a separate redevelopment project. In this episode, Dan goes to Lexington Market to speak with two key players: Robert Thomas, executive director of the city's public markets, and Kirby Fowler, president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore.Further reading: Klaus Philipsen's Community Architect Daily essay on Lexington Market and Dan Rodricks' August 21 column, ----Shop at Lexington Market, or the rat wins.----

Acquil Bey, Green Beret and self-defense expert, on being safe at work

Acquil Bey, a retired Master Sergeant and U.S. Army Green Beret, says healthy relationships with co-workers, and being aware of potential problems, form the first lines of defense against violence in the American workplace. Bey served 22 years in the military before becoming director of security and safety for Under Armour. He now runs the Tailored Defense Training Group in Baltimore, training men and women in self-defense and in the use of firearms. In this episode of Roughly Speaking, recorded after a deadly shooting at the Rite Aid distribution center in Harford County, Bey talks about workplace safety and what employers and employees can do to protect themselves and others from the kind of violence that has erupted across the country at work sites, in places of worship, in schools and in concert venues.

In Baltimore, massive trees in a four-acre forest (episode 427)

Four acres of woodlands might not sound like much, but in the city of Baltimore it constitutes a forest. Fairwood Forest is a patch of huge trees along a ridge in the middle of a residential neighborhood in northeast Baltimore. Thousands of hawks visit its treetops every year. The non-profit Baltimore Green Space has been working with community organizations to acquire the land and save it from development. On the show: A hike along Fairwood's trails with Miriam Avins, the organization's founder and executive director, and Katie Lautar, Baltimore Green Space's program director and director of its forest stewardship program. Check out photos from Fairwood on Dan's Facebook page.

Vanishing Tangier and the Chesapeake's first climate change refugees (episode 426)

Scientists believe Tangier Island, in the Virginia waters of the Chesapeake Bay, could vanish within the next 25 years. Two-thirds of Tangier's land mass has disappeared since the time of the Civil War, and in recent years sea-level rise caused by global warming took more acres from the island. Fewer than 500 people remain there. Many of them voted for Donald J. Trump, share his rejection of climate change as the reason for their existential challenge and insist that a seawall around the island would save it from further ----wave erosion.---- The deeply religious islanders have frequently been in the media spotlight, often the subject of derision and ridicule for their climate change denials and support of Trump. Journalist and author Earl Swift spent more than a year on Tangier, learning about the island way of life and the work of the watermen who've harvested blue crabs and oysters for generations. Swift has written an elegiac book about the place and the people who could well become the Chesapeake's first climate change refugees. The book is, ----Chesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island,---- published by Harper Collins.In this episode: A talk with Swift following his appearance at the 2018 Baltimore Book Festival; excerpts of a CBS News report, a Stephen Colbert monologue and ----Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.----

How covering a lynching changed Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. and shaped his legendary career

Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., born in Baltimore in 1911, became one of the leading civil rights activists of the 20th Century, serving as chief lobbyist for the NAACP when Congress passed landmark legislation on civil rights, voting rights and fair housing. Mitchell spent so much time in the halls of Congress he became known as ----the 101st Senator.---- Three decades earlier, Mitchell was a newspaper reporter for the Baltimore Afro-American, and it was his experience as a journalist on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in October 1933 that influenced his decision to devote his life to civil rights advocacy. Mitchell reported on the lynching of a black man named George Armwood. In this podcast, Clarence Mitchell describes his experiences in Princess Anne, the town where Armwood was tortured and murdered by a mob 85 years ago. Armwood’s killing was the most recent of at least 44 lynchings in Maryland, where a movement to acknowledge\u160\uand reconcile this dark history is gaining momentum.\u160\uMitchell sat for a recording for the Maryland Historical Society in 1977.Links:https://bsun.md/2ML4tmBhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bal-blackhistory-mitchell-story.htmlhttp://www.mdhs.org/underbelly/2017/10/12/an-american-tragedy/https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/013700/013750/html/13750bio.html

A Baltimore Story: Crossing a once-forbidden bridge (episode 425)

When they were boys, Ken Bancroft and John Bruce were warned to never cross the bridges over the Jones Falls. Bancroft, who is white, grew up in Remington and was told he would be attacked by blacks who lived on the western side of the 28th and 29th street bridges. Bruce, who is black, lived in Gilmor Homes and was told that members of the Ku Klux Klan resided on the eastern side of the bridges. Fifty years later, the two men serve as local leaders of a faith-based group, Be The Bridge, that encourages conversations toward racial understanding and reconciliation, a challenging but important — and timely — project. Bancroft and Bruce crossed a once-forbidden bridge and now want others to do the same. Links:https://beabridgebuilder.com/

Everything you need to know about great rum, with bartender Brendan Dorr (episode 424)

At the B----O American Brasserie in Baltimore, bartender and cocktail historian Brendan Dorr pulls out bottles of rum for a world-class tutorial and taste test.Rum has many uses in refreshing cocktails, but, as Dan discovers, some of the aged brands are best sipped neat.Also on this show, Brendan Dorr talks about — and offers us a taste of — the South American cousin of rum, cacha\u231\ua, the basis of Brazil's national drink, the Caipirinha.

Overlooked history: The African-American men who fought with John Brown (episode 423)

In the late summer of 1859, the fierce abolitionist John Brown assembled a small army in a farmhouse in rural Maryland and prepared to raid the federal arsenal across the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry. Brown hoped to inspire a rebellion and establish a government of liberated slaves in the Appalachian Mountains. Among Brown's band of raiders were five African-American men, one of them an escaped slave, who have been largely overlooked by historians — John Copeland, Shields Green, Dangerfield Newby, Lewis Leary and Osborne Perry Anderson. Their stories are now told in ----Five For Freedom,---- a new book by longtime journalist Eugene Meyer, a former reporter and editor of the Washington Post. In this episode: A visit to the Kennedy farm where Brown's army stayed in the weeks before the raid and a conversation with Gene Meyer about Brown and the five African-American raiders who joined his cause.Eugene Meyer is scheduled to speak at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore on Thursday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 pm. Photo credit:\u160\uAcroterion/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Links:http://johnbrown.org/https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyculture/john-brown.htmhttp://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/five-for-freedom-products-9781613735718.phphttp://eugenelmeyer.com/http://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/writers_live_mike_reiss_springfield_confidential#.W5-r_ZNKjcMhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

A film critic's favorite films: Part II, with Linda DeLibero (episode 422)

In Part II of A Film Critic’s Favorite Films, we hear about some of Linda DeLibero’s favorites: Three Westerns (----The Searchers,---- ----The Wild Bunch,---- ----McCabe and Mrs. Miller----), one Hitchcock (----Shadow of a Doubt----), one Kubrick (----Barry Lyndon----), one film directed by Orson Welles and starring his voice (----The Magnificent Ambersons----), one Coppola (----The Conversation----), a film directed by Terence Malick (----Badlands----), one directed by Kenneth Lonergan (----Margaret----) and one film directed by someone you probably never heard of (----Killer of Sheep----).Linda DeLibero is director of film and media studies at Johns Hopkins University. You can hear Part I of A Film Critic's Favorite Films in episode 421, with Christopher Llewellyn Reed of Stevenson University.Links:https://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/directory/linda-delibero/

A film critic's favorite films, Part I (episode 421)

Christopher Llewellyn Reed teaches filmmaking at Stevenson University, has worked on films, writes weekly reviews and monthly joins our other critic, Linda DeLibero, to talk about either classic movies or the current cinema. Today you’ll hear Chris talk about 10 of his favorites, from Spike Lee’s ----Do The Right Thing---- to ----The Godfather---- to ----The Piano---- and the 2005 film, ----Nine Lives,---- directed by Rodrigo Garcia. He even throws in a musical and a science fiction comedy. Chris starts us in the 1940s, after World War II, with ----The Best Years of Our Lives,---- directed by William Wyler, and a film you’re sure to recognize, directed by Frank Capra.Christopher Llewelyn Reed is professor and chair of the film and moving image department at Stevenson University. He is a regular contributor to Roughly Speaking. Linda DeLibero will be with us next week to list some of her top choices, Part II of A Film Critic’s Favorite Films.

The Great Uprising of the 1960s: Baltimore, York and Cambridge (episode 420)

In a second conversation with historian Peter Levy, we hear about The Great Uprising, some 750 urban riots -- more than most Americans might imagine -- that erupted in the 1960s, from Newark to Los Angeles, from Detroit to Baltimore. According to Levy’s new history, upwards of 525 cities were affected. The two largest waves of unrest and violence came in 1967 and during the spring of 1968, after the assassination in Memphis of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. In those two years alone, 25 people were killed and nearly 7,000 injured. Law enforcement officers made 45,000 arrests, and property damage reached what today would be close to a billion dollars.Peter Levy argues that, regarded collectively, the Great Uprising was, like the Great War and the Great Depression, one of the central events that defined he United States in the 20th Century. Levy's book examines the conditions that led to the riots, and he speaks with Dan about race relations in the U.S. today.Levy, a professor of history at York College, lives in Towson. He is the author of, ----The Great Uprising: Race Riots in Urban America during the 1960s,---- published by Cambridge University Press.For more about the York riots, listen to Episode 419.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-mlk-anniversary-riots-20180315-htmlstory.htmlhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/books/great-uprising/CB96654F9843195F12D6D3863B65E284http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-race-riots-lillie-belle-allen-20180830-htmlstory.html

How to make the official sandwich of Labor Day Weekend

Come along for a visit to Dan's kitchen and a tutorial on how to make a traditional peppers-and-eggs sandwich, declared by our columnist as the official sandwich of Labor Day weekend.----It’s a modest but delicious shift-worker’s lunch. So it’s a tribute to workers. And it’s made with a fresh ingredient from the late-summer garden. So it has the seasonal thing going for it, too. What's not to like?----Labor Day Peppers-and-Eggs SandwichIngredients4-5 sweet green peppers (cubanelles, if available, but bell peppers will do)4 eggsTBS grated Parmseanpinch garlic powderItalian bread or rollsMethod- Remove stems and seeds from peppers. Rinse peppers, then cut into quarter-inch slices.- Heat olive oil in cast-iron skillet; add peppers just before the oil starts to smoke.- Reduce heat and cook peppers for a few minutes, until they become soft, but not mushy. - Beat eggs and pour them over the peppers. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip with a spatula.- Sprinkle with salt and grated Parmsean, and a pinch of garlic powder.- Turn off stove and let residual heat finish cooking while you slice the bread or rolls.- Make three or four sandwiches, wrap them in foil, and let them sit for at least an hour to soften bread and infuse with flavor. Linkshttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-08-30/news/bs-md-rodricks-0830-20140829_1_meal-bell-peppers-thanksgivinghttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-sandwich-20170901-story.htmlhttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-08-30/news/bs-md-rodricks-0830-20140829_1_meal-bell-peppers-thanksgiving

York's 1969 race riots and the death of Lillie Belle Allen (episode 419)

In his new history of the hundreds of race riots that erupted across the country in the 1960s, historian Peter B. Levy offers a gripping look at the violence in York, Pa. in the summers of 1968 and 1969, resulting in the deaths of a white police officer and a black woman from South Carolina. The deaths of Officer Henry Schaad and Lillie Belle Allen went unsolved until the daily newspapers in York published 30-year retrospectives on the riots. Those reports led to new investigations that pinned Allen's death on members of white gangs and complicit police officers, including one, Charlie Robertson, who went on to become York's mayor. Two black men were charged in Officer Schaad's death. Levy, a professor of history at York College, lives in Towson. He is the author of, ----The Great Uprising: Race Riots in Urban America during the 1960s,---- published by Cambridge University Press. Levy will be a guest on an upcoming episode to talk more about the uprisings of the 1960s, including those in Baltimore and Cambridge, Maryland.For more about the York riots: ----Silent no more: The murder of Lillie Belle Allen,---- by Kim Strong, and ----40 Years Later: A Different York,---- by Mike Argento.

The brave girls who integrated American schools (episode 418)

Long before the 1954 Supreme Court case that found ----separate but equal---- unconstitutional, black parents across the country tried to enroll their children in all-white public schools. In researching girlhood and race in the decades before the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, historian Rachel Devlin discovered numerous stories about grassroots efforts to desegregate schools in the South, Midwest and in the District of Columbia. In most cases, the children who crossed the color line for the first time were girls or young women. In this episode of Roughly Speaking, Devlin talks about the brave girls who were in the vanguard of school integration after World War II. Devlin is an assistant professor of history at Rutgers University and author of, ----A Girl Stands At The Door: The Generation of Young Women Who Desegregated America's Schools,---- published earlier this year by Basic Books.Links:https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/rachel-devlin/a-girl-stands-at-the-door/9781541616653/(Image: AP Photo/Norman Rockwell Estate Licensing Company via the Corcoran Gallery )

To the farmer's market for purslane and bourbon with restaurateur John Shields (episode 417)

Dan hits the Waverly farmer's market in Baltimore with restaurateur and Chesapeake cookbook author John Shields. The market, on 32d Street, is open every Saturday of the year, and Shields has been a shopper -- for his Gertrude's restaurant and for his kitchen at home -- for more than two decades. In this episode: Joan Norman of One Straw Farm, talks about the affect of all the spring and summer rain on the 2018 growing season; street performer Merdalf sings, ----The Wind Cries Mary,---- Len and Kelsey Louthan, father-and-daughter distillers, offer a sample of their Montebello Bourbon; and Purslane, the edible and super-nutriotius weed that grows everywhere, from city sidewalks to farm fields, makes a surprise appearance next to the Russian kale and Swiss chard.

Exit interview: Peter Beilenson leaves his mark on Baltimore and Maryland (episode 416)

Dr. Peter Beilenson was an innovative health commissioner for Baltimore and health officer for Howard County over two decades before establishing Evergreen Health, one of 23 non-profit insurers created under the Affordable Care Act. Beilenson left his mark on the city with aggressive responses to AIDS, the crack epidemic and gun violence against youth. In the county, he found a way to provide health care to families that could not afford it. And that was before the ACA.In this episode: Beilenson talks about the problems facing Baltimore, why they persist, and what's needed to significantly reduce violence, drug addiction and poverty in a sustaining way.Before leaving Maryland to take a public health job in his native California, Beilenson talks about the promise, early success and ultimate failure of Evergreen, and his frustration with the Obama administration over the co-op's demise.

With more legalization looming, how to talk to your kids about marijuana (episode 415)

Up first: Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital, an infectious disease expert, talks about mosquitoes and the diseases they carry. Mosquitos are reported to have tripled in number with the wet spring and summer on the East Coast. In mid-July, Maryland health officials reported the first case of West Nile virus; it occurred in the Baltimore area. There is still a chance of more problems, with the mosquito numbers way up, and with Maryland’s mosquito season usually lasting until October. Dr. John Cmar is on the staff at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, where he directs the Division of Infectious Diseases. This segment was recorded before the state reported the West Nile case.The approval of eight new medical marijuana dispensaries increased the size of Maryland’s retail market to 65 stores, with dozens more in the pipeline. Meanwhile, Ben Jealous, the Democratic candidate for governor, says it’s time to legalize pot completely, and he’s not alone. Some believe it’s just a matter of time before we see pot for sale for personal use. With that as a backdrop, how do parents start the conversation? Family psychologist Brad Sachs talks about talking to your kids about marijuana now that medical marijuana is here and full legalization might be on the way. Brad Sachs is a psychologist based in Columbia, Md. He specializes in clinical work with children, adolescents, couples and families. He is the founder and director of The Father Center, a program designed to meet the needs of new fathers. You can find Brad Sachs and a list of the books he’s written on his website.

The Orioles are doing what the whole city needs to do (episode 414)

In the midst of a historically bad season, the Orioles have decided to tear down the house and rebuild, trading popular players for an infusion of youthful talent. It marks a fresh start, but it comes with risks, as Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck explains. Still, breaking from the status quo, scrapping what wasn’t working, investing in youth, and working patiently and deliberately toward a better future -- the Orioles are doing what the whole city of Baltimore needs to do.

Maryland crabs, Maine lobsters, Atlantic menhaden -- sustaining fisheries on a crowded, warming planet (episode 413)

With climate change, population growth and an insatiable global demand for seafood, how can we continue to harvest fish without destroying the fragile ecosystems of the oceans and bays? And should Americans eat more fish and shellfish for the sake of their health and the environment?In this episode of Roughly Speaking: An update on the status of the Chesapeake blue crab, a deep dive into the Omega-3 industry and the merits of seafood, and a look at effect of warming waters on Maine’s lobster harvest.Paul Greenberg, a best-selling author of books on fish and the seafood industry, talks about the demand for menhaden, the most heavily harvested fish on the East Coast, and the multi-billion industry connected to the Omega-3 fatty acids that come from the oily fish. Greenberg’s new book, “The Omega Principle,” argues that Americans could have healthier, eco-friendly diets by eating more seafood, and, he says, there’s a way to increase fish consumption without destroying the oceans.Christopher White grew up in the Chesapeake region and has written three books about the bay. His latest work took White to Stonington, Maine for a look at the lobster industry and how climate change has affected that fishery. His new book, “The Last Lobster,” tells a fascinating story that explains the lobster boom of recent years, and tries to chart what the future holds for lobstering as ocean temperatures rise.

Running a Baltimore school, Part 5: Marc Martin, Commodore John Rodgers Elementary-Middle School (episode 412)

In the last of a five-part series of conversations with accomplished Baltimore principals, Dan speaks with Marc Martin about turning around a failing school with falling enrollment. Eight years ago, Martin took over Commodore Rodgers, replaced most of the staff, enrolled his own children and generally raised expectations. His approach has guided the school on an impressive turnaround in academic performance and enrollment, and Martin now mentors leaders of other troubled city schools.Also in the series:-Part One, Episode 408: Matthew Hornbeck, Hampstead Hill Academy-Part Two, Episode 409: Kimberly Hill-Miller, Lockerman Bundy Elementary School-Part Three, Episode 410: Emily Hunter, Arlington Elementary/Middle School-Part Four, Episode 411: Cindy Harcum, Baltimore City College High School

Running a Baltimore school, Part 4: Cindy Harcum, Baltimore City College High School (episode 411)

In the fourth of a five-part series of conversations with award-winning Baltimore principals, Dan’s guest is Cindy Harcum of City College. With all of her students focused on getting to college, Harcum implemented a student-to-student tutoring program while making college-level courses the norm. City’s senior class set a local record for International Baccalaureate diplomas. Harcum also talks about having to deal this spring with the violent death of one of the school's most promising student-athletes, Ray Antwone Glasgow III.Also in the series:-Part One, Episode 408: Matthew Hornbeck, Hampstead Hill Academy-Part Two, Episode 409: Kimberly Hill-Miller, Lockerman Bundy Elementary School-Part Three, Episode 410: Emily Hunter, Arlington Elementary/Middle School-Part Five, Episode 412: Marc Martin, Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School

Running a Baltimore school, Part 3: Emily Hunter, Arlington Elementary-Middle School (episode 410)

In the third of a five-part series of conversations with accomplished Baltimore principals, Dan speaks with Emily Hunter, principal at Arlington Elementary-Middle School in northwest Baltimore. The daughter of a former Baltimore schools superintendent, Hunter created a wellness center and a series of monthly events to encourage students to stay focused on studies while engaging their parents in the life of the school and in preparing their children for it. Arlington has made steady academic progress but still faces challenges in student achievement. Also in the series:Part One, Episode 408: Matthew Hornbeck, Hampstead Hill AcademyPart Two, Episode 409: Kimberly Hill-Miller, Lockerman Bundy Elementary SchoolPart Four, Episode 411: Cindy Harcum, Baltimore City College High School Part Five, Episode 412: Marc Martin, Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School

Running a Baltimore school, Part 2: Kimberly Hill-Miller, Lockerman Bundy Elementary School (episode 409)

In the second of a five-part series of conversations with accomplished Baltimore principals, Dan’s guest is Kimberly Hill-Miller, who wrote and produced a music video to help her students prepare for the iReady assessments in math and language arts. Students duct-taped Hill-Miller to a wall in March as their reward for making gains in their reading and math scores. Her goal and reward-oriented motivation techniques are designed to make learning fun and inspire her students.Also in the series:-Part One, Episode 408: Matthew Hornbeck, Hampstead Hill Academy-Part Three, Episode 410: Emily Hunter, Arlington Elementary/Middle School-Part Four, Episode 411: Cindy Harcum, Baltimore City College High School -Part Five, Episode 412: Marc Martin, Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School

Running a Baltimore school, Part I: Matt Hornbeck, Hampstead Hill Academy (episode 408)

In the first of a five-part series of conversations with accomplished Baltimore principals, Dan speaks with Matthew Hornbeck, now in his 15th year at Hampstead Hill Academy, a strong and diverse public charter school in southeast Baltimore. Hornbeck, from a family of educators, talks about the challenges of running a city school in the face of budget cuts, and he has a lot to say about Maryland's commitment to funding education.In the series:-Part Two, Episode 409: Kimberly Hill-Miller, Lockerman Bundy Elementary School-Part Three, Episode 410: Emily Hunter, Arlington Elementary/Middle School-Part Four, Episode 411: Cindy Harcum, Baltimore City College High School -Part Five, Episode 412: Marc Martin, Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School

How Baltimore's free blacks asserted their rights before the Civil War (Episode 407)

Martha Jones, a professor of history at Johns Hopkins University, has performed a great service -- dusting off records and throwing open the windows of the old Baltimore courthouse to show how, in the decades before the Civil War, free blacks used the law to gain a foothold as citizens. By the 1830s, Baltimore was home to the nation’s largest free-black community. While some 25,000 former slaves and free-born blacks lived and worked in the city, their rights were greatly restricted by so-called “black laws.” So they studied the laws, hired white attorneys to help them, and presented their everyday legal matters -- contract disputes, permit requests -- to judges. They found in the courthouse a way to conduct themselves as citizens and exercise fundamental rights. Extracting stories from 19th Century court records in the Maryland State Archives, Jones shows how, in the face of the 1857 Dred Scott decision, free blacks continued to assert what they saw as their birthright, the first steps on the way to the Fourteenth Amendment and citizenship.Martha Jones is the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University. She is the author of “Birthright Citizens: A History of Race and Rights in Antebellum America,---- published in June by Cambridge University Press.

The tragic death of a gifted son: The Jeffrey Peck story (episode 406)

Jeffrey Peck was an ----academically precocious---- kid who graduated from high school at 11, and from Towson University at 15. He was a profoundly gifted boy who seemed destined for a career in biological sciences. But, at 24, Peck drove to an abandoned elementary school north of Hunt Valley and killed himself with carbon monoxide. His devastated parents set out to learn why their only son had committed suicide. His mother, Dolores Peck, says her son was the victim of cyber-bullying during the last weeks of his life. She tells the story in a published memoir, and on the show today.Links:http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2001-05-11/news/0105110155_1_towson-beta-beta-dundalkhttps://www.facebook.com/agiftedlifecutshortthejeffreypeckstory/

How police responded to the deadly shooting at the Capital Gazette (episode 405)

Recordings of dispatchers, along with communications between officers and commanders, provide the minute-by-minute story of the quick response of police to the deadly shooting in the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis last Thursday.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-quick-response-20180629-story.html

A progressive push from Maryland Democrats (episode 404)

On this post-primary show, The Sun's Erin Cox and Luke Broadwater talk about Tuesday's election, starting with progressive Democrat Ben Jealous' decisive victory over five other gubernatorial candidates. Jealous will face incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in November's mid-term election. Also on the show: Commentary by Melissa Deckman, professor and chair in political science at Washington College. A look at the results from Baltimore County with Sun reporter Pamela Wood.

Prep and primer for Tuesday's Maryland primary (episode 403)

On the eve of Tuesday's primary election, Dan speaks with Sun reporters Erin Cox, Luke Broadwater and Pamela Wood about the campaigns for Maryland governor, Baltimore County executive, Baltimore State's Attorney and other offices.

Black Lives Matter activist Darnell Moore on Trump's America (episode 402)

Featured on today's show: A wide-ranging conversation with writer and activist Darnell L. Moore on Trump and immigrants, the Bible and politicians, and growing up black and gay.Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a great summer beach read, ----The High Season,---- by Judy Blundell.Darnell Moore, a writer and editor and one of the leaders of Black Lives Matter, talks about the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants, the now-abandoned family separation policy, and the use of the Bible to defend public policy. Moore is the author of, ----No Ashes In The Fire,---- a memoir of his life as a black boy growing up in -- and surviving -- Camden, N.J.Links:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/561515/the-high-season-by-judy-blundell/9780525508717/https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/darnell-l-moore/no-ashes-in-the-fire/9781549168727/

Jesse Colvin and Michael Pullen want to unseat Andy Harris (episode 401)

Six Democratic candidates are seeking their party's nomination this month to challenge Republican incumbent Andy Harris in Maryland's 1st Congressional District in November. Two of the candidates -- longtime Talbott County attorney Michael Pullen and Army veteran Jesse Colvin -- are on today's show, talking about their respective challenges to Harris and about an array of issues facing the district, which runs from the Eastern Shore to the metro Baltimore counties.Both Colvin and Pullen have been guests on earlier episodes of Roughly Speaking, and another candidate, Alison Galbraith was on the show in November and April.Other candidates did not respond to invitations to the podcast.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-jesse-colvin-20180223-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-michael-pullen-20180320-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-crime-fight-20171116-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-morella-galbraith-20180413-htmlstory.html

Kurtis Williams spent half his life in prison for murder. Now, he's back in Baltimore. (episode 400)

Kurtis Williams, who has spent half of his 35 years in Maryland prisons for second-degree murder, has earned parole. He's back in Baltimore and facing the formidable challenge of finding a job. “As callous as this sounds,” Williams says, “this is Baltimore City, and I’m not the first, and I’m not going to be the last, person that might have a murder charge sitting in front of you. That’s unfortunate. But that’s just the reality of the city that we’re living in.” Hear about his early life, his crime, his time in prison and his experiences being home and looking for work after 17 years behind the walls.

Maryland gubernatorial candidate Krish Vignarajah's viral response to 'mean tweets' (episode 399)

During the last week, there have been more than 1.5 million views of an online video featuring Maryland gubernatorial candidate Krish Vignarajah responding to sexist and racist tweets. Vignarajah says she has received hate mail and mean tweets ridiculing her gender, her ethnicity and even the appearance of her 11-month-old daughter, Alana, in a campaign ad. We hear what the trolls said, and how Vignarajah responded, in the candidate's second visit to the Roughly Speaking studio. Dan's first conversation with the candidate, former policy director for First Lady Michelle Obama, was in December, Episode 334, and covered an array of issues and candidate positions.Links:https://www.facebook.com/NowThisHer/videos/1286847331446139/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzVRsi7MF8shttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-krish-vignarajah-20171214-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-krish-vignarajah-profile-20180521-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttps://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/

What's growing in Baltimore: purple cliff brakes and 100 orchards (episode 398)

A look at what's growing in Baltimore: A spring survey of the city's biodiversity leads to the discovery of a rare wild plant in the Jones Falls Valley while, elsewhere, workers tend to more than 1,000 fruit and nut trees in 100 orchards across the city. Who knew the city had orchards?Book recommendation: Our critic, Paula Gallagher, likes a new memoir, ----Beauty In The Broken Places,---- by Allison Pataki.Wolf Pecher, an associate professor at the University of Baltimore, leads Dan to the rare native plant, the purple-stemmed cliff brake, discovered growing in a railroad bridge abutment during a recent biodiversity survey in the Jones Falls Valley. Eric Sargent, planting coordinator for Civic Works' Baltimore Orchard Project, talks about the fruit and nuts trees planted in more than 100 locations across the city and describes BOP's latest undertaking, Moveable Orchards, during a visit to the pilot site at the Baltimore Food Hub in East Baltimore.Links:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/554652/beauty-in-the-broken-places-by-allison-pataki/9780399591655/https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewSpecies.php?species=425https://ubpost.org/2015/06/05/ub-students-and-faculty-study-and-clean-up-the-jones-falls/http://baltimoreorchardproject.civicworks.com/about-us-2/http://civicworks.com/moveable-orchards/

Jim Shea and Brandon Scott say Hogan just 'treading water' (episode 397)

In the latest in a series of conversations with candidates for governor of Maryland, attorney Jim Shea says the man he hopes to challenge in November, incumbent Republican Larry Hogan, has been just ----treading water,---- doing little to advance education, transportation and Baltimore's crime fight. Shea says that, in lowering highway tolls, widening roads and ----doing no harm,---- Hogan has lowered expectations for the governor's office, and Shea promises to reverse Hogan's minimalist approach.Joining the conversation is Shea's running mate, lieutenant governor candidate and Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-jim-shea-profile-20180515-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-jim-shea-20170802-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttps://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/

Counting the dead: Puerto Rico death count could be even higher (episode 396)

Dr. Gilbert Burnham, founder of the Center for Humanitarian Health at Johns Hopkins University, believes the death toll from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico could be even higher than the estimate of 4,600 made by researchers affiliated with Harvard's school of public health last week. The Harvard estimate far surpassed the government's count of the dead, and it underscored the problem of delayed medical care in the aftermath of the devastating storm. Burnham is an expert in conducting household surveys to estimate deaths from wars and natural disasters. He led teams that investigated civilian deaths after the U.S. invasion of Iraq and, more recently, deaths that occurred during the military liberation of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, from ISIS control.Links:https://www.jhsph.edu/faculty/directory/profile/110/gilbert-burnhamhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1803972http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-hurricane-maria-deaths-20180529-story.htmlhttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2006-10-11/news/0610110345_1_iraq-johns-hopkins-death-counthttp://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002567

A Baltimore movie, a Baltimore homecoming, and a good book (episode 395)

A Baltimore movie, a Baltimore homecoming, and a good book.Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a new psychological thriller: ----The Perfect Mother,---- by Aimee Molloy.Mike Finazzo, a Baltimore filmmaker, talks about his new made-in-Baltimore romance, ----Bored In The USA,---- and its upcoming premier at the Senator Theater.In the next few months, Marylanders will be hearing more about the Baltimore Homecoming, an effort to give the city a much-needed boost by reconnecting accomplished natives -- people who've gained fame and fortune -- to their hometown. The idea is to gather some of the Baltimore disapora, show them around the city and expose them to people, places and projects looking for backers and investors.Dan speaks with the co-founders of the October event, J.M. Shapiro and Nate Loewenthiel.Plus, we hear about an effort to identify people in the city doing great things. The organizers of the Baltimore Homecoming are looking for nominations for Homecoming Hero Awards. Details in the show and at this web site.Links:https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062696793/the-perfect-mother/https://www.mt.cm/bored-usahttp://baltimorehomecoming.com/http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-baltimore-homecoming-launch-20171110-story.html

Democrat Madaleno says Hogan hurt Baltimore 'during darkest times' (episode 394)

In another in a series of conversations leading up to the June 26 primary election, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Madaleno says Maryland under Larry Hogan ----walked away from [Baltimore] during the darkest times.---- Madaleno criticizes the incumbent Republican for failing to support the city by killing the Red Line transit system and the redevelopment of the state government center on the city's west side. Madaleno, a state senator from Montgomery County, also claims that policies Hogan adopted -- on education funding and transportation, for instance -- were made possible by progressive Democrats in Annapolis who held Hogan’s budget-cutting ambitions in check.In this episode, we also hear from Madaleno's running mate, Luwanda Jenkins. A Baltimore native, Jenkins has extensive background in business and state government. Among other positions, she directed the Office of Minority Affairs for Maryland’s last three Democratic governors.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-madaleno-profile-20180508-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-madaleno-20171212-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.html

Going Solo: There's always room for another Star Wars picture (episode 393)

Book critic Paula Gallager recommends ----Love And Ruin,---- a new novel based on the marriage of Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn.With the release today of ----Solo: A Star Wars Story,---- film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed tells us what they think of the latest prequel in the Star Wars franchise while offering a retrospective of the main subject of the new movie -- Han Solo, the smuggler and starship pilot played by Harrison Ford in the original series.Our critics: Linda DeLibero is director of Film and Media Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Christopher Llewellyn Reed is chair and professor in the department of film and moving image at Stevenson University. They join us once a month to discuss the cinema, current and classic.Links:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/534054/love-and-ruin-by-paula-mclain/9781101967386/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/sns-tns-bc-solo-movie-review-20180524-story.htmlhttps://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/directory/linda-delibero/https://chrisreedfilm.com/

College-bound students and the pressure for prestige (episode 392)

As graduation season approaches, a lot of college-bound seniors are happy to have the tense admissions process behind them. That process, says family psychologist Brad Sachs, is fraught with all sorts of problems created by the pressures placed on students to win acceptance to the country's most prestigious universities. Some high school students have been driven to suicide over pressures from final exams and college expectations. Sachs works with children and parents as they struggle through the college decision, right up until graduation and, in some cases, even beyond. He talks about the pressures kids feel to excel and to get to top-tier schools.Brad Sachs specializes in clinical work with children, adolescents, couples and families. He is the founder and director of The Father Center, a program designed to meet the needs of new fathers. You can find Brad Sachs and a list of the books he’s written on his website.Links:http://www.drbradsachs.com/https://www.ocregister.com/2018/03/19/this-16-year-olds-suicide-letters-are-a-cry-for-help-and-a-national-call-for-change/http://www.drbradsachs.com/books.htm

Ross and Verratti: A tech-and-beer ticket for governor (episode 391)

In another in our series of conversations leading up to Maryland's June 26 primary election, tech guru and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alec Ross introduces us to his running mate, Julie Verratti, and talks about the need for ----21st Century thinking---- in state government. Ross criticizes the incumbent Republican governor, Larry Hogan, for failing to support Baltimore by killing the Red Line transit system and the redevelopment of the state government center on the city's west side. He also talks about the need to address the increasing costs of child care across the state.Verratti describes her background in federal government, working in the Small Business Administration, and her experiences running a business -- a brewery and restaurant -- in Montgomery County.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-alec-ross-immigration-crackdown-20171005-htmlstory.html

Launching a career in cooking at City Seeds (episode 390)

On today's show: A visit to the busy City Seeds kitchen at the East Baltimore food hub, and Paula Gallagher's weekly book recommendation.Paula's choice this week: ----Broadway: A History of New York City in Thirteen Miles,---- by Ken Leadon.Time to see what’s happening at the East Baltimore food hub, a redevelopment project that has been in the making for several years. Last fall, City Seeds became the hub’s first tenant, moving into a shiny new building off North Wolfe Street. City Seeds is a commercial kitchen that provides catering and grab-and-go meals for some major institutions and businesses in Baltimore. Its core mission is to employ people who’ve faced challenges in their lives and train them for culinary careers. It’s an impressive social enterprise of the Humanin non-profit. On today’s show, we meet Deborah Haust, the Humanim vice-president who runs City Seeds as well as the other program in the new space, School of Food; Chef Aharon Denrich and some of his staff -- James St. John, the cookie man; Lovetie Gbalazeh, and Kingsley Aubmere.Links:http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Broadway/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/baltimore-diner-blog/bs-fo-food-hub-20171110-story.htmlhttp://www.cityseeds.org/https://www.schooloffood.org/

Childish Gambino, blacks living life and whites calling 911 (episode 389)

With more than 135 million views, ----This Is America,---- the provocative video by Childish Gambino, the musical alter ego of actor Donald Glover, has quickly become a cultural phenomenon. The symbolism in its dancing, staging and violent imagery has been the subject of robust interpretation. The song opened at No. 1 on Billboard's singles chart this week. American culture commentator Sheri Parks joins us to talk about the song's refrain, ----This is America/Don't catch you slippin' up,---- and what she sees as a reference to several recent instances of white people calling 911 to report black people in public spaces.Sheri Parks has been associate dean at the University of Maryland and, starting June 1, she will be taking on a new job as vice-president for strategic initiatives at the Maryland Institute College of Art.Links:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY

Trump on the hunt for welfare cheats (episode 388)

Picking up on a favorite subject of Republicans since Ronald Reagan -- the assumption of widespread abuse of the country's social safety net -- the Trump administration has ordered an audit of federal welfare programs while supporting efforts by some states to attach work requirements to food stamps and Medicaid.Dan's guest: Michael Reisch, an expert on social policy, professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and a one-time resident of public housing in New York.Reisch explores why many Americans who in some way benefit from the social safety net -- or have it as backup -- believe that it’s rife with fraud. A letter from a Sun reader in western Maryland provides Exhibit A of that attitude.

Mosby challenger Bates has plan to break Baltimore's persistent violence (episode 387)

In another in a series of interviews with candidates in June's primary, Baltimore State's Attorney candidate Ivan Bates promises to recruit experienced lawyers to prosecute repeat violent offenders who, he says, have been getting off too easy during the tenure of incumbent Marilyn Mosby.Bates says the failures of Mosby's office have contributed to Baltimore's increase in violence, a surge now in its fourth year. The city recorded its 100th homicide of the year this week.Bates, a defense attorney and former prosecutor, says Mosby's office has been depleted of prosecutorial talent, makes too many plea deals and loses too many prosecutions of violent offenders. He also says he wants to emphasize fighting crime at its roots — among juvenile offenders, and in the communities hardest hit by violence.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-youth-violence-20180509-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-100-homicides-20180509-story.htmlhttps://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/baltimore-city/states-attorney/https://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/baltimore-city/states-attorney/ivan-bates/

Mosby challenger Bates has plan to break Baltimore's persistent violence

In another in a series of interviews with candidates in June's primary, Baltimore State's Attorney candidate Ivan Bates promises to recruit experienced lawyers to prosecute repeat violent offenders who, he says, have been getting off too easy during the tenure of incumbent Marilyn Mosby. Bates says the failures of Mosby's office have contributed to Baltimore's increase in violence, a surge now in its fourth year. The city recorded its 100th homicide of the year this week.Bates, a defense attorney and former prosecutor, says Mosby's office has been depleted of prosecutorial talent, makes too many plea deals and loses too many prosecutions of violent offenders. He also says he wants to emphasize fighting crime at its roots — among juvenile offenders, and in the communities hardest hit by violence.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-youth-violence-20180509-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-100-homicides-20180509-story.html

Kevin Kamenetz's legacy of public service (episode 386)

Episode 385 featured an interview with Kevin Kamenetz, the Baltimore County executive and Democratic candidate for governor in next month’s primary election — and his running mate, Valerie Ervin. They visited us last week. So you can imagine my shock to get a tip at 4:37 am this morning that Kevin Kamenetz had died. We confirmed the county executive’s death about an hour later, and that is today’s lead story in the Sun. Having interviewed Kevin several times over the years, I got to know him and admired his commitment to public service and his efforts at good government in Baltimore County. In answer to the question, why should Maryland Democrats vote for you in the primary: Kevin Kamenetz defended his long record in politics and public service, and he rejected the idea that being a career politician is a bad thing.In an age of increasing cynicism about politics and distrust of government, it’s easy to become suspicious of the the motives of people, like Kamenetz, who hold office over many years. But the final measure is in honest service, sustained commitment to the public and accomplishments that serve the greater good. Kevin Kamenetz takes too early such a record to his grave.

Kevin Kamenetz and Valerie Ervin (episode 385)

Producer's note: Kamenetz died of cardiac arrest on May 10.Why should Maryland Democrats select Kevin Kamenetz over other candidates in a crowded field of experienced politicians and first-time office-seekers hoping to become the next governor? With the candidates agreeing on most of the issues, why Kamenetz?The Baltimore County executive, hoping to win the June 26 primary to face incumbent Republican Larry Hogan in November, answers that question on today's show.And we meet the woman he chose for a running mate, former Montgomery County Council member Valerie Ervin.Links:https://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/governor/kevin-kamenetz/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-kamenetz-running-mate-20180221-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.html

Preparing for the possibility of a pandemic (episode 384)

Featured in this episode: An infectious disease specialist talks about Bill Gates' repeated warnings that the U.S. and the world are not sufficiently prepared for the possibility of a pandemic that could kill millions. But before we get to that:Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a new non-fiction title, ----The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession and the Natural History Heist of the Century,---- by Kirk Wallace Johnson.Baltimore County executive Kevin Kamenetz, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor of Maryland, and his running mate, Valerie Ervin, talk about the opioid epidemic. Kamenetz announced Wednesday that the county would open a 70-bed on-demand treatment facility in Owings Mills.Michael Reisch, professor of social justice at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, gives his take on the sturdy Trump base -- why people who might be hurt by the president's policies stick with him.Dr. John Cmar, an expert in infectious disease on the staff of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, gives some perspective to Bill Gates' most recent warning that the world could face a flu pandemic like the one that killed millions -- and 675,000 in the United States -- 100 years ago.Links:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/534655/the-feather-thief-by-kirk-wallace-johnson/9781101981610/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-opioid-announcement-20180501-story.htmlhttp://www.ssw.umaryland.edu/academics/faculty/michael-reisch/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-donald-trump-evangelical-christians-20180419-htmlstory.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/04/27/bill-gates-calls-on-u-s-to-lead-fight-against-a-pandemic-that-could-kill-millions/?utm_term=.a20a298090f3

Baltimore tests Trump administration’s stances on immigration, violent crime (episode 383)

Baltimore might be considered a sanctuary for immigrants — a position that puts the city at odds with the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants — but it's also in the midst of a long battle with violent crime. Should the U.S. Justice Department lend a hand? U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen recently got a concession from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to reconsider why Baltimore was excluded from a multimillion-dollar federal program aimed at cities struggling with violent crime.Also on today's show: Van Hollen talks about an array of other topics in Trump's Washington — from the tax cuts passed by the GOP-led Congress to the administration's hard line on the Iran nuclear deal.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-baltimore-no-crime-grants-20180425-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-sessions-urban-crime-20170620-story.htmlhttp://www.newsweek.com/republican-tax-plan-donald-trump-cbo-884129

Deficits in the trillions in the Trump era (episode 382)

2:03: Paula Gallagher, librarian and book critic, makes her weekly recommendation: ----The New Farm: Our Ten Years on the Front Lines of the Good Food Revolution,---- by Brent Preston.5:23: Roy T. Meyers, professor of political science at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, talks about the GOP tax cuts and the latest increase in federal spending — a combination that will send government deficits into the trillions, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Meyers, who once worked for the CBO, is an expert in the federal budget process. He provides a 30-minute history on recent deficits and how, rising to new levels, they could affect the nation's economy.Links:https://thenewfarm.ca/book/https://userpages.umbc.edu/!!!_meyers/index.html

Challenging Mosby, Vignarajah pledges to clean up the Gun Trace Task Force mess (episode 381)

Thiru Vignarajah, challenging incumbent Marilyn Mosby, says the Baltimore state's attorney has ----no idea---- how many criminal cases have been tainted by members of the notorious Gun Trace Task Force. Vignarajah says his survey shows that more than 2,300 cases involved at least one of the eight task-force officers convicted of corruption, and he has a plan for reviewing each one. It's part of Vignarajah's campaign pledge to restore faith in law enforcement after one of biggest scandals in Baltimore police history. In today's episode, Vignarajah also talks about police-involved shootings, holding officers accountable for civil rights violations, and recruiting talented attorneys to prosecute criminal cases in a city experiencing a surge of violence now in its fourth year.Links:https://elections2018.news.baltimoresun.com/baltimore-city/states-attorney/thiru-vignarajah/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bal-baltimore-gun-trace-task-force-coverage-storygallery.htmlhttp://thiruforbaltimore.com/web/policeaccountability/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ci-mayor-crime-walk-20180424-story.html

Democrats like Hogan, but will they vote for him in November? (episode 380)

The latest Goucher Poll puts Maryland's Republican governor, Larry Hogan, in a strong position to win a second term. But while Maryland Democrats, who outnumber Republicans 2-1, widely approve of Hogan's job as governor, whether they vote for him in November remains an open question. Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, talks about the poll results.

Why old industrial cities are poised for a turnaround — particularly Baltimore (episode 379)

A follow-up to Dan’s Sunday column on a new Brookings Institution report, “Renewing America’s economic promise through older industrial cities,” with its lead author, Alan Berube, a Brookings senior fellow and director of its Metropolitan Policy Program.The report argues that Baltimore and other post-industrial American cities, large and small, hold great potential for more inclusive economic growth that benefits their states and regions. Cities are where the best jobs are going, and a new generation of educated and well-trained Americans have a desire to live in cities that are thriving economically and diverse socially and culturally. The report puts Baltimore in one of the strongest positions among 70 of the nation’s older industrial cities. Berube explains why.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0422-story.htmlhttps://www.brookings.edu/research/older-industrial-cities/#01073https://www.brookings.edu/experts/alan-berube/

Dallas Dance was going places, now he's going to jail

In this extra edition of Roughly Speaking,\u160\uLiz Bowie, the Sun's senior education reporter,\u160\utalks about the Dallas Dance case. Today was the 37th birthday of the former Baltimore County schools superintendent, but it was\u160\uhardly one to celebrate. A judge today\u160\usentenced\u160\uDance\u160\uto six months in jail\u160\ufor failing to disclose nearly $147,000 he earned from part-time consulting jobs.\u160\uDance pleaded guilty last month to four counts of perjury related to the income he earned outside of his role as superintendent for one of Maryland’s largest public school systems.\u160\u

Ramped up for wild spring onions (episode 377)

Despite the late-arriving spring (or extended winter) in Appalachia, ramps have started to pop through the ground in western Maryland and West Virginia. The pungent spring onion grows wild in the region and, once harvested, becomes the centerpiece of annual church suppers and festivals.Dan and his foodie guests, John Shields and Henry Hong, speak with Maryland park ranger Caroline Blizzard about the annual ramps cook-off being held at Deep Creek Lake on April 28.John Shields offers a recipe for pickled ramps.Henry Hong tried growing them and wrote this essay about ramps for the City Paper in 2011.(Photo courtesy of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources)Links:http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-05-07/news/0305060051_1_ramp-wild-leek-cook-offhttps://wvexplorer.com/recreation/agritourism/ramp-dinners-festivals/http://www.discoverycenterdcl.com/ramp-cookoff/http://www.citypaper.com/bcp-cms-1-1137701-migrated-story-cp-20110427-eatme-20110427-story.htmlhttp://www.trbas.com/media/media/acrobat/2018-04/69859252114000-20044313.pdf

Trump, porn, playmates and prayer (episode 376)

Evangelicals and Donald Trump -- how the Christian right made a deal to overlook a lot of issues related to Trump’s character to support him, no matter what -- no matter porn star, playmate, nasty tweets, or arguably anti-Christian tax cuts for the rich. According to Newsweek, a new poll suggests that Trump’s base of white evangelical support has not been turned off by allegations of his affairs with Stormy Daniels or a former Playboy bunny. If anything, white evangelicals have come to hold more favorable attitudes towards him. Why?Our guests:Melissa Deckman, chair of the political science department at Washington College, a regular contributor to Roughly Speaking and the author of “Tea Party Women: Mama Grizzlies, Grassroots Leaders, and the Changing Face of the American Right.” Sheri Parks, our American culture commentator, associate dean at the University of Maryland and, starting in June, she will be taking on a new job as vice-president for strategic initiatives at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Links:http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-perspec-page-trump-evangelicals-tony-perkins-0128-20180126-story.htmlhttp://www.newsweek.com/trump-evangelicals-support-millennials-888267

Women in Congress: A former member and a candidate, Connie Morella and Allison Galbraith (episode 375)

1:52: Paula Gallagher has this week’s book recommendation, a new memoir about a young woman who survived a survivalist upbringing to earn a Ph.D. from Cambridge. The title is “Educated,” by Tara Westover.6:05: Allison Galbraith talks about her campaign to become the Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Andy Harris in Maryland's First District in November. Galbraith gives her position on guns, coastal oil drilling and the development of wind turbines off Ocean City. She first appeared on the podcast in November. Two other candidates, Jesse Colvin and Michael Pullen, also have been heard on the show.19:28: We hear from a former Republican congresswoman, Connie Morella, who served eight terms in Washington representing Maryland’s 8th District. Morella talks about Donald Trump, Paul Ryan and political tribalism -- and what, if anything, can be done to fix the parts of Washington politics that leave so many Americans disgusted and disillusioned. Morella is a member of the ReFormer's Caucus, a group of former elected officials seeking to restore integrity to government.Links: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/02/tara-westover-memoir-educated-interviewhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-crime-fight-20171116-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-jesse-colvin-20180223-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-roughly-speaking-michael-pullen-20180320-htmlstory.htmlhttps://www.issueone.org/reformers/

A film that changed our critic's life (episode 374)

This month marks 50 years since the release of one of the most influential and popular films of all time, Stanley Kubrick's ----2001: A Space Odyssey.---- Film critic Linda DeLibero, says, ----It changed my life. It made me realize that cinema was the most important art form.---- She says no science fiction film has topped Kubrick's for its ability to convey the ----limitlessness and terror of space.---- DeLibero and critic Christopher Llewellyn Reed talk about a movie that has been variously described as a milestone and a masterpiece, but also opaque and puzzling and ----the strangest blockbuster in Hollywood history.---- Linda DeLibero is director of film and media studies at Johns Hopkins University. Chris Reed is professor and director of the department of film and moving image at Stevenson University.Links:https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/02/behind-the-scenes-of-2001-a-space-odyssey-50-years-later

Taylor Branch: King's legacy about the future as much as the past (episode 373)

Taylor Branch, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian of the American Civil Rights Movement, talks about the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April, 1968, the riots that broke out in Baltimore and other cities after King's death, and where the movement went after that. This interview comes in advance of ----King In The Wilderness,---- an HBO documentary film for which Branch, who lives in Baltimore, served as executive producer. The film airs on HBO for the first time on Monday, April 2 at 8 pm Eastern. Be sure to read The Sun's coverage of the 50th anniversary of King's death and the riots that ravaged sections of Baltimore in the week following the assassination.Links:http://taylorbranch.com/about-taylor-branch/https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/king-in-the-wilderness

Do new starting pitchers change Orioles' 2018 outlook? (episode 372)

1:25: Librarian and book critic Paula Gallagher recommends, ----Tangerine,---- a debut novel by Christine Magnan.4:59: The Sun's lead baseball writer, Eduardo ----Eddie In The Yard---- Encina, talks about the 2018 Baltimore Orioles, particularly the team's pitching staff. The Orioles open the new season at home on March 29 at against the Minnesota Twins.Links:https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062686664/tangerinehttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/

Potential Andy Harris opponent supports assault rifle ban, universal health care (episode 371)

Michael Pullen, a Democratic candidate for congress in Maryland's 1st District, has staked out progressive positions in a bid to win his party's nomination and challenge incumbent Republican Andy Harris. Pullen, who spent 24 years as the attorney for Talbot County, says he supports a federal ban on assault rifles as a way to stem mass shootings. He also supports universal health insurance, or ----Medicare for all.---- Pullen opposes oil drilling off the Maryland coast, but supports the establishment of a wind farm in those waters and full funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup. He is one of six Democrats seeking the nomination in Maryland's June 26 primary. Two other candidates, Allison Galbraith and Jesse Colvin, already have given interviews, and those recordings can be found in the Roughly Speaking archive.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aegis/ph-ag-harris-town-hall-0307-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-harris-offshore-drilling-20180209-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/environment/bs-md-offshore-wind-distance-20180312-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-trump-budget-maryland-20180212-story.html

Listening to Lefty: A final interview with fly fishing legend Lefty Kreh (episode 370)

In what was likely his last recorded conversation, the legendary fly fisherman Lefty Kreh talks about learning to handle a fly rod, his experiences in the outdoors with his son, Larry, and his favorite spot on the Potomac River. Kreh, who died on Wednesday, was a Maryland native who became one of the best-known fly anglers in the world. He taught casting to hundreds of people, including Hollywood luminaries, and he wrote 32 books over a career that included 18 years as outdoors editor of The Sun. Dan visited him at his home in Cockeysville on Feb. 1, 25 days before Kreh's 93rd birthday.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bs-sp-obit-lefty-kreh-20171113-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0226-story.html

Calling out BS, fake facts and fear-mongering (episode 369)

3:21: If you need help separating fact from fiction, solid news from what Donald J. Trump calls fake news, you can now take a course in discerning one from the other. It’s being offered at Anne Arundel Community College starting next week. David Tengwall, a long-time professor at AACC, will teach an eight-week course called, “Calling Out Bullshit.” It promises to be a fun course, Tengwall says, but the reason for it is serious: Americans have been inundated with BS, in politics and in commerce, and we need help in detecting deceptions. Above all, he says, a well-informed citizenry engaged in critical thinking is vital to democracy.18:03: How calling out BS is actually done:\u160\uVeteran journalist Arnold “Skip” Isaacs shares what he learned when he questioned the Trump administration claim that a lax U.S. immigration system had put Americans at risk by allowing hundreds of foreign-born terrorists into the country. Isaacs says the claim is bogus and he explains why. Isaacs, a former editor and correspondent for The Sun, lives in Maryland, and his story, ----Using Fake Facts to Make Us Afraid,---- is posted on TomDispatch.com.\u160\uhttps://www.aacc.edu/newscenter/news-releases/2018-news/calling-out-bullshit-march-8/http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/176393/

Can the church use faith to influence eating and exercise? (episode 368)

Baltimore restaurateur John Shields joins Dan for a conversation with the Rev. Heber Brown III, pastor at Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, about the Black Church Food Security Network. This is an effort to use churches to influence their members to not only eat healthier foods, but to eat what they grow or what African-American farmers grow. The network, with eight churches, is having its second annual launch event on Saturday, March 17 at New Creation Christian Church. The program hopes to double the number of church gardens in the network this season and to connect neighborhoods that need fresh produce with black farmers in Virginia and North Carolina.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bs-hs-faith-communities-health-programs-20170508-story.htmlhttp://www.blackchurchfoodsecurity.net/home.htmlhttp://www.blackchurchfoodsecurity.net/events.html

A guide to church suppers, Baltimore's original pop-up restaurants

Baltimore has many traditions, and among them are annual church suppers. Some of the best known: The German sour beef-and-dumpling and beef rouladen dinners at Zion Church of the City of Baltimore, the weekly Lenten fish fries at Catholic parishes, the annual Polish festivals of Holy Rosary Church that require the production of up to 40,000 pierogies, and the ravioli dinners at St. Leo's in Little Italy. John Shields, a Baltimore native and proprietor of Gertrude's restaurant, calls these ----faith-based pop-up restaurants,---- dinners offered only once, sometimes twice, each year.If you have never been, this is the year to give one (or all) a try. In today's show, Dan and restaurateur John Shields speak with organizers of these events. It takes hundreds of volunteers to make all those pierogies, dumplings and crab cakes.Links: http://www.zionbaltimore.org/hospitality/sour-beef-dinnerhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-beef-rouladen-dinner-benefits-the-zion-church-organ-fund-tickets-42339080329https://www.archbalt.org/venue/our-lady-queen-of-peace-2/http://www.holyrosarypl.org/en/slideshow/Polish-Spring-Festival-May-1920-2018-_995

DMI and the roots of corruption in Maryland prisons (episode 366)

The Maryland prison system has had a long run of corruption, with dozens of correctional officers and others accused of helping incarcerated gang members continue their criminal enterprises behind the walls. From the Baltimore City Detention Center in 2013 to the Eastern Correctional Institution in 2016 and the prison in Jessup last year, investigations of those facilities have resulted in dozens of indictments, convictions and prison sentences. The scandal involving the Black Guerilla Family at the BCDC was so bad that it led in part to the shuttering of the old jail in 2015. In the Jessup case, a state corrections sergeant is accused of doubling as an officer in the Crips gang.Federal authorities have led most of these investigations. On today's show, Robert Harding, an assistant U.S. Attorney who supervises the Baltimore office's criminal division, talks about how the feds first learned about the widespread corruption in state prisons. It was the activities of a violent, made-in-Maryland gang, Dead Man Inc., that led investigators to the problems at BCDC and at ECI.Links:https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/federal-indictments-charge-80-defendants-alleged-racketeering-conspiracy-maryland-shttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-sun-investigates-corrections-indictment-20170915-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-prison-gang-indictments-20171130-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-tavon-white-returns-20160309-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-hogan-city-jail-20150730-story.htmlhttps://www.justice.gov/usao-md/case-matter-divisionshttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-roark-dmi-sentencing-20130107-story.htmlhttps://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/federal-indictments-charge-80-defendants-alleged-racketeering-conspiracy-maryland-s

Oscars reaction: Will Hollywood's reckoning lead to lasting change? (episode 365)

Critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed give their takes on the 90th Academy Awards, the first in the post-Harvey Weinstein era. Will #MeToo plus #TimesUp plus #OscarsSoWhite lead to a power shift and lasting diversity in Hollywood?Reed is professor and chair in film and moving image at Stevenson University. DeLibero is director of the program in film and media studies at Johns Hopkins University.

Hell on the half-shell: The oyster wars of the Chesapeake Bay

Once upon a time, Chesapeake oysters were good as gold — so plentiful and so valuable that men fought bloody battles over them. Greg Bartles, historian of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, tells of the bay's deadly oyster wars of the 19th Century, as local watermen put down their tongs and picked up guns to fight each other and invading ----drudgers----over access to oyster beds. This month marks 150 years since the establishment of Maryland's ----oyster navy,---- a forerunner of the Natural Resources Police.Links:http://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/md-conservation-history/Oyster-Cannon-State-House.aspx

Ben Jealous rips Hogan, proposes reforms for police (episode 363)

Ben Jealous, the former national president of the NAACP, says Gov. Larry Hogan holds Baltimore in contempt and has done too little to help the city through its crisis in crime and police misconduct. On Wednesday, Jealous, seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Hogan's bid for re-election, proposed a set of reforms for Baltimore police and police across Maryland, including the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of misconduct.This is another in a series of interviews with candidates for office in 2018. To listen to earlier conversations with gubernatorial candidates, visit this Roughly Speaking archives page.Also today: Book critic Paula Gallagher returns to the lineup, recommending a novel, ----The Driest Season,---- by Meghan Kenny, a former Tickner Writing Fellow at the Gilman School in Baltimore.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-pugh-police-discipline-20180222-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-goucher-poll-chelsea-manning-20180221-story.htmlhttps://benjealous.com/issues/criminal-justice/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttp://books.wwnorton.com/books/The-Driest-Season/http://meghankenny.co/about/

To the fish market with Chef Michel Tersiguel (episode 362)

A visit to the wholesale fish market in Jessup, Maryland, with a chef who still does what a lot of chefs used to do: He gets up early in the morning to see what looks fresh enough to cook for his customers for dinner. And, while we’re shopping for seafood with Chef Michel Tersiguel, we’ll meet a man named Andy Foehrkolb, a cutter for Reliant Fish Co., who displays a fine hand at an old craft -- filleting one of the boniest of fish, the shad, a seasonal, but fading, tradition of the Chesapeake dinner table. Bonus: A visit to Tersiguel's kitchen in Ellicott City for a quick brunch.Links:http://www.reliantfish.com/history.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-md-rodricks-0227-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-blog-0228-story.html

Can a Democrat flip the Big Red One? (episode 361)

Republican Rep. Andy Harris, one of the most conservative members of Congress, is seeking a fifth term representing Maryland's First District, which runs from Carroll County, through Harford and Baltimore counties, across the Chesapeake Bay to the Eastern Shore. Voters in the First went for Donald J. Trump in 2016 by a margin of 29 percentage points over Hillary Clinton.Can a Democrat flip the Big Red One?Until recently, no one considered the district a battleground, and many political analysts still consider it solidly red for Harris.But two weeks ago, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Maryland's First into ----battleground---- status, declaring it in play with nearly 100 other House seats it will try to flip in the mid-term elections in November. That decision seems to be based largely on the fund-raising success of Jesse Colvin, a 33-year-old Army veteran who is among Democratic candidates in Maryland's June primary.Colvin raised more campaign money than Harris in the last quarter of 2017, taking in $219,000 to the incumbent's $156,000.On today's show, an introduction to Jesse Colvin and where he stands on issues -- health care, the opioid epidemic, jobs, the Chesapeake, and gun violence.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0507-20170506-story.htmlhttps://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/dccc-expands-targets-2018http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-trone-fourth-quarter-20180131-story.html

And the children shall lead them (episode 360)

The same day of a White House ----listening session---- on the mass shooting at a Florida high school, student protesters marched on the state capitol in Tallahassee to demand tougher gun control. On today's show, American culture commentator Sheri Parks talks about the remarkable and passionate student uprising that has occurred even in the midst of mourning and grief. Parks is associate dean in American studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a regular contributor to Roughly Speaking.

$37 million in justice for Korryn Gaines; Trump's dereliction of duty (episode 359)

On today's show, two big stories, one local, one national: The $37 million jury award in the Baltimore County police shooting death of 23-year-old Korryn Gaines, and the Russian cyberwar against the U.S. and President Trump's unwillingness to fight back.Pamela Wood, staff reporter for The Baltimore Sun, reviews the Korryn Gaines case, from the August 2016 standoff with police that ended with her death to Friday's jury award of $37 million for her six-year-old son and other family members.Sean Gallagher, the Baltimore-based IT and national security editor of Ars Technica, the tech-news web site, talks about President Trump's unwillingness to counter the activities described in Friday's Russian indictments -- a misinformation campaign to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election, and ongoing threats to democratic institutions.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-gaines-verdict-analysis-20180216-story.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/author/sean-gallagher/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-0215-trump-russia-20180214-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-indictment-blacktivist-20180216-story.html

Recipes for a better country, and a better Bloody Mary

After a week of more bad news for the nation — horrible violence in a Florida high school, failure in Washington to resolve the political stalemate over immigration — Dan shares some thoughts about the state of the union, and speaks with two guests:5:11: Leyla Moushabeck, editor of ----The Immigrant Cookbook,---- which is chock full of recipes from people who emigrated to the U.S. and brought great food traditions with them.15:13: Brendan Dorr, bartender at the B----O American Brasserie, who offers the secret recipe for a better Bloody Mary.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-nikolas-cruz-florida-school-shooting-suspect-20180215-story.htmlhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-immigration-plan-20180215-story.htmlhttp://www.interlinkbooks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3472

Why some people die from the flu; a doctor explains (episode 357)

The current flu season is the worst in a decade, overwhelming emergency rooms and causing one in 10 American deaths in recent weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Today on the show, Dr. John Cmar, an infectious diseases specialist, talks about the flu in Maryland and across the U.S., and he explains why some people die from it.Also on the show:* The CDC is facing fiscal problems and plans to pull back on its interventions overseas, including in some countries that have been hotspots for infectious diseases.* Plus, a study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals a 40 percent drop in government-funded clinical trials in recent years. Dr. Cmar comments on both developments. He is based at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore and comments about medical news from time to time.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-flu-season-20180126-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-child-flu-death-20180206-story.htmlhttps://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/02/cdc-funding-pandemics/552224/http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-nih-clinical-trials-20180213-story.html

Pains, trains and leaky pipes: Baltimore's infrastructure headaches (episode 356)

The Baltimore region's subway system had to be closed completely for repairs while the city's old municipal water and waste-water system continues to spring leaks and pollute local waters, prompting years of costly repairs and higher and higher water bills that fewer and fewer Baltimoreans can afford.1:38: Colin Campbell, who covers public transportation for The Sun, talks about the Metro closure and its effect on the thousands of commuters who use it each day.8:53: As Baltimore faces costly repairs to its water and waste-water system, residents are looking at higher bills that many of them are unable to pay. Dan speaks with Roger Colton, an economist whose 109-page report for Food ---- Water Watch concludes that Baltimore could find itself in a “downward spiral,” forced to impose larger and larger price increases to pay for court-ordered infrastructure upgrades.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-metro-subway-shutdown-20180212-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-water-cost-study-20171215-story.htmlhttps://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/sites/default/files/baltimore_water_study-final_report-2017.pdf

Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force verdict: The scene in court (episode 355)

The Baltimore Sun reporters who were at the courthouse,\u160\uJustin Fenton and Jean Marbella, share their insights into the guilty verdicts in the Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force trial,\u160\uone of the biggest police corruption scandals in recent memory.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-gttf-verdict-20180208-story.html

Sizing up the 2018 Orioles (episode 354)

Pitchers and catchers report to the Orioles' camp in Sarasota next week, with big questions looming about the starting rotation and at least one preseason analysis predicting no more than 70 wins for Buck Showalter's 2018 team. Today on the show: The Sunshine Boys, Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck and sportswriters Eduardo Encina and Jon Meoli, size up the team and its pitching needs ahead of spring training.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-rotation-comparison-20180207-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-pecota-2018-20180207-story.htmlhttps://twitter.com/eddieintheyardhttps://twitter.com/schmuckstophttps://twitter.com/jonmeoli

Hogan and Frosh spar over Trump lawsuits (episode 353)

We have no photographs of Larry Hogan and Brian Frosh standing side by side, and that's no accident: Maryland's Republican governor and Democratic attorney general have a chilly history going back 15 years, says Erin Cox, the Sun's State House bureau chief. And that, in part, explains the tension between the two as Frosh sues the Trump administration on 18 fronts and the governor withholds support of the attorney general's challenges to White House policy. The Hogan administration left out of the state budget the $1 million and additional staff the General Assembly promised Frosh to sue the Trump administration.Erin Cox joins Dan to talk about the chill between Hogan and Frosh, the current session of the General Assembly and election-year politics.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-consumer-protection-trump-lawsuits-20180122-story.html

Can the mighty beaver save the bay? (episode 352)

Almost wiped out centuries ago by fur trappers, beavers have made a comeback in North America, including the Mid-Atlantic and the Chesapeake Region. While many see them as a nuisance -- slayers of trees, builders of dams that flood roads and farm land -- biologists and natural resource managers see good in the beaver comeback. Their dams create rich habitat for other mammals and fish while filtering sediment and damaging nutrients from waters that flow to the Chesapeake Bay.On the show:- Frances Backhouse, a Canadian writer and author of, ----Once They Were Hats: In Search of the Mighty Beaver.----- Mike Callahan, founder of the Beaver Institute who has resolved more than 1400 conflicts between beavers and humans.- Scott McGill, founder and CEO of Ecotone, a Maryland-based ecological restoration company that is bullish on the beaver as a benefit to the environment. (Photo courtesy of NPS / Neal Herbert) Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aberdeen-havre-de-grace/ph-ag-beaver-dam-0406-20160407-story.htmlhttps://www.bayjournal.com/article/leaving_it_to_beavers_communities_make_room_for_natural_engineershttps://potomac.org/blog/2016/1/19/beaver-dam-nitrogen-waterhttp://www.backhouse.ca/books/https://www.beaverinstitute.org/https://www.ecotoneinc.com/

Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force trial update with reporter Justin Fenton (episode 351)

The trial of two Baltimore police detectives who were once part of the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force is gaining national, even international attention. More than two dozen witnesses have testified in the federal racketeering\u160\utrial of detectives Daniel Hersl and Marcus Taylor. Here to bring us up to date on the proceedings and their impact is reporter Justin Fenton.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-gun-trace-task-force-gttf-testimony-highlights-20180126-story.html

Teens and smartphones: Should parents worry?

Two decades ago, says psychologist Brad Sachs, parents worried about Bart Simpson's ----malevolent influence on developing children.---- Now it's technology — and, specifically, smartphones — that has parents concerned. Sachs, based in Columbia, counsels families, and not surprisingly, the frequent, if not obsessive, use of smartphones is now a common source of tension between parents and their kids. But, if it's a problem, Sachs says, it's a manageable one.Brad Sachs specializes in clinical work with children, adolescents, couples and families. He is the founder and director of The Father Center, a program designed to meet the needs of new fathers. You can find Sachs and a list of the books he’s written on his website.Links: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-teens-phones-20161026-story.htmlhttp://www.drbradsachs.com

John Shields and Henry Hong comfort us with food (episode 349)

What's your favorite comfort food for a winter weekend? A lot of people would quickly mention mac-and-cheese. Others might favor a stew, soup or savory pasta dish. On this weekend episode: John Shields, of Gertrude's restaurant in Baltimore, offers a comforting potato dish from his ancestral home in Ireland, while Henry Hong, the Food Nerd, suggests a chicken casserole passed down from his wife's grandmother. Dan offers polenta and minestrone.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0126-story.html

Trump unleashes political termites on the federal government (episode 348)

----Political termites---- is a term from investigative reporter and best-selling author David Cay Johnston. It refers to what Johnston calls the serious damage being done to many aspects of the federal government in the Trump administration. From worker safety to water and air pollution, Johnston describes government in retreat on regulation of industry and co-opted by corporate interests.Johnston is a longtime journalist and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize who has covered Donald Trump since the late 1980s. In fact, he wrote a widely-published book about him, called ----The Making of Donald Trump.---- Johnston is a specialist in finance and tax issues. His DCReport is a nonprofit, online news service that “reports what the President and Congress DO, not what they SAY.”David Cay Johnston's new book is “It’s Even Worse Than You Think, What the Trump Administration is doing to America.”Links:https://www.dcreport.org/http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Its-Even-Worse-Than-You-Think/David-Cay-Johnston/9781501174162

Film critics Linda DeLibero and Chris Reed on today's Oscar nominations (episode 347)

Nominations for the 90th Oscars were announced in Los Angeles Tuesday morning. Listen to this latest episode of Roughly Speaking to hear reactions from our critics, Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed. DeLibero is director iof film and media studies at Johns Hopkins University. Reed is professor and chair of the film and moving image department at Stevenson University. They are regular contributors to Roughly Speaking.

Pugh replaces Davis. Will voters replace Mosby? (episode 346)

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has fired the police commissioner, Kevin Davis, citing a lack of progress in the department's fight against violent crime. But police are just one part of the city's criminal justice system. With homicides climbing above 300 for each of the last three years — and 11 killings in the first 19 days of 2018 — will Baltimore voters keep Marilyn Mosby as the city's chief prosecutor? Ivan Bates, a 49-year-old defense attorney and former prosecutor, is among those challenging Mosby as a candidate for Baltimore State's Attorney in the June Democratic primary. He blames Mosby for losing dozens of veteran prosecutors and dozens of felony cases, making defendants more brazen and less concerned about facing harsh punishment for their crimes. Bates also says Mosby's office should have known about the corruption of the disbanded Gun Trace Task Force; dozens of criminal cases have been thrown out because of the unit's unlawful practices.

In case of missile attack, what's the plan? (episode 345)

It might seem like an abstract thought to many -- an actual nuclear attack on an Asian neighbor of North Korea, or on the United States -- but the situation between Washington and Pyongyang has wrought real tension not felt since the Cold War. Saturday, when Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency mistakenly issued an alert about a missile attack, it raised a question: Do Americans know what to do in the event of such a military emergency? What's the plan? Culture commentator Sheri Parks joins Dan for the conversation -- and a look back to the Cold War, Civil Defense and the Cuban Missile Crisis.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-hawaii-false-missile-alert-20180114-story.html

Baltimore violence: Transforming lives, sustaining programs that work (episode 344)

2:33: Cory McCray, a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from East Baltimore, talks about what got him off the streets where he sold drugs as a young man — his mother, an apprenticeship program, and an inspiring community leader in Belair-Edison.15:19: Anthony Smith, executive director of Cities United, talks about a national effort to reduce violence among African-American men and boys in more than 100 communities across the country, a collaboration of mayors to identify best practices and sustain them over a generation or more.47:33: Joe Ehrmann, former Baltimore Colt defensive tackle, minister, coach and motivational speaker, talks about the InSideOut Initiative to bring a big change in coaching philosophy to high schools, including Baltimore's. Partnered with the Ravens, the program aims to instill character development and moral leadership in student-athletes by breaking through the win-at-all-costs coaching approach too common in youth sports.

Erricka Bridgeford: Reclaiming Baltimore killing scenes with 'light and love' (episode 343)

Erricka Bridgeford, one of the organizers of Baltimore Ceasefire and The Baltimore Sun's Marylander of The Year, talks about visiting the sites where homicide victims fall, and what Baltimoreans can do about the violence in their city.

'If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention' (episode 342)

On Tuesday at the White House, Donald J. Trump made an attempt at bipartisanship on immigration. But, as the evil Ramsay Bolton in ----Game of Thrones---- might say: ----If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.---- Republicans quickly criticized Trump for appearing to make concessions, and conservatives in the House of Representatives rolled out a legislative package that takes a hard line on immigrants, including those covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Joining Dan to comment on national politics this week: Herb Smith, professor of political science at McDaniel College.With the Maryland General Assembly open in this election year, Mileah Kromer, director of the Goucher Poll, talks about the legislative session, the state's June primary and the November election. Could a Democratic wave at the polls threaten the incumbency of the popular Republican governor, Larry Hogan? Mileah Kromer is an associate professor of political science and the director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, and she oversees the Goucher Poll.

What the demise of net neutrality means for consumers (episode 341)

Senate Democrats are trying to force a vote on reinstating net neutrality rules, and they have hit a key legislative milestone, according to the tech new web site, Ars Technica. Meanwhile, state legislators in Nebraska and California are proposing net neutrality laws to replace the US-wide ones repealed by the Federal Communications Commission in December. Today on the show: Sean Gallagher, the Baltimore-based IT editor of Ars Technica, explains what the demise of net neutrality will mean for consumers, in Maryland and across the country, unless congressional action reverses the controversial FCC action.Links:https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/01/restoration-of-net-neutrality-rules-hits-key-milestone-in-senate/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/01/net-neutrality-gaining-steam-in-state-legislatures-after-fcc-repeal/https://arstechnica.com/author/sean-gallagher/

Cold schools, Maryland politics, the rise of superbugs (episode 340)

Guests on the weekend edition of the show: Eric Cox, State House bureau chief for The Baltimore Sun; Talia Richman, the Sun's education beat reporter; Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital.Richman talks about the latest crisis in the Baltimore city schools — classrooms without heat during a prolonged cold spell. Officials have received complaints of lack of heating at about 60 of the school system’s buildings, and images of students bundled in winter coats have provoked outrage and finger-pointing.The Maryland General Assembly opens on Wednesday for its annual 90-day session, and Cox sizes up the major issues facing the legislature, all of them resulting from the actions or inactions of the Republican-controlled Congress. Plus, 2018 is an election year, with Gov. Larry Hogan facing re-electing and several state legislators facing primary challenges, thickening the state's political plot.Dr. John Cmar, an infectious disease specialist based at Sinai Hospital and a Roughly Speaking contributor, presents his list of communicable diseases to watch for in 2018, including a pan-resistant bacteria, or super bug, unaffected by multiple antibiotics.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/k-12/bs-md-ci-gofundme-schools-20180104-story.html

Mosby challenger pledges to cut homicides in half in three years (episode 339)

Thiru Vignarajah, an experienced attorney and former prosecutor, says he has a plan for cutting the city’s murder count in half within the next three years -- that is, if voters elect him over the incumbent Baltimore State's Attorney, Marilyn Mosby. Vignarajah blames Mosby for the city's three-year surge in violence, citing the loss of dozens of veteran prosecutors and a lack of convictions of violent, repeat offenders. A former deputy Maryland attorney general, Vignarajah is seeking the Democratic nomination for state's attorney in June's primary. He has just released a five-point plan to cut shootings and homicides, focusing on Baltimore's most violent neighborhoods.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-rodricks-0920-20150918-column.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-2017-violence-20171229-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0510-20170509-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-baltimore-plea-bargains-peters-20171023-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-vignarajah-states-attorney-20170913-story.htmlhttp://thiruforbaltimore.com/web/

Home could be where the cargo was: Converting shipping containers into homes for the homeless (episode 338)

Today's episode goes with Dan's latest column: A Baltimore couple, Pamela and Christian Wilson, talk about their proposal to convert used, unwanted shipping containers into two-bedroom, rent-to-own houses for people who are homeless. They have teamed with Baltimore architect Jay Orr to come up with plans and presented them to officials at City Hall. The Wilson are now seeking partners to join them in the endeavor. Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0103-story.html

Maya Rockeymoore Cummings on what it means to be a Maryland Democrat in the time of Trump and Hogan (episode 337)

In the last of a series of introductory interviews with Democratic candidates for governor of Maryland, Dan speaks with Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, a public policy expert and one of two women seeking their party's nomination. A one-time congressional staffer, Rockeymoore Cummings is the founder of Global Policy Solutions, a Washington-based consulting company. She is the wife of Rep. Elijah Cummings, the veteran congressman from Baltimore. Rockeymoore Cummings wants to be the Democrat who challenges incumbent Republican Larry Hogan because, she says, Hogan has a limited vision for the state and has held back economic development for Baltimore by killing the Red Line light rail project and the State Center redevelopment. She says she has a plan for ----inclusive growth---- that will address what she calls ----high levels of inequality---- across Maryland.Rockeymoore Cummings is the eighth Democratic candidate to sit for a Roughly Speaking interview. You can access all previous interviews by visiting the podcast's candidates page. We plan a second round of interviews for 2018, ahead of the June primary, and have invited Hogan to the studio.Editor's note: Rockeymoore Cummings suspended her campaign on Jan. 5.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-rockeymoore-cummings-drops-out-20180105-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bs-md-rockeymoore-cummings-governor-20171011-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.html

Among the homeless in a Baltimore tent city (episode 336)

Why do so many people live in tents along the Jones Falls Expressway and near other highway overpasses and bridges? Dan takes a walk around the block — from the back door of The Baltimore Sun — to find out. Homeless men and women frequent the area, and several have set up residence in what's known as the Guilford Avenue Tent City, across from the newspaper's rear entrance and just a few blocks from City Hall. Katie League, director of community services for Health Care for the Homeless, talks about the reasons for homelessness, starting with the lack of affordable housing in Baltimore. Many people in the tents have been waiting for housing vouchers to help pay for rent, League says. But the Trump administration has delayed additional federal funds for subsidies, so the wait goes on.Meanwhile, with winter on the way, the Baltimore mayor's office says it is prepared to meet the demand for shelters during the winter months.http://www.hchmd.org/our-staffhttps://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21731792-whatever-barack-obama-did-current-policy-do-opposite-hud-embodieshttps://www.baltimorebrew.com/2017/12/12/city-says-its-prepared-to-shelter-the-homeless-as-winter-approaches/

Ready the home bar for the holidays; roast the Christmas goose (episode 335)

4:55: Want to skip the turkey and roast a Christmas goose instead? Longtime Baltimore restaurateur John Shields tells us how it's done — with some assistance from the city's newest restaurateur, the British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. Dan meets Shields in the kitchen of his restaurant, Gertrude's in the Baltimore Museum of Art, while drawing advice from one of Ramsay's instructional videos. Ramsay recently opened a restaurant in the Horseshoe Live Casino in Baltimore. Both chefs agree: ----Goose fat is gold.----18:00: Brendan Dorr, president of the Baltimore Bartenders Guild, provides a guide to the well-equipped home bar — a selection of glasses, utensils and bottled aromatics every mixologist should have on hand when guests arrive for a holiday gathering. Dan interviewed Dorr at his workplace, the B----O American Brasserie in downtown Baltimore.Links:http://www.johnshields.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88MHrk0qA1chttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/baltimore-diner-blog/bs-fo-gordon-ramsay-steak-20171129-story.htmlhttp://www.bmorebarguild.com/http://www.bandorestaurant.com/

Krish Vignarajah wants to rally women, minorities and immigrants in 2018 (episode 334)

In the seventh in a series of interviews with candidates for governor of Maryland, Dan speaks with Krish Vignarajah, a 38-year-old attorney and former policy adviser to Michelle Obama. She is one of eight candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in 2018. Born in Sri Lanka, Vignarajah grew up in Baltimore and Baltimore County, the daughter of public school teachers who emigrated to the United States to escape civil war in their native country. The Yale- and Oxford-educated Vignarajah worked in the State Department and as policy director for Michelle Obama when she was first lady. Questions have been raised about Vignarajah's eligibility to run for governor, but Vignarajah, 38, insists she meets the legal requirements to do so and vows to be on the June ballot.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-krish-vignarajah-campaign-20170919-story.htmlhttp://krishformaryland.com/meet-krish/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-vignarajah-court-20171006-story.html

Hogan plays 'small ball,' says Madaleno, a prospective challenger in 2018 (episode 333)

In another in a series of interviews with Democratic candidates for governor, Maryland state Sen. Richard Madaleno says the Republican incumbent, Larry Hogan, has no long-term vision for the state and has been ----playing small ball---- on health care, education and transportation. Madaleno, an openly gay candidate, has been in the General Assembly for 15 years. He is one of eight Democrats seeing the nomination to challenge Hogan in 2018. He recently announced that he would seek public financing for his primary campaign, giving him an opportunity to raise as much as $2.8 million, with an estimated $1.4 million of it in public funds.Bonus: Baltimore-based Helicon's annual winter solstice concert takes place Saturday, Dec. 16, at Goucher College. Ticket information can be found at http://www.kenkolodner.com/winter-solstice-concert.html.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-madaleno-governor-20170714-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-madaleno-funds-20171207-story.html

Film critics react to Hollywood allegations; books and movies for the holidays (episode 332)

2:43: Our film critics, Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed, talk about Hollywood and sexual abuse in the entertainment industry; plus, the announced resignation of former comedian (and former U.S. senator) Al Franken.13:42: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking critic, lists books that will make good holidays gifts for the Instant Pot fanatic, the reluctant history buff, and the ----Stranger Things---- follower in your life.30:16: DeLibero and Reed recommend released (----Ladybird---- and ----The Disaster Artist----) and upcoming films to see during the holiday season, and we celebrate the late great character actor, Claude Rains, famous for his roles in ----Casablanca---- and ----Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.----Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-book-list-1208-story.html

A Hogan-Pugh rift over the Baltimore crime problem (episode 331)

Is the nice dance over? Luke Broadwater, the Sun's City Hall reporter, talks about a rift between Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan over plans for fighting crime in the city. With Baltimore closing out another year of 300-plus homicides, marking one of the highest per capita rates in the country, Hogan announced state initiatives to immediately address the violence. He did so at a press conference with neither Pugh nor Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis present. Pugh, who just marked her first full year in office, dismissed the Hogan plan as ----nothing new,---- confirming the rift.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ci-hogan-crime-plan-20171204-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-pugh-year-in-review-20171128-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-1210-hogan-pugh-crime-20171206-story.html

Two doctors, a book of quackery, and lab results decoded (episode 330)

In this episode: Two doctors in the house -- Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital decodes a certain podcast host's recent lab results; Dr. Lydia Chang offers a history of quackery through the ages. Plus, Baltimore County librarian Paula Gallagher recommends a new book for bird lovers, and Dan remembers a ----mild-mannered, moderate Maryland Republican.----Links:https://noahstrycker.com/books/birding-without-borders/https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-544-55814-4http://lydiakang.comhttp://www.lifebridgehealth.org/Main/LifeBridgeHealthPhysicianDirectory/Cmar_John_MD_651.aspxhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-obit-richard-cross-20171110-story.htmlhttp://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Richard-Cross----lc=4007----pid=187207144----mid=7634798

The Suiter funeral: ----We got it from here, Champ---- (episode 329)

In this episode, sounds, music and words from the funeral for Baltimore Det. Sean Suiter, who died on Nov. 16 after being shot in the line of duty while investigating a homicide in West Baltimore. Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-suiter-funeral-20171128-story.html

Light and Lyft: Living downtown and getting around Baltimore (episode 328)

Two conversations about Baltimore and the lifestyles of millennials.1:37: Bill King, the 26-year-old president of the City Center Residents Association, meets Dan at a sidewalk cafe to talk about why he chose to live in downtown Baltimore, one of Maryland's fastest-growing census tracts, and about his vision for the old business district as a new city neighborhood.21:54: Mike Heslin, the 31-year-old market manager for Lyft in Baltimore, talks about the ride-sharing company's plans for future growth, including a rental program for drivers who do not own cars and designated pickup spots near new residential and commercial developments. Lyft sees growth in changing lifestyles, particularly among city dwellers who do not want to own cars, only access to them when needed.

A podcast tour of all 70 Maryland wineries (episode 327)

Maryland vineyards produced more than 460,000 gallons of wine in the 2016 fiscal year, according to data from the state comptroller. That reflects some $47 million in sales. If you were not paying attention — and looking to France or California for wine — you might have missed the fact that the Free State now has 70 wineries, many of them producing outstanding products, from reds and whites to hard cider, mead and sangria. Kevin Atticks, executive director of the Maryland Wineries Association, helps us catch up on the state's wine industry, including three that opened in 2017, with a quick and breezy tour of family-owned vineyards from the Eastern Shore to Western Maryland. For more information about the state's wineries, visit marylandwine.com.Links:http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2012/10/harvest-time-at-black-ankle-winery/http://marylandwine.com

Preparing a Chesapeake-style Thanksgiving with John Shields (episode 326)

1:32: The weekly book recommendation from Paula Gallagher: A memoir, ----The Glass Eye,---- by Jeannie Vanasco, an assistant professor of English at Towson University.3:56: American culture commentator Sheri Parks discusses GQ's selection of quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the magazine's Citizen of the Year, and the modern meaning of masculinity.17:08: Dan visits the busy kitchen of Gertrude's restaurant in the Baltimore Museum of Art and gets some Thanksgiving recipes from its owner, John Shields.Links:http://www.jeannievanasco.com/author.htmlhttps://www.towson.edu/cla/departments/english/facultystaff/bvanasco.htmlhttps://www.gq.com/story/colin-kaepernick-cover-men-of-the-yearhttp://www.bayweekly.com/articles/cooking/article/chesapeake-thanksgiving

On the death of Detective Suiter and the future of Baltimore (episode 325)

We are at a point where we have to turn back. The people who still care about this city have to draw a line, and say the violence has gone far enough, and we have to do something. It is a huge challenge, because the causes of the crime and violence run so deep. All of this means reaching deeper, trying harder, having empathy, offering a helping hand to people who need to get away from drugs and guns. It means supporting police, of course, and giving the leadership of the city a chance to carry out its strategies. But it also means, for each of us, not giving up. There are many angels across this city, and we have to gather them and build a force for good. It can be done. It has to be done. I don’t think we have any other choice.

Mayor Pugh on crime; a challenge to Andy Harris; a good book (episode 324)

4:02: Mayor Catherine Pugh, who last week declared crime out of control in Baltimore, talks about the need for more police on the street and what her administration is doing about that. The mayor objected to the suggestion, in Dan Rodricks' Wednesday column, that she was slow to put together a crime-fight strategy. Today, she talks about her plan to reduce violence across the city. The interview was recorded before the Wednesday afternoon shooting of a city police detective.23:19: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, recommends the new novel by Louise Erdrich, ----Future Home of the Living God,---- which, Gallagher says, is bound to invite comparison's with Margaret Atwood's ----The Handmaid's Tale.----27:18: Allison Galbraith wants to be one of the few millennials in Congress, so the 34-year-old Harford County Democrat is running for her party's nomination in Maryland's First congressional district. Galbraith says she's running because of incumbent Republican Andy Harris' ardent opposition to the Affordable Care Act.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-pugh-crime-20171109-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-1115-story.htmlhttps://mayor.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/Violence Reduction Final Draft 081117_1515.pdfhttps://www.harpercollins.com/9780062694058/future-home-of-the-living-godhttps://www.allisonforcongress.com/abouthttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bs-md-obamacare-eastern-shore-20170818-story.html

Chickens, deregulation and the high cost of cheap food (episode 323)

With the White House vowing to roll back government regulation of all sorts of industries, we take a look at how things can go terribly wrong when deregulation trumps worker and food safety. The U.S. poultry industry has been lobbying the Trump administration to allow for faster speeds for the processing of chicken, something the Obama administration’s agriculture department felt was needed to limit injuries to workers and the chances of food contamination. Today, a look back at a horrific industrial disaster in a chicken-processing plant in North Carolina in 1991 with Bryant Simon, a professor of history at Temple University and author of “The Hamlet Fire: A Tragic Story of Cheap Food, Cheap Government, and Cheap Lives,” published by The New Press.Links:https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/another-obama-decision-reversed-now-it-s-about-food-safety-n810296http://thenewpress.com/books/hamlet-fire

Will climate change bring the biggest refugee crisis in history? (episode 322)

With the United Nations Climate Change Conference underway in Germany, dire warnings are being issued about the potential that tens of millions of people will be forced from their homes by climate change in the next decade, creating the biggest refugee crisis in history. According to The Guardian, US military and security experts say the number of climate refugees will dwarf those that have fled the civil war in Syria, creating huge humanitarian challenges for Europe and the West. In this episode: Dan speaks with the co-authors of “Rising Tides: Climate Refugees in the Twenty-First Century,” published by the Indiana University Press. Denise Robbins is communications director for Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Jack Wennersten is professor emeritus of environmental history at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and the author of several books about the Chesapeake region.Links:http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-germany-jerry-brown-climate-change-20171108-story.htmlhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/02/climate-change-will-create-worlds-biggest-refugee-crisishttp://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=808357http://chesapeakeclimate.org/author/drobbins/https://www.amazon.com/John-R.-Wennersten/e/B001JRZZEE

Kamenetz, candidate for governor, says Maryland under Hogan 'is standing still' (episode 321)

In another in a series of interviews with candidates for governor of Maryland, Dan speaks with Democrat Kevin Kamenetz. The 59-year-old Baltimore County executive says Maryland under Gov. Larry Hogan is “standing still” on public education, mass transit and economic development, and needs a more progressive leader. Kamenetz was elected Baltimore County executive in 2010 and re-elected to that office in 2014. He is the current President of the Maryland Association of Counties and is a past president of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. You can hear earlier interviews with other candidates for governor by visiting a special page of the Roughly Speaking archives. We’ll be interviewing more candidates in the weeks and months ahead. Maryland’s 2018 primary election takes place on June 26.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.html

Justin Fenton on Let's-Make-A-Deal Court. Plus, Facebook, Twitter and the Russian bots (episode 320)

Justin Fenton, the Sun's criminal justice reporter, took a deep look at the Baltimore court where deals are made, breaking through the "white noise" of bench conferences to hear how prosecutors, defense attorneys and a judge work out plea bargains of criminal cases.Our favorite tech-splainer, Sean Gallagher, Baltimore-based IT and national security editor for Ars Technica, is back, this time to explain how Twitter and Facebook were used by Russian operatives in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-baltimore-plea-bargains-peters-20171023-htmlstory.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/10/twitter-drops-hammer-and-sickle-on-rt-sputnik-ad-buys-over-election-shenanigans/

The larger-than-life life of Muhammad Ali (episode 319)

Jonathan Eig spent four years researching and writing his 623-page biography of the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time, Muhammad Ali. In today's episode, Eig talks about Ali's private and public struggles, including his willingness to go to prison over his opposition to the Vietnam War, a decision that forced him out of the ring in his prime. Eig also discusses Ali's comeback, his "Rope-A-Dope" boxing strategy, and his legacy. Eig's book is, "Ali: A Life," just published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.Links:http://www.alialife.com/

Hogan's prospective challengers; Heather Mizeur's new project (episode 318)

1:39: Erin Cox, The Sun's State House bureau chief, talks about the Democratic candidates lining up for the 2018 primary in the hopes of challenging incumbent Republican Larry Hogan.21:31: Heather Mizeur, the liberal Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for the gubernatorial nomination in 2014, has a new project: MizMaryland: Soul Force Politics. After retreating to her farm on the Eastern Shore for more than two years, Mizeur has re-emerged with her new organization, with a goal of bridging the political divisions, a daunting task in the time of Donald Trump. The project, the subject of a recent story by Erin Cox, involves a blog, a podcast and training camps for women interested in civic engagement.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-democrats-court-teacher-endorsement-20171021-story.htmlhttps://mizmaryland.org/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-mizeur-soul-force-politics-20171010-story.html

Halloween special: Best of horror movie music (Episode 317)

Our Halloween 2017 special: A sampling of music from horror films with Terence Hannum, a musician and visual artist who just loves this stuff. Terence Hannum is the originator of the "Dead Air" podcast, all about music that gives us the creeps. This year, for Halloween, Hannum is hosting a radio version of "Dead Air" on the Loyola University Maryland station. Hannum pays tribute to three big names in horror movie-making that landed in the obituary columns this year: Tobe Hooper, director of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre;” Umberto Lenzi, the Italian master of horror; and George A. Romero, who produced “Night of the Living Dead.” And 2017 saw a surprising new director of the horror genre — Jordan Peele. His low-budget film, "Get Out," was critically acclaimed and earned more than $250 million at the box office. Terence Hannum is among those who regard "Get Out" as a great movie, and with a great score.You can hear Hannum's "Dead Air" at midnight and at 10 p.m. on Oct. 31 via WLOY, the Loyola radio station (1620 AM) or stream it online.Links:http://www.terencehannum.com/http://wloy.com/listen/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-horror-move-music-story.html

For chef David Tanis, the farmers market is an adventure (episode 316)

David Tanis, an accomplished chef and cookbook author who writes the City Kitchen column in the food section of the New York Times, loves poking around farmers markets. He has produced an excellent new cookbook called "Market Cooking" — that is, looking for the best your local market has to offer, then taking that home and applying a simple but inspired recipe. "Market Cooking" has 225 recipes and excellent photos. David Tanis has cooked from California to France; he was chef at Chez Panisse in Berkeley for nearly 25 years. Today, a conversation with David about cooking from the farmer's market, and we’ll hear some excerpts from a few of his recipes.Links:http://davidtanis.com/book/david-tanis-market-cooking/

Roughly Speaking podcast: CNN's Van Jones says it's time to ignore Trump and get busy (episode 315)

Those involved in publishing and marketing CNN commentator Van Jones’ new book were tempted to call it "Whitelash," using the term he coined to described the force that put Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office. But, instead, the book is called "Beyond the Messy Truth," a reference to Van Jones’s recurring primetime special, "The Messy Truth." The subtitle of the book is key: "How We Came Apart, How We Come Together." Jones offers a challenge to everyone opposed to Trump, including a growing number of Republicans, to acknowledge that the president is a divisive distraction from the nation’s most important business and work toward common ground. There are big problems facing the country, and it’s hard to find agreement on some of those. But, as the CNN political commentator outlines in his latest book, there are places where compromise and solutions are possible.Links:http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/09/politics/van-jones-results-disappointment-cnntv/index.htmlhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/561176/beyond-the-messy-truth-by-van-jones/9780399180026/

Johnny O. is running for Baltimore County executive (episode 314)

Kevin Kamenetz will be serving his final year as Baltimore County executive in 2018. He’s announced that he will run for governor of Maryland in the June Democratic primary. Kamenetz will be a guest on Roughly Speaking in the coming weeks. Among those hoping to succeed him as Baltimore County executive is John Olszewski Jr., a former school teacher and state delegate from Dundalk. In another in our series of interviews of candidates for office in 2018, Olszewski, known as Johnny O., talks about growing up on the east side, his professional career, and his ambitions for the county if elected its 13th executive.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-olszewski-runs-20170626-story.html

Growing up biracial and black (episode 313)

Julie Lythcott-Haims has written a powerful memoir of poetic prose about growing up as the daughter of a white mother and African-American father. A former Stanford dean who lives and writes in California, Lythcott-Haims describes what she calls the micro-aggressions and blunt insults she experienced growing up in largely white communities. She reads excerpts from her new book, "Real American," including one about a white Baltimore police officer who married a black woman. She also talks about Donald J. Trump, Colin Kaepernick and the National Football League.Links:https://www.julielythcotthaims.com/

Black Lives Matter still matters: An update on the movement (episode 312)

1:26: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian, recommends, "Manhattan Beach," a new novel from Jennifer Egan, who won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for, "A Visit From The Goon Squad."4:21: Dani McClain, a contributing writer for The Nation, reports that, despite being relatively quiet and not making much news, the Black Lives Matter movement is alive and well and, in some cities, getting involved in electoral politics.18:30: Sheri Parks, culture commentator and associate dean in American studies at the University of Maryland, discusses the fallout from the\u160\uHarvey Weinstein scandal, and whether it could mean, as Rolling Stone suggests, real change in the way powerful men treat the women around them.Links:http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-books-manhattan-beach-jennifer-egan-1004-20171003-story.htmlhttps://www.thenation.com/article/can-black-lives-matter-win-in-the-age-of-trump/http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-weinstein-investigation-20171016-story.htmlhttp://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/why-the-harvey-weinstein-allegations-could-change-our-culture-w509708

Despots, dictators and The Donald (episode 311)

Is Donald Trump a despot? Could any American president become an authoritarian under our system of checks and balances? Brian Klaas, an expert on dictators, doesn't think so, but he worries about it and thinks other Americans should, too. Klaas, an American based in London, is a prolific political commentator. He is a student of the world's worst regimes, and comments frequently on threats to democracy around the globe. Klaas is a fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics and the author of, "The Despot's Apprentice: Donald Trump's Attack on Democracy," newly published by Skyhorse.

Maryland AG calls Trump's action on Obacamare 'perverse, irrational' (episode 310)

As Maryland health insurance officials scramble to get the word out about open enrollment starting Nov. 1, they and other state regulators are facing a big messaging challenge -- how to convince the public to buy insurance when the president does everything in his power to undermine Obamacare and create marketplace chaos.On today's show: Expert explanations and analysis of President Trump's executive order to cut federal subsidies that lower the cost of deductibles for lower-income people insured under the Affordable Care Act. And Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh calls Trump's action to end the subsidies 'perverse' and 'irrational.'Our guests:• Jonathan Weiner, professor in health care policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.• Jay Hancock, senior correspondent for Kaiser Health News.• Brian Frosh, Maryland attorney general, who has joined other state attorneys general in suing the administration over ACA funding.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-obamacare-marketing-20171016-story.htmlhttps://www.usnews.com/opinion/policy-dose/articles/2017-10-16/maryland-attorney-general-trump-shatters-obamacares-health-care-securityhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-obamacare-status-report-20160628-story.htmlhttps://khn.org/news/author/jay-hancock/http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-health-subsidies-20171013-story.html

Cartooning in the time of Trump, with Lalo Alcaraz (episode 309)

On today's show: Lalo Alcaraz, syndicated editorial cartoonist and creator of La Cucaracha, the politically-themed Latino comic strip; Paula Gallagher, book critic and Baltimore County librarian.A book based on a podcast: Paula Gallagher's weekly book recommendation: "Waiting For the Punch: Words To Live By From The WTF Podcast," by Marc Maron and Brendan McDonald.Cartooning in the time of Trump: Lalo Alcaraz created La Cucaracha 14 years ago, the first nationally syndicated daily comic strip that dealt with Latino political and cultural issues. He also produces editorial cartoons, many of them focused on immigration, Mexican-American life, and Donald J. Trump. On today's show, Alcaraz talks about cartooning in the Trump era and his recent work as a consultant on the upcoming Disney-Pixar film, "Coco," based on the Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead.Links:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33898867-waiting-for-the-punchhttp://www.gocomics.com/lacucarachahttp://www.gocomics.com/laloalcarazhttp://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/disney-critic-lalo-alcaraz-hired-to-work-on-pixars-coco-117752.html

Baker would revive Red Line if elected governor (episode 308)

In the latest in a series of conversations with candidates for governor of Maryland, Rushern Baker talks about his life before entering politics and his career path since then — as a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates and as the Prince George's County executive since 2010, following a major corruption scandal sent his predecessor to federal prison. In talking about his bid to challenge to the incumbent governor, Republican Larry Hogan, Baker says he would focus on economic development and job creation, revive the Red Line light rail project in Baltimore and keep state funding the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bal-roughly-speaking-2018-gubernatorial-candidates-storygallery.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-baker-governor-20170620-story.htmlhttps://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/1048/Transforming-Neighborhoods-Initiative-TN

Gil Sandler's 10 most memorable Baltimore moments (episode 307)

Gilbert Sandler is back. Author, raconteur, chronicler of his native city, at 94 years old, Gil still has a sharp mind full of vivid memories of bygone Baltimore. Today we’re headed to Attman’s Delicatessen on what remains of Baltimore’s Corned Beef Row to hear Gil describe his 10 Most Memorable Baltimore Moments. Born here in 1923, Gil has been observing and chronicling city life for decades. He wrote a regular column, Baltimore Glimpses, for the old Baltimore Evening Sun, and continues his story-telling to this day with weekly features on WYPR, the NPR station.

Blade Runner then and now; Losing your house over a water bill (episode 306)

1:38: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a new memoir about a man who suffers from a Truman Show delusion: "Gorilla and The Bird," by Zack McDermott.6:04: Del. Mary Washington, D-43rd, talks about what she sees as a serious problem facing low- and fixed-income Baltimoreans: Some of them could lose their homes if they don't pay their increasingly expensive water bills to the city. Washington says the Maryland General Assembly and the Baltimore City Council need to find a better way to make sure the city gets paid and that homeowners don't end up homeless.22:46: Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed review "Blade Runner 2049," and offer an appreciation of Ridley Scott's 1982 original.Links:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/zack-mcdermott/gorilla-and-the-bird/9781478966104/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-tax-sale-20170505-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/sns-tns-bc-movie-blade-runner-director-20171006-story.html

Tech guru vows fight with Trump over immigration crackdown (episode 305)

Global tech guru Alec Ross, a\u160\ucandidate for governor of Maryland, says that, if elected, he will have the State Police arrest any agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement who violates the rights of the "citizens and guests" of the state of Maryland.\u160\u"I swear to God," he says in an interview with Dan Rodricks, "if the ICE officers violate the laws of Maryland and violate the rights of the citizens and guests of us here in the state of Maryland, I will have State Troopers arrest the ICE officers, and God bless the confrontation that brings with Donald Trump." That position is provocative but problematic, as Dan explains in today's episode -- another in a series of interviews with candidates for governor in Maryland's June 2018 primary.\u160\uRoss, 45, is a former senior adviser on technology to President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton;\u160\uhis work\u160\ufor the State Department\u160\utook him to 41 countries. He is an author of a best-selling book on technological innovation and a fellow at Johns Hopkins University.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bs-ae-alec-ross-profile-20160618-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ice-arrests-baltimore-20170929-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-alec-ross-announces-candidacy-20170426-story.htmlhttp://foreignpolicy.com/2013/03/14/tech-guru-alec-ross-leaves-the-state-department/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bs-ae-alec-ross-profile-20160618-story.html

Heartbreak and the Heartbreaker: On Las Vegas, Baltimore and Tom Petty (episode 304)

0:35: Americans like to think of their country as exceptional. But it's exceptional for all the wrong reasons. In this segment of the show: Commentary on the massacre in Las Vegas, the day-to-day violence in Baltimore, and the huge challenge that current U.S. political leadership is unwilling to take — rolling back the nation's obsession with guns.6:21: A tribute to rock legend Tom Petty, who performed with his band, The Heartbreakers, in Baltimore in July, part of a 40th anniversary tour that ended just a few weeks before Petty's death in California on Monday.

Roughly Speaking podcast: A longer journey into full adulthood (episode 303)

1:59: Paula Gallagher, librarian and book critic, recommends all but the last 40 pages of "Sourdough," a novel by Robin Sloan that foodies should (mostly) love.5:30: Sheri Parks, culture commentator, wants to talk about adulthood, and why it seems to be arriving later with each generation. In fact, research shows that, since the late 1970s, it has taken longer for each new generation to complete school, leave home, become financially independent, marry and have children. Millennials have even delayed getting driver’s licenses. What does the later launch mean for families and society? And what constitutes full adulthood? Parks is assistant dean in American studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a regular commentator on Roughly Speaking.Links:https://us.macmillan.com/sourdough/robinsloan/9780374203108/

A 5k run to honor fallen heroes in Baltimore Sunday (episode 302)

The first Baltimore 9/11 Heroes Run takes place Sunday, Oct. 1, at the Inner Harbor — dedicated to Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Xavier Martin, the young sailor from Halethorpe whose promising career was cut short in June when the USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship off Japan. Today on the show: Race director Pat Cappelaere and his wife, Doreen, talk about the race and their daughter — Navy pilot Lt. Valerie Cappelaere Delaney, a Howard County native and Naval Academy graduate who died during a training mission outside Spokane, Washington in 2013. The race is sponsored by the Travis Manion Foundation, named for a Marine and Annapolis graduate who was killed by sniper fire in Iraq in 2007. The foundation supports veterans and Gold Star families like the Cappelaeres and hosts community service programs with the aim of developing future leaders.Links:http://www.travismanion.org/community-engagement/911-heroes-run/2017-baltimore-md/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-halethorpe-sailor-killed-20170619-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-valerie-cappelaere-delaney-20160905-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-valerie-cappelaere-delaney-20130312-story.htmlhttp://www.travismanion.org/our-story/

The Hate Hunter (episode 301)

Heidi Beirich tracks hate groups for the Southern Poverty Law Center. She is an expert on various forms of extremism, including the white supremacist, nativist and neo-Confederate movements. In this episode of Roughly Speaking, Beirich talks about hate groups in Maryland, but more generally about how she works, and how the SPLC goes about declaring American organizations to be hate groups. Beirich oversees the SPLC’s annual survey of the nation’s hate and anti-government groups, available on the center's interactive Hate Map, which lists 917 such groups across the country and 18 in Maryland.Links:https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map?gclid=Cj0KCQjw9afOBRDWARIsAJW4nvyf1Nyhh6ZPUwFwhXZz1rzEeL3HVONCLrGGwKsegNteMV0LPZFiGMwaAi6jEALw_wcB

I stream, you stream, we all stream: Our critics review Netflix and Amazon Prime (episode 300)

2:54: Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed have been binge-watching original shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime, and today they talk about what they've seen and what they like — from "The Keepers" documentary to "I Love Dick," and other series in between. Linda and Chris also discuss the phenomenon of binge-watching and how commercial streaming generally could effect the American cinema. Linda DeLibero directs the film and media program at Johns Hopkins University. Christopher Reed is chair and professor in the film and moving image department at Stevenson University.32:46: Comedian and actor Marc Unger talks about "Thespian," an original, crowd-sourced web series that he's been writing, directing and starring in, along with a troupe of Baltimore actors.Links:https://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/directory/linda-delibero/https://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/directory/linda-delibero/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1328862/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/thespian-web-tv-series-drama#/

U.S. takes up the rear on Syrian refugee crisis (episode 299)

President Trump this week praised Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey for taking in refugees from the six-year-old Syrian civil war while his administration considers lowering further the number of refugees accepted in the United States. As a candidate and as president, Trump has taken a hard line on refugees while other nations have accepted hundreds of thousands of them. For instance, by the time Germany had accepted 600,000 last fall, the U.S. had welcomed only 16,000. On the show today, a look at the crisis with Alia Malek, Baltimore-raised journalist and civil rights attorney who traveled with Syrian refugees and profiled some of them for Foreign Policy. And Dan speaks with the leader of an Arabic music ensemble that will perform a concert at Towson University on Sept. 29 to keep attention on the refugee crisis.Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, offers a strong recommendation for, "Sing, Unburied, Sing," the new novel from National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.Alia Malek, attorney, journalist and author of "The Home That Was Our Country, A Memoir of Syria," talks about the civil war, the refugee crisis and her Syrian ancestors. Malek is a featured speaker at the Baltimore Book Festival. She appears on the Ivy Bookshop Stage Friday at 5 pm.Michel Moushabeck is the leader of Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble, which comes to Maryland Sept. 29 to perform an evening concert for Syrian refugee awareness at Towson University. He offers a tutorial in Arab music ahead of the free concert.

After Harvey and Irma, getting serious about climate change (episode 298)

Did the twin punches of Harvey and Irma constitute a convincer? Will those massive, destructive and deadly storms persuade more Americans, starting with the president, that climate change is real and causing extreme weather? While the Trump administration pulled the United States out of a leadership role on climate change, state and local officials have pledged to move ahead with initiatives to further arrest greenhouse gases. On Wednesday, a coalition of environmentalists, clergy and solar and wind energy companies urged Maryland leaders to get half of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030.Brooke Harper, Maryland and District of Columbia policy director for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, says setting the 50 percent goal would put Maryland in the vanguard of states confronting climate change.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/environment/bs-md-renewable-energy-goal-20170913-story.htmlhttp://chesapeakeclimate.org/

Man saved by U.S. aid warns against cuts (episode 297)

2:09: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking critic, recommends a debut novel, "My Absolute Darling," by Gabriel Tallent.5:58: After the islands, Florida and southern states were pummeled by Hurriane Irma, after Houston was flooded by Hurricane Harvey, it might be hard for Americans to turn their attention to Yemen, Somalia and South Sudan and the famine hitting those countries. But our topic is something a lot of Americans might not be aware of: The Trump administration's proposed deep cuts to foreign aid that for decades enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress. Thomas Awiapo, a native of Ghana orphaned as a boy, survived childhood famine because of U.S. foreign aid, and he tells us his heartbreaking story of survival. Now a consultant with Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services, Awiapo was in Washington recently to says thanks for the food he received at a village school and to ask that such aid continue.Links:http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/541271/my-absolute-darling-by-gabriel-tallent/

Separating myth from facts about the Vietnam War (episode 296)

Ahead of the 18-hour Ken Burns-Lynn Novick PBS film on Vietnam, Dan speaks with Arnold R. "Skip" Isaacs, who covered the war in the 1970s for The Baltimore Sun. Isaacs separates fact from myth: Was the U.S. military really limited in how it could fight the North Vietnamese? Has the anti-war movement's role in ending the war been overstated? Did the U.S. press corps sway public opinion against continued American involvement? Did final defeat for South Vietnam result from the cutoff of U.S. aid? Arnold Isaacs, a veteran reporter and editor, is the author of the acclaimed "Vietnam Shadows: The War, Its Ghosts, and Its Legacy," and "Without Honor: Defeat in Vietnam and Cambodia." He taught courses on Vietnam at Towson University.

Twenty-five minutes with Ben Jealous, candidate for governor (episode 295)

1:08: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian, recommends a new non-fiction book, "American Fire: Love, Arson and Life in a Vanishing Land," by Monica Hesse of The Washington Post.6:20: A former president of the NAACP, Ben Jealous has been running for the Democratic nomination for Maryland governor since June. In today's show, he criticizes the incumbent, Gov. Larry Hogan, for showing only recent interest in Baltimore's severe problem with violent crime. He also notes Maryland's decline among states with the top-ranked educational systems and pledges to increase funding for schools to recommended levels. Links:http://books.wwnorton.com/books/American-Fire/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-jealous-governor-20170530-story.html

Part II: Gilbert Sandler, teller of Baltimore tales (episode 294)

In part two of Dan's conversation with Gilbert Sandler, the teller of Baltimore tales talks about Baltimore after World War II and through the second half of the 20th Century. He gives his views of Baltimore yesterday and today, and takes a couple of nostalgic side trips to old Orioles Park and the Club Charles. Sandler is the writer and host of Baltimore Stories on WYPR. For more than 30 years, he entertained and informed readers of the Sun with his Baltimore Glimpses column, with descriptions of the way things used to be in the city. He is the author of several books about his hometown.Links:http://wypr.org/people/gil-sandler

Gilbert Sandler, teller of Baltimore tales (episode 293)

1:38: Our weekly book recommendation: Paula Gallagher reviews, "Stay With Me," an excellent debut novel by a young Nigerian writer, Ayobami Adebayo.5:22: Gilbert Sandler: Teller of Baltimore Tales, Part I: Few people of 90 years or more are blessed with a memory like Gilbert Sandler's, and few know as much about Baltimore. Born here in 1923, Sandler has been observing and chronicling city life for decades. He wrote a regular column, Baltimore Glimpses, for the old Baltimore Evening Sun, and continues his story-telling to this day with weekly features on WYPR, the NPR station here. The author of several books about the city, Sandler sits down with Dan in the podcast studio to talk about himself for a change: Growing up in northwest Baltimore, selling newspapers on street cars, living through the Depression and attending City College before going off to war with U.S. Navy.Coming next week: Part II: Gilbert Sandler remembers Baltimore after World War II and talks about the many changes that have taken place in the city over the last 50 years.Photo by Will Kirk, courtesy of the Jewish Museum of MarylandLinks:http://www.ayobamiadebayo.com/https://www.amazon.com/Gilbert-Sandler/e/B001KMJOOUhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/796206.Gilbert_Sandlerhttp://wypr.org/people/gil-sandlerhttps://www.amazon.com/Gilbert-Sandler/e/B001KMJOOU

Trump's sound and fury, signifying not much (episode 292)

Dan and guests Peter Jensen (0:40), a member of The Baltimore Sun's editorial board, and Richard J. Crosss III (19:46), Maryland Republican speechwriter and political commentator, talk about the last couple of weeks in Trumpland, from Charlottesville to Trump Tower to the President's long, rambling screed at a rally in Phoenix. What is the President gaining from his frequent attacks and on the media and members of his own party in Congress? The Sun's Erin Cox, originally scheduled for this episode, was unable to join, but will do so on a future show.

Sun photographer chases the ghosts of old Baltimore movie theaters (episode 291)

Some have been torn down, some have been turned into stores, many into churches. Baltimore once had more than 100 movie houses, many of them small theaters in city neighborhoods. Baltimore Sun photographer Amy Davis became fascinated with the forgotten cinemas and spent close to a decade tracking them down, learning their histories and taking photographs of what remains. The result is, "Flickering Treasures," a 302-page book, loaded with old and contemporary photographs, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. Amy Davis has been a staff photographer for The Baltimore Sun since 1987. She and her book will be the main attraction at a Enoch Pratt Free Library's Writers Live event at the Parkway Theater on Sept. 19.Links:http://flickeringtreasures.com/about/https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/flickering-treasureshttp://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/amy_davis_flickering_treasures_rediscovering_baltimores_forgotten_movie_theaters#.WZ01fHeGNsM

The Maryland Science Center's guide to Monday's solar eclipse (episode 290)

1:53: Paula Gallagher's weekly book recommendation is, "The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South," by Maryland-based culinary historian Michael W. Twitty, creator of the Afroculinaria blog.5:31: Jim O'Leary, senior scientist at the Maryland Science Center, talks about Monday's solar eclipse and what visitors to the center can expect as the moon passes between the Sun and Earth.Links:https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062379290/the-cooking-genehttps://afroculinaria.com/http://www.mdsci.org/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-hs-eclipse-research-20170811-story.htmlhttp://www.mdsci.org/event/sun-fun-eclipse/

Backing up technology: Radio navigation and paper ballots (episode 289)

Maybe the newest technology isn't always the best, or maybe the best needs a backup. That is turning out to be the case in two arenas of life — navigation and voting. While GPS is in wide use now — military, commercial and civilian — it's not foolproof. "The Coast Guard has reported multiple episodes of GPS jamming at non-U.S. ports," reports Sean Gallagher, the Baltimore-based IT and national security editor for Ars Technica. "South Korea has claimed on several occasions that North Korea has jammed GPS near the border, interfering with aircraft and fishing fleet navigation." So what's the answer? A return to the LORAN system — a land-based radio navigation system developed during World War II and declared unnecessary within the last decade. Gallagher describes how a LORAN comeback is in the offing as a backup for GPS.And while new technology has entered the realm of elections and voting, there still are major concerns about hacking, enough that security experts suggest a return to good old paper ballots, like those now used in Maryland elections. Paper records are needed to back up e-ballots. Gallagher attended the recent Def Con computer security conference, where hackers were easily able to break into voting machines and voter databases.Links:http://gpsworld.com/us-coast-guard-issues-gps-jamming-alert/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/08/radio-navigation-set-to-make-global-return-as-gps-backup-because-cyber/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35940542http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/technology/335734-can-congress-establish-a-backup-for-gps-before-its-too-latehttp://fortune.com/2017/07/31/defcon-hackers-us-voting-machines/http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/computing/networks/defcon-hackers-find-holes-in-every-voting-machine

The surprise overnight removal of Baltimore's Confederate monuments (episode 288)

0:35: Peter Jensen, a member of the Baltimore Sun's editorial board, talks with Dan about the overnight removal of statues honoring Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney, generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and two other Confederate memorials, from Baltimore overnight. Plus, a conversation about President Donald J. Trump's controversial remarks on white supremacists and counter-demonstrators in Charlottesville over the weekend.20:18: Luke Broadwater, who covers Baltimore government and politics, has the latest from City Hall on Mayor Catherine Pugh's decision to have the Confederate monuments removed.

A Baltimore bartender's favorite before-dinner cocktails (episode 287)

1:25: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a new title about a famous artist and a renowned art dealer, "Vincent and Theo," a biography by Deborah Heiligman based on more than 650 letters between the Van Gogh brothers.5:53: Baltimore bartender Brendan Dorr makes before-dinner cocktails every evening at the B----O American Brasserie in Baltimore. In this episode of the show, he offers his favorite uses for Campari, Aperol, Kina and Pimm's — drinks that make fine aperitifs to stimulate the appetite. Warning: In-studio taste test.Links:https://us.macmillan.com/vincentandtheo/deborahheiligman/9780805093391

This Old Valve House (episode 286)

1:51: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends some futuristic science fiction with a love story at its center — a novel that was crowd-funded through InkShares: "The Punch Escrow," by Tal M. Klein. 6:54: We hear about an abandoned "castle" in Baltimore that, with a little love and a few million bucks, could probably become a coffee house, farmers market or concert venue. It’s this old Valve House in Clifton Park. The Sun's Jacques Kelly calls it "the little castle on St. Lo Drive," a stunning architectural tribute to public works. Nick Redding, executive director of Preservation Maryland, talks about the prospects for restoring the Valve House. Plus, we catch up on a battle to save an old mill-worker neighborhood from the wrecking ball in Cumberland, in western Maryland, and Preservation Maryland’s role in helping to restore Ellicott City after last summer’s flood.Links:https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-punch-escrowhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-valve-house-20161111-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/91884565-132.htmlhttp://www.preservationmaryland.org/http://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/city-economic-development-chief-leaving-post/article_de010dd3-b43a-521f-9dcb-b39d29714bf9.htmlhttp://wjla.com/news/local/residents-of-md-neighborhood-fight-city-to-keep-homes-from-being-bulldozedhttp://www.preservationmaryland.org/ellicott-city-preservation-resource-center/

Looking back 50 years to the best films of 1967, a revolutionary year for Hollywood (episode 285)

"In The Heat of the Night," "The Graduate" and "Cool Hand Luke" were some of the best movies of 1967, a year that many film historians consider ground-breaking, even revolutionary, as Hollywood finally appeared to respond to the youth movement and break from the old studio system. Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed talk about the "new Hollywood" as reflected in the films of that year, including "Bonnie and Clyde," and "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner." Linda DeLibero is director of Film and Media Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Christopher Llewellyn Reed is chair and professor in the department of film and moving image at Stevenson University.Links:http://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/https://web.stevenson.edu/chrisreed/

Obama drug czar sees hypocrisy in Trump response to opioid crisis (episode 284)

Michael Botticelli, who served as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy in the Obama administration, says President Trump can't have it both ways — advocating more treatment for drug addiction while calling for repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The 2010 law defined addictions treatment as an “essential benefit” that must be covered through insurance policies. Not mentioning the effect ACA repeal would have on the nation’s response to the opioid crisis, Botticelli says, was a "glaring omission" of the Christie commission that called for a declaration of a national emergency.Botticelli now runs the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine at Boston Medical Center. He is also now a distinguished policy scholar at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.Links:President Trump can't have it both ways

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Shea (episode 283)

Jim Shea, former chairman of the largest law firm in Maryland, says Gov. Larry Hogan is a "clever politician" who has talked a good game about helping Baltimore while delivering little help for the city. Shea, a Democratic candidate for governor in the 2018 primary, is the former chairman of Venable LLP, and a former chairman of the University System of Maryland's Board of Regents. He joins Dan for today's episode, the first in a series of interviews with candidates for governor. In this wide-ranging conversation, Shea talks about about public education, transportation, jobs and what he considers the Republican Hogan’s empty talk about supporting Baltimore through some really tough times.Links:https://www.jimshea.com/

Peter Schmuck on Orioles, Ravens and Kaepernick; DeLibero on Sam Shepard (episode 282)

0:46: Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck talks about the Orioles' moves at the midseason trade deadline and the controversy over the Ravens' consideration of former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a backup for Joe Flacco.22:40: Film critic Linda DeLibero remembers Sam Shepard, the Pulitzer-winning playwright and Oscar-nominated actor who died Monday at 73.Links: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-schmuck-column-0801-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bs-sp-ravens-colin-kaepernick-0731-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/ct-sam-shepard-dead-20170731-story.html

Whither truth and knowledge in the Trump age? (episode 281)

Forty-five percent of Republicans in a new YouGov poll think it would be a good idea to allow courts to shut down news media outlets for publishing or broadcasting stories that are biased or inaccurate. Sentiment of that level could be a payoff for President Trump’s “fake news” campaign, his war with the American news media. On today’s show, a look at Trump and the press, and the state of truth and knowledge, with culture critic Sheri Parks and veteran journalist Arnold “Skip” Isaacs.2:25: Sheri Parks is associate dean in American studies at the University of Maryland College Park and a regular contributor to Roughly Speaking.30:55: Arnold R. “Skip” Isaacs was a reporter, foreign and Washington correspondent, and editor for The Baltimore Sun. He was a correspondent for The Sun during the Vietnam War and is the author of two books about it. He will be back in September to talk about Vietnam, timed with the 18-hour Ken Burns documentary series on the war that premiers on PBS Sept. 17.Links:https://today.yougov.com/news/2017/07/26/war-between-president-and-news-media-there-may-be-/https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/u4wgpax6ng/econTabReport.pdfhttp://amst.umd.edu/faculty/sheri-parks/http://www.accountability-central.com/nc/single-view-default/article/devaluing-knowledge-the-real-danger-of-the-fake-fact-era/http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-vietnam-war/home/

'Far From The Tree' author blasts Trump's decision on transgender in military (episode 280)

Andrew Solomon, who wrote about families with children who discovered they are transgender in his 2012 best-seller "Far From the Tree," says President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. will no longer "accept or allow" transgender people in the military is "deeply horrifying," an action that "enshrines prejudice." Solomon's book, "Far From the Tree," now being issued in a young adult version, also examined families' experiences with dwarfism, Down syndrome, and severe disabilities and families with children who were prodigies. Solomon is a professor of psychology at Columbia University.Links: http://andrewsolomon.com/books/far-from-the-tree

Do guns make us safe? Not in Baltimore, and hardly anywhere. (episode 279)

2:13: Approaching 200 homicides in 2017 already, Baltimore remains one of the most violent cities per capita in the country. One of those pushing the mayor and police commissioner to do more — or at least explain what they’re doing to reduce violent crime — is City Councilman Brandon Scott, chair of the council’s public safety committee.25:22: Do guns make us safe? A new Stanford University study throws big doubt on a classic argument of the National Rifle Association: That states with right-to-carry laws are safer and have less crime. The Stanford study of data from 1977 to 2014 found just the opposite. The lead author of that study, Stanford law professor John Donohue, joins us, along with Firmin DeBrabander, MICA professor and the author of "Do Guns Make Us Free?"Links:https://law.stanford.edu/donohue/https://www.mica.edu/About_MICA/People/Faculty/Faculty_List_by_Last_Name/Firmin_DeBrabander.html

Baltimore Politics, Part IV: Factions, race, riot and renaissance (episode 278)

In part four of our four-part series on Baltimore’s political history with Matthew A. Crenson, we hear about the factions and prejudices that influenced municipal elections and public policy in the 20th Century. Crenson talks about the post-World War II mayoralties of Thomas J. D’Alesandro Jr., a master politician; that of his son, Thomas D’Alesandro III, who was mayor during the riots of 1968; and those of William Donald Schaefer and Kurt L. Schmoke. Matt Crenson is professor emeritus of political science at Johns Hopkins University. His book from Johns Hopkins University Press is “Baltimore: A Political History.” Its official release is set for August 8 at the Baltimore City Archives. He will also appear at the Ivy Bookshop in September.Links: https://www.amazon.com/Baltimore-Political-History-Matthew-Crenson/dp/1421422069https://www.facebook.com/events/696332980558435/https://baltimorecityhistory.net/http://www.theivybookshop.com/

Baltimore Politics, Part III: Building and rebuilding the city, separating the races (episode 277)

Political historian Matt Crenson describes Baltimore in the decades after the Civil War — slowly building up its industrial base, paving streets, dealing with unsanitary conditions. The post-war period also saw the rise of the Gorman-Rasin political machine. After the Great Fire of 1904, city leaders rebuilt downtown Baltimore, adding a sewage system to the underlying infrastructure. They also made racial segregation official, forcing blacks and whites to live separately for decades to come. Matt Crenson is professor emeritus of political science at Johns Hopkins University. His book, "Baltimore: A Political History," will be published next month by the Johns Hopkins University Press.Links:https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/baltimore-0

Baltimore Politics, Part II: Mobtown, Know-Nothings and an occupied city (episode 276)

In Part II of our series on Baltimore politics, Matt Crenson talks about the city in the middle of the 19th Century, when the Know-Nothings took over City Hall and, at the outbreak of the Civil War, a mob attacked Union troops on Pratt Street. To maintain peace and orderly commerce, President Lincoln dispatched Union troops to occupy Baltimore throughout the war. The war, says Crenson, reshaped the city's culture, economy and politics. Matthew A. Crenson is professor emeritus of political science at Johns Hopkins University. His book, "Baltimore: A Political History," is about to be released by the Johns Hopkins University Press.Links:https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/baltimore-0

Baltimore Politics, Part I: A colonial town with limited power and lots of pigs (episode 275)

Today we start a four-part series on Baltimore's political history with Matt Crenson, whose 514-page book on that subject is being published next month by the Johns Hopkins University Press. The book covers four centuries, from the development of Baltimore Town in colonial Maryland to its incorporation in 1796 to its time as an occupied city during the Civil War, through industrialization, segregation, and Baltimore's more recent history. Over the next four episodes of the show, we’ll hear about events that shaped Baltimore’s identity, the two major obstacles it faced in growing up, how it became known as Mobtown, and what of the past influences Baltimore today.Coming Wednesday: Part Two: Rise of the Know-Nothings and an occupied city during the Civil War.Links:https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/baltimore-0

Trump l'oeil, unartful deceits of a surreal presidency (episode 274)

Trompe l’oeil is a French phrase meaning "a trick of the eye," or to "deceive the eye." It’s a style of painting in which objects are depicted with realistic detail and look deceivingly three dimensional — as if you could walk or drive right through them. Pardon our French, but the new term in American politics might very well be Trump L’oeil — that is, the unartful deceits of the president, his sons, his staff and his apologists. In Trump L’oeil, up is down and down is up, a man looks presidential only because he’s standing next to men and women who actually do. In Trump L’oeil, a meeting between the President’s son and a Russian lawyer was about international adoptions, not about getting political dirt on your political opponent from a foreign adversary. Trump L’oeil employs false equivalents, as if getting debate questions in advance compares with actually going to a meeting with a Russian tied to the Kremlin, knowing the Kremlin was trying to skew the U.S. election. In Trump L’oeil, a 36 percent approval rating is “not bad at this time," and the Senate health insurance bill will "strengthen and secure Medicaid for the neediest in our society.” Dan's guests today are Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor in American studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County; and Melissa Deckman, chair in political science at Washington College.

Salad Days: A garden party with John Shields and Henry Hong (episode 273)

Our favorite foodies, John Shields and Henry Hong, share ideas with Dan about serving up a buffet of salads from the garden or from the farmers markets. This episode includes advice for making, among other things, an Italian carrot salad and marinated zucchini. Those recipes, along with John's Five-Spice Chicken Marinade, can be found at http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-your-guests-will-inhale-this-salad-and-ask-for-the-recipe-20170714-story.html.

The great novelist as a young reporter, Gabriel Garc\u237\ua M\u225\urquez (episode 272)

This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by the great novelist Gabriel Garc\u237\ua M\u225\urquez. Long before he was awarded a Nobel for literature, Garc\u237\ua M\u225\urquez started his writing career as a reporter in his native Colombia. In 1955, he caused a sensation by breaking a story about the ordeals of a sailor and corruption and incompetence in the Colombian Navy. The story, published as a series in a Bogota newspaper, revealed Garc\u237\ua M\u225\urquez's powerful gifts for storytelling and marked a turning point in his life as a writer.

Wondering why: The science of curiosity (episode 271)

Astrophysicist and author Mario Livio wonders what drives human curiosity, what makes everyone, from children to experienced scientists, ask, "Why?" That's the name of his new book, a survey of the science of curiosity. What parts of the human brain work toward solving mysteries and achieving a higher understanding of life on Earth and among the stars? Who among us are the most curious? Livio, who worked at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore from 1991 to 2015, is the author of five earlier books on science. He will discuss his latest, "Why? What Makes Us Curious," at the Ivy Bookshop on Thursday, July 13, at 7 p.m.Links:http://www.mariolivio.com/http://www.theivybookshop.com/upcomingevent/3359

Big trucks, long distances, and a feather duvet (episode 270)

Today's guest, Finn Murphy, thinks he has the best job in the world: He moves families long distances in an 18-wheeler, gets to know a lot of people (some of them truly weird) and sees some great sites as he drives from Florida to British Columbia, with many stops in-between. When it's time to rest, he sleeps in his cab on a bed with a feather duvet. Murphy is a long-time, long-haul driver, and he's written a memoir about his experiences, full of trucker jargon and amusing stories. "The Long Haul: A Trucker's Tale of Life on the Road" has just been published by W.W Norton ---- Company.Links:http://books.wwnorton.com/books/The-Long-Haul/

Pain killers, doctors and the roots of the opioid crisis (episode 269)

Drug overdoses now kill more Americans than car crashes and homicides. Hundreds of people die every week from overdoses of heroin, fentanyl and opioid painkillers. In Maryland last year, the number of people who died of overdoses surged 66 percent, and the 2,089 deaths represented an all-time high. Baltimore accounted for about a third of the overdose deaths in the state. Many of the people using opioids today were originally prescribed pain-killing medications by their doctors. Physicians once were reluctant to prescribe opioids, but the pharmaceutical industry convinced many that they were depriving their patients of relief. By last year, doctors had written some 289 million prescriptions for opioids such as Oxycontin. On today's show, Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital talks about the opioid crisis and the challenges facing doctors who want to alleviate pain in their patients while reducing the frequency and amount of addictive pain-killers they prescribe for them.Links:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/05/upshot/opioid-epidemic-drug-overdose-deaths-are-rising-faster-than-ever.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-fatal-overdoses-20170608-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-op-0705-pain-management-20170702-story.html

Cal, Lou and The Streak, with John Eisenberg (episode 268)

John Eisenberg, former Sun sports columnist and author, takes a deep dive into what might be baseball's most enduring record — Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive game streak of 2,632, surpassing on Sept. 6, 1995 at Oriole Park in Baltimore Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 that had stood for 56 years. Eisenberg not only compares Gehrig's streak with Ripken's, but surveys the entire history of the American game — back before accurate records were kept — to find other players who set impressive endurance marks. Eisenberg's book is, "The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr. and Baseball's Most Historic Record." Eisenberg will read from and discuss his book at The Ivy Bookshop on Monday, July 10 at 7 p.m.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-orioles-to-celebrate-20th-anniversary-of-cal-ripken-jrs-2131st-consecutive-game-20150709-story.htmlhttp://www.theivybookshop.com/upcomingevent/3343

The hot mess in Washington, and best books for summer reading (episode 267)

1:11: John Fritze, who covers Washington and Congress for The Baltimore Sun, talks about the Senate's controversial and widely criticized overhaul of Obamacare, HUD secretary Ben Carson's visit to Baltimore, and Maryland's bid to locate the new FBI headquarters in Prince George's County.13:15: Paula Gallagher, book critic and librarian with the Baltimore County Public Library, offers a rich selection of 2017 fiction and non-fiction titles for your consideration for summer reading.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bs-md-health-care-poll-20170621-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-carson-visits-baltimore-20170629-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-congress-fbi-cut-20170629-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-books-for-summer-2017-recommended-by-librarian-paula-gallagher-20170630-story.html

A battle royal in cyberspace (episode 266)

Tech expert Sean Gallagher says what's happening in cyberspace is a battle royal, with multiple, mysterious combatants hacking away at each other, disrupting commerce and public life. Cyber attacks have occurred around the world, with actors holding computer systems hostage for ransom, and some just destroying data. Some cyberweapons develeoped by the National Security Agency in Maryland have been used in recent attacks. If all this seems over our heads, Gallagher brings it down to Earth with 20 minutes of tech'splaining. Sean is the Baltimore-based IT and national security editor of Ars Technica and joins us on the podcast every few weeks to talk about the latest in tech news.Links:https://arstechnica.com/author/sean-gallagher/https://arstechnica.com/security/2017/06/petya-outbreak-was-a-chaos-sowing-wiper-not-profit-seeking-ransomware/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/28/technology/ransomware-nsa-hacking-tools.html

The news from Garrett County, with longtime (and retiring) editor Don Sincell (episode 265)

Within the last couple of months, two of Maryland's oldest family-owned newspapers were sold to media companies based in West Virginia. In April, the daily Frederick News-Post, established in 1883 by William T. Delaplaine and owned by his descendants, was sold to Ogden Newspapers, Inc. This week marks the end of Sincell family ownership of the weekly Republican in Oakland, Garrett County. NCWV Media, headquartered in Clarksburg, W.Va., purchased The Republican, which has been in the Sincell family since 1890. Donald W. Sincell, the paper's retiring editor, talks about the sale and about his experiences of recent years, railing with editorials against fracking in Western Maryland and the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump.Links:https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/economy_and_business/services/will-randall-signs-off-after-years-of-family-publishing-history/article_d1ff9eca-f6a9-5021-80f2-d424307482ca.htmlhttps://www.therepublicannews.com/

Is America civilized enough to stop hate speech? (episode 264)

3:10 British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard has written an enjoyable new memoir about his childhood, boarding school days, getting into show business and coming out transgender, says our book critic Paula Gallagher. 6:35 Racial slurs are repugnant, but, according to last week's Supreme Court ruling in the "Slants" case, they are also protected under the law. The real check on hateful, offensive speech is social civility, says Sheri Parks, associate dean at the University of Maryland and a Roughly Speaking regular. Parks thinks we're in a strange, new era where the line between civil and offensive has become murky — a problematic situation for an increasingly diverse nation.Links: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318643/believe-me-by-eddie-izzard/9780399175831/http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-court-slants-disparate-trademark-20170619-story.htmlhttp://amst.umd.edu/faculty/sheri-parks/

Baltimore and Maryland History Week: The Boys of Dunbar

Presenting the final of five encore episodes about the history, culture, and folklore of Maryland and its largest city: The Boys of Dunbar: Baltimore's greatest basketball team, the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Poets of 1981-1982.

Baltimore and Maryland History Week: Baltimore legends Little Willie Adams and Philip Berrigan

Presenting the fourth of five encore episodes about the history, culture, and folklore of Maryland and its largest city: Legends of Baltimore: Little Willie Adams and Philip Berrigan, two very different men who left their marks on Baltimore in very different ways.

Baltimore and Maryland History Week: Walter Gill's walk up The Hill; Frank Robinson's 'HERE' homer

Presenting the third of five encore episodes about the history, culture, and folklore of Maryland and its largest city: City College's first black graduate, plus, the day Frank Robinson hit a ball out of Memorial Stadium.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-home-run-20160508-story.html

Baltimore and Maryland History Week: A notorious slave catcher, and the Parker sisters' kidnaping

Presenting the second of five encore episodes about the history, culture, and folklore of Maryland and its largest city: Thomas McCreary, the notorious Maryland slave catcher, and the kidnaping of the Parker sisters.

Baltimore and Maryland History Week: Great Baltimore Fire

Presenting the first of five encore episodes about the history, culture, and folklore of Maryland and its largest city: The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 and the shocking death of the mayor, Baltimore's youngest ever, who saw the city through the disaster.Links: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/history/bs-baltimorefire-slideshow-htmlstory.htmlhttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2004-02-07/news/0402070176_1_mclane-committed-suicide-baltimore

Post-Comey happy hour cocktails with Dan's smarter brothers (episode 263)

2:45: Paula Gallagher, Roughly Speaking book critic, has read and recommends Roxane Gay's much-anticipated memoir, "Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body."7:01: Barrooms offered special drinks — Russian vodka and “impeachmint” cocktails — for every Trump tweet during fired FBI Director James Comey's televised testimony to Congress on Thursday. But bartenders did not have to deliver on the offer. Trump showed remarkable restraint — until Friday morning, when he accused Comey of "false statements and lies," and claimed "complete vindication." After another week of Trumpian drama and anxiety, it's time again for Happy Hour on the Roughly Speaking podcast with Baltimore bartender Brendan Dorr. This time, Dan's smarter brothers, Ed and Joe, join the conversation to talk about their favorite mixed drinks — the Negroni, the Old Fashioned, the Hemingway Daiquiri — and Brendan's brother, Aaron, shares a favorite cocktail, the Gin-Gin Mule. Brendan Dorr is president of the Baltimore Bartenders Guild and tends bar at the B----O American Brasserie.Links:https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062362599/hungerhttp://www.liquor.com/recipes/negroni/#gs.ofFHI20http://allrecipes.com/recipe/162397/classic-old-fashioned/https://www.thespruce.com/hemingway-daiquiri-recipe-760527http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/gin-gin-mule-232358http://www.bandorestaurant.com/

Wonder Woman, Furiosa and other female action heroes of the cinema (episode 262)

"Wonder Woman," starring Gal Gadot, debuted last week with $103.3 million in ticket sales and is expected to retain the top spot at the box office in the U.S. and Canada. Roughly Speaking film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed talk about "Wonder Woman" and the too few other movies that have featured female action heroes, from 1942's "Mrs. Miniver," starring Greer Garson, to Charlize Theron's Furiosa in "Mad Max: Fury Road" in 2015. Also on our list: "The Furies" (1950), "Aliens" (1986), "Jackie Brown" (1997), "Kill Bill, Volume 1" (2003), and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1" (2014).Links:http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-movie-projector-mummy-wonder-woman20170606-htmlstory.html

What Gary Thorne reads on the road with the Orioles (episode 261)

1:46: Weekly Reader: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, recommends, "No Apparent Distress," a memoir about a woman's journey to serving the poor as a physician.7:26: Hitting The Books: Gary Thorne, in his 11th season as the play-by-play announcer for the Orioles, reads a lot more than the sports pages. He reads books — non-fiction and novels — and over the last several months he's written about what he reads in a blog on the MASN web site. Today, Thorne talks about how "Hitting The Books" came about, which titles he's been reading while on the road with the Birds, and a favorite novel he makes sure to read about once a year.Links:http://books.wwnorton.com/books/No-Apparent-Distress/http://www.masnsports.com/gary-thorne/http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2165.The_Old_Man_and_the_Sea

The hanging noose: Maryland's history of lynchings (episode 260)

For their senior-year class project at Park School, Rebecca Margolis and Catherine Turner examined the history of lynchings that occurred in Maryland in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Drawing on the research of Sherrilyn Iffil, among others, the students focused on five cases — three of which took place in the Baltimore area. As hate crimes escalate across the country, with nooses discovered on college campuses and in the nation's capital, Margolis and Turner provide timely perspective on a form of racial terrorism that, while most common in the South, is believed to have occurred more than 30 times in Maryland. Students of Park School history teacher Daniel Jacoby, Margolis and Turner were part of a larger group of students who have been researching Maryland lynchings for a documentary film project of Baltimore producer Will Schwarz.Links:http://www.law.umaryland.edu/about/news_details.html?news=224https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/third-noose-in-a-week-found-in-dc-this-time-in-southeast/2017/06/03/e79fdc2a-4868-11e7-98cd-af64b4fe2dfc_story.html

Your rights as a citizen in the surveillance state (episode 259)

1:35: Making her weekly appearance on the show, book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a food history of the American South, "The Potlikker Papers," by John T. Edge.12:18: The Fourth Amendment is facing a crisis, says University of Maryland law professor David Gray. The constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure is threatened by the advance of technology that empowers police and other government agencies to track our communications, our social contacts and financial transactions. In a new book, Gray explores the original meaning of the Fourth Amendment and how the courts, including the Supreme Court, will be challenged to secure its protections as government surveillance power grows. Gray is the author of, "The Fourth Amendment In An Age of Surveillance," from Cambridge University Press.Links:http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318266/the-potlikker-papers-by-john-t-edge/9781594206559/http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/law/us-law/fourth-amendment-age-surveillance?format=PB#MYDqWWxkZfgcx51K.97

Should teens who kill be sentenced to life in prison? (episode 258)

Should young offenders who rape or kill be sentenced to life in prison, and if so, should they be treated differently than adults who commit crimes of violence? Since 2005, the Supreme Court has had a lot to say about how we treat juveniles who kill and rape. The high court banned the death penalty for offenders under 18. It limited sentences of life without parole to those convicted of murder. It banned the use of mandatory life without parole, though some states, including Maryland, still have it as an option. And even in cases where juveniles serving life might be eligible for parole, in Maryland the governor has the final say. Therefore, the American Civil Liberties Union argues that Maryland has de facto life without parole for juvenile offenders, and the ACLU says that unconstitutional. To explain a lawsuit filed against the state, Dan's guest is Sonia Kumar, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland. Further reading: An overview of juveniles and life without parole from the Sentencing Project.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-juvenile-life-hearing-20170103-story.htmlhttp://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/juvenile-life-without-parole/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-sp-frank-deford-obituary-0530-20170529-story.html

An appreciation of an Appalachian photographer and a vanished way of life (episode 257)

1:08: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, recommends a new novel, "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine," soon to be a motion picture directed by Reese Witherspoon.5:31: Mark Romano, a photographer and teacher of photography, talks about his collection of the works of Finley Taylor, who captured life in the logging camps of West Virginia in the early 20th Century. Romano has thousands of negatives from Taylor, a studio photographer who ventured by horseback and rail into the wilderness to chronicle the harvest of hardwood trees near the boom town of Richwood. Taylor's photographs appear in a three-volume set of books, "Last Photographers," published by Romano during the last year. Taylor is also the subject of Dan's Sunday column, accompanied by an online gallery of his photos.Links:http://deadline.com/2017/05/reese-witherspoon-hello-sunshine-eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine-something-in-the-water-1202090140/http://www.imagesbyromano.com/https://lastphotographers.com/

Thinking about Baltimore with one of our most thoughtful citizens (episode 256)

1:36: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a book about a bird with a lousy reputation: "Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird," by Katie Fallon.6:08: Could Baltimore reverse its population slide, grow by 80,000 residents and fill 40,000 empty rowhouses? Architect Klaus Philipsen offers informed opinions — and a dose of optimism — in today's wide-ranging conversation about the city's past, present and future. Philipsen, president of ArchPlan Inc., writes a daily blog about urban life, and he is the author of a new book, "Baltimore: Reinventing An Industrial Legacy City." Mentioned in this segment: State Center, Red Line, Eager Park.Links:http://www.upne.com/1611689716.htmlhttp://www.archplan.com/index.htmlhttp://archplanbaltimore.blogspot.com/2012/08/anatomy-of-baltimore-rowhouse.htmlhttps://www.routledge.com/Baltimore-Reinventing-an-Industrial-Legacy-City/Philipsen/p/book/9781138230361http://communityarchitectdaily.blogspot.com/2017/05/who-can-save-state-center.htmlhttp://communityarchitectdaily.blogspot.com/2016/06/red-line-fight-is-not-over-yet.htmlhttp://communityarchitectdaily.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-new-park-in-east-baltimore.html

Rep. John Sarbanes on Trump's 'draconian' budget and 'ethical blindness' (episode 255)

1:04: Dan's commentary on the terror attack in Britain and a potential hate crime at the University of Maryland.5:35: Richard Cross, a Maryland-based Republican political analyst and speechwriter, talks about the issues raised just before the president's trip abroad — the firing of the FBI director, the appointment of a special counsel to investigate possible collusion between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign — and whether these controversies will prompt any Republican leaders to distance themselves from the president.16:02: Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes, D-3rd, says the Trump presidency presents "a maximum stress test for the democracy," with numerous conflicts of interest and now a "draconian" federal budget that could be "cataclysmic to the core functions of government." Sarbanes, chair of the House Democrats' newly created Democracy Reform Task Force, says Trump, with his cabinet and other appointments, has "filled the swamp" with former lobbyists and industry lawyers. "There's a fox in charge of every hen house now," he says. "They're locking the doors, pulling down the shades and ransacking the place." Also, looking ahead to the 2018 midterm elections, Sarbanes has a message for activists who form "the resistance" to Trump.

Pimlico, Preakness and Park Heights; a salute to a hero (episode 254)

2:00: The Sun's Childs Walker previews the 142d Preakness Stakes, with Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, trained by Todd Pletcher, the oddsmakers' 4-5 favorite.6:27: As attention shifts once again to Pimlico Race Course and the Preakness, Sun reporter Luke Broadwater talks about his recent story on Park Heights, the blighted neighborhood near the track and hopes for a redevelopment of the area. A lot of those hopes, Luke says, are intertwined with Pimlico and the future of the Preakness.19:28: Listen to a 12-minute recording of a ceremony honoring Chris Roberson, the 38-year-old nurse practitioner who went above and beyond good citizenship to return a wallet stolen from a disabled senior citizen outside Lexington Market in early April. The ceremony features remarks by Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, Dr. Bob Padousis, the robbery victim, and Chris Roberson.http://www.baltimoresun.com/balnews-childs-walker-20130507-staff.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/preakness/bal-always-dreaming-made-favorite-for-saturday-s-preakness-20170517-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horse-racing/preakness/bs-sp-preakness-pletcher-0519-20170518-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-park-heights-redevelopment-20170513-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0416-20170415-story.html

True crimes — a nun's unsolved murder, the Madoff massive fraud (episode 253)

Today a look at a new HBO movie and a Netflix docuseries, both about true crimes — the massive financial fraud of Bernie Madoff, and the unsolved murder, nearly 50 years ago, of a young Baltimore nun.5:25: Baltimore Sun reporter Alison Knezevich talks about the 1969 murder of Sister Catherine Cesnick, now the subject of a seven-part Netflix documentary called, "The Keepers." This week, Baltimore County police reported that a DNA sample taken from the remains of a Catholic priest did not match evidence from the nearly 50-year-old crime scene. 14:18: Financial journalist and author Diana Henriques talks about her role in "The Wizard of Lies," an HBO film about the Bernie Madoff scandal starring Oscar-winner Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer, and directed by Baltimore native Barry Levinson. Henriques is the author of the best-selling book upon which the movie is based. She covered the Madoff scandal for The New York Times and interviewed the crook in prison. She tells how she ended up playing herself, opposite DeNiro's Madoff, in the HBO film.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-nun-cold-case-20170209-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-co-dna-maskell-20170517-story.htmlhttp://www.hbo.com/movies/the-wizard-of-lies/synopsis.html

Trumpmania: 'I hope you can let this go' (episode 252)

"I hope you can let this go," Donald J. Trump reportedly said to the former FBI director James Comey regarding th"e bureau's investigation of Trump's former national security adviser Mike Flynn. Was the president trying to obstruct justice? Today on the show, Dan talks Trump with commentators Melissa Deckman and Sheri Parks.Melissa Deckman is the Louis L. Goldstein Professor of Public Affairs and chair of the political science department at Washington College. She is the author of, "Tea Party Women: Mama Grizzlies, Grassroots Leaders, and the Changing Face of the American Right."Sheri Parks is associate dean for the College or Arts and Humanities, an associate professor of American Studies, and founding director of the Arts and Humanities Center for Synergy at the University of Maryland at College Park. Parks is the author of "Fierce Angels: Living with a Legacy from the Sacred Dark Feminine to the Strong Black Woman." She is a regular commentator on American culture for Roughly Speaking.

Chief Joseph, General Howard and the Nez Perce resistance of 1877 (episode 251)

American History: Chief Joseph, White Supremacy and the quest for human rights in the late 19th Century. In his new book, Daniel Sharfstein tells the story of two men — Chief Joseph, the young leader of the Nez Perce who fought to keep his ancestral lands in the Pacific Northwest, and Oliver Otis Howard, the Union general who believed it was his destiny to send Joseph and his tribe to a reservation in Idaho. How the devout Christian and abolitionist Howard, the man for whom Howard University is named, came to conduct a ruthless war 140 years ago against Native Americans is the subject of "Thunder in The Mountains: Chief Joseph Oliver Otis Howard ---- the Nez Perce War." Daniel Sharfstein is a professor of law and history and co-directs the George Barrett Social Justice Program at Vanderbilt University. He is a Guggenheim Fellow, and his first book, "The Invisible Line: A Secret History of Race in America," won the J. Anthony Lukas Prize for narrative nonfiction.Links:http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-thunder-in-the-mountains-daniel-sharfenstein-books-0409-20170404-story.html

How to make the perfect crab cake (episode 250)

1:50: With Mother's Day approaching, Paula Gallagher recommends a new book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Ford, a memoir about his parents, with emphasis on this mother.5:22: With Maryland's early-season crab harvest expected to be strong, John Shields, Chesapeake culinary expert, offers a 12-minute tutorial in making the perfect crab cake. Two of John's most popular recipes for crab cakes, published in his cookbooks, can also be found online -- his grandmother Gertie's Baltimore crab cakes, and Miss Shirley Phillip's Eastern Shore crab cakes. John Shields is the owner of Gertrude's restaurant in Baltimore and the author of three cook books. Make sure to read John's essay on the "care and handling of crab cakes."Links:https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062661883/between-themhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/environment/bs-md-crab-population-survey-20170419-story.htmlhttp://www.aarp.org/food/recipes/info-05-2011/crab-cakes.htmlhttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/miss-shirleys-eastern-shore-crab-cakes-232203http://www.johnshields.com/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-john-shields-on-the-care-and-handling-of-crab-cakes-20170512-story.html

Why does Baltimore have so many evictions? (episode 249)

A look at big problems in housing in Baltimore: People losing their homes — renters through eviction and homeowners under a federal program originally intended to keep them in their houses.3:10: Kristerfer Burnett and John Bullock, first-term members of the Baltimore City Council, have raised flags about problems caused by a federal program to sell off delinquent mortgages to private investors. Instead of helping homeowners modify the terms of their mortgages and stay in their houses, the result, they say, has been more evictions and empty homes.22:36: Sun reporters Jean Marbella and Doug Donovan talk about “Dismissed,” their long, deep look at rent court and the high number of evictions in the city. Their stories appeared within the last two weeks in the Sun, accompanied by a vivid, user-friendly display online at baltimoresun.com. The Sun’s investigation revealed, among other things, that in 2013, Baltimore's renters received more court-ordered eviction notices per capita than renters in any other city. More than 67,000 notices that year led to more than 6,600 evictions. Since then, Baltimore District Court judges have issued 282,000 more eviction orders and nearly 28,000 formal evictions. Evictions cause all kinds of problems for families, the Sun examination found. Read the stories about rent court and evictions at baltimoresun.com/rentcourt. Test your knowledge of Baltimore City rent court with a “You be the judge” interactive at baltimoresun.com/rentcourtjudge.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-oaktree-20170327-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-oaktree-foreclosures-20161116-story.htmlhttp://data.baltimoresun.com/news/dismissed/http://baltimoresun.com/rentcourthttp://baltimoresun.com/rentcourtjudge

Van Hollen: Comey firing a "dark and dangerous moment" (episode 248)

A special edition of Roughly Speaking, the day after Donald Trump’s sacking of the FBI director, James Comey, whose agency has been investigating suspected ties between Russia and the Trump campaign for president. Reaction from:Michael Greenberger (0:43), professor of law at the University of Maryland and a longtime attorney with extensive practice in Washington as a litigator and as a financial regulator.U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (12:26), Maryland Democrat.

How concerned should Americans be about Zika? (episode 247)

The Zika virus, largely concentrated in Latin America and the Caribbean, has drifted out of the news since last summer, but with a mild winter behind us, and mosquito season coming, there are concerns, especially in southern states. A Johns Hopkins University researcher recently estimated the cost of a mild Zika outbreak (about 7,000 cases) at more than $183 million and the cost of a more severe one (700,000 infections) at more than $1.2 billion. Most people have mild or no obvious effects from Zika, but infections in pregnant women can result in major birth defects in their babies. Adults can also suffer from Guillain-Barr\u233\u syndrome. Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital is a specialist in infectious diseases and provides some perspective on Zika and other arboviruses — that is, diseases spread by bugs, mosquitoes and ticks.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/maryland-health/bs-hs-zika-season-20170327-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/health/blog/bs-hs-zika-estimates-20170503-story.html

One good book and two great bartenders (episode 246)

Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, recommends a dystopian novel from the eco-fiction shelf called "Borne," by Jeff Vandemeer.Baltimore bartenders Brendan Dorr and Amie Ward talk about Amari, the branch of herbal, bitter-sweet liqueurs produced in Italy, sipped as digestives and now being offered in some mixed drinks. Ward and Dorr join Dan for a taste test of Meletti Amaro, Rabarbaro Zucco, Fernet-Branca and Fernet-Valet, a Mexican liqueur. Be listening for Amie and Brendan’s cocktail recipe for the Italian Mule. Amie Ward tells her life story to Quinn Kelley on a recent episode of Female Trouble.Links:http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-borne-vandermeer-20170413-story.htmlhttp://www.meletti.it/UK/products_amaromeletti.htmlhttp://www.zuccarabarbaro.com/?age-verified=d69ec69409http://www.liquor.com/brands/fernet-branca/#gs.JfnUJcwhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/female-trouble/bs-female-trouble-amie-ward-20170424-htmlstory.html

What to see at the Maryland Film Festival (episode 245)

With the 2017 Maryland Film Festival now underway during a busy weekend in Baltimore, our critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed list the films they're looking forward to seeing at the festival's new home in the renovated Parkway Theater in Station North.Linda's list: "Werewolf" "Golden Exits" "Rat Film" "Motherland" "Love After Love"Chris's choices: "Beach Rats" "The Blood Is At The Doorstep" "Lemon" "Maineland" "Princess Cyd" "Person To Person" "Sylvio" "Tell Them We Are Rising"Plus, Linda and Chris review two movies in feature release: "Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume II," and "Their Finest," a movie about movie-making in wartime England.Links:http://mdfilmfest.com/schedule/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bs-ae-weeksbest-0430-20170429-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/bs-ae-maryland-film-festival-parkway-2017-20170429-story.htmlhttp://mdfilmfest.com/film-guide/

Keeping successful startups in Baltimore (episode 244)

How do you keep brilliant researchers who come up with great ideas from taking their successful startups to Silicon Valley or Cambridge, Mass.? Since 2012, companies founded on Johns Hopkins technology have raised about $1.1 billion in funding, but about 85 percent of them are no longer in Maryland. Incubating tech and bio-tech startups and retaining them in Baltimore is a mission of Hopkins at its new FastForward 1812 lab space in the university’s sprawling medical campus. Christy Wyskiel, special adviser on commercial investment to the JHU president, talks about building a solid business infrastructure for new companies — and about an effort to support social innovation that benefits Hopkins’ neighbors in East Baltimore.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-hopkins-incubator-20170407-story.html

Sen. Ben Cardin on Trump's first 100 days (episode 243)

“Make no mistake about it, I believe President Trump is causing damage to our country, primarily to the values America stands for.” Sen. Ben Cardin, the Maryland Democrat, stopped by the Sun’s studio to talk about the first 100 days of the Trump presidency. Cardin explains why he believes Donald Trump is damaging the country, but also where he thinks Trump could notch some achievements should he choose to act in a bipartisan manner.

A classic Western and the Hollywood witch hunt (episode 242)

Film historians consider “High Noon” to be a Western, but it’s more than that — the story of one man’s moral courage in the face of overwhelming odds. In the 1952 film, a town marshal, played by Gary Cooper, is about to retire his badge and his gun and move away with his new bride, played by Grace Kelly. But the marshal learns that a man who hates him, a vicious outlaw named Frank Miller, is coming back to the town to kill him — and he’s arriving on the noon train. High Noon is a Hollywood classic, but it was made during the post-World War II Red Scare, when Congress was looking for suspected communists among the film industry’s producers, writers, directors and actors. The screenwriter of “High Noon” was Carl Foreman, and in the middle of the film’s production he was forced to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee about his former membership in the Communist Party. Refusing to name names, he was eventually blacklisted and fled the United States. Author Glenn Frankel, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, is our guest today. He has written a book, “High Noon: The Hollywood Blacklist and the Making of An American Classic.” He joins us in conversation with our film critics, Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed.Links:http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/high-noon-9781620409480/

What's changed two years after Baltimore unrest? (episode 241)

Book critic Paula Gallagher strongly recommends, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” by David Grann, a staff writer for the New Yorker and author of “The Lost City of Z.” His new book is about the mysterious murders of Native Americans in Oklahoma in the 1920s, and the birth of the FBI.Kevin Shird, a Baltimore native and drug dealer-turned-youth advocate, talks about the unrest that hit Baltimore two years ago today, on the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral. Shird is the author of two books, “Lessons of Redemption,” about his tough early life and his 12 years in prison, and “Uprising in the City,” about the civil unrest that hit West Baltimore on April 27, 2015.Links:http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/208562/killers-of-the-flower-moon-by-david-grann/9780385534246/http://aalbc.com/authors/kevin-shird.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-ci-gray-investigations-20170419-story.html

Is hemp the next big thing in farming? (episode 240)

Are Maryland farmers and Baltimore entrepreneurs missing a big economic opportunity by not growing and processing hemp for the commercial market? A report commissioned by the Abell Foundation concludes that hemp-marijuana confusion, along with a federal prohibition, form obstacles to a new branch of environmentally-friendly agriculture that could augment the income of Maryland farmers and spawn new businesses. Kentucky has already moved forward with growing hemp, despite the federal ban against the fibrous cannabis. Rona Kobell, reporter for the Chesapeake Bay Journal, joins Dan to talk about hemp’s potential. She wrote the Abell report. "Hemp offers opportunities for new products, good jobs, wellness, an improved environment and healthier soils," the report says. "It can help farmers diversify and keep their land in agriculture. It can jump start entrepreneurs who want to build businesses that process and transport hemp. And it can keep more Baltimore college graduates in the city to pursue careers in botanicals, textiles, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing."Links:http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-fine-hemp-marijuana-legalize-20140626-story.htmlhttp://www.abell.org/publications/hope-hemp-misunderstood-plant-prepares-its-comebackhttp://bittersoutherner.com/kentucky-hemp/#.WQB22lPyvow

How Coke became kosher (episode 239)

The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. gave its secret recipe for Coke to an Atlanta rabbi, who helped the company make its popular soft drink kosher. On today’s show, Roger Horowitz, a food historian, tells the tale of Rabbi Tobias Geffen in a new book, "Kosher USA," about the keeping of the Jewish dietary law in the modern industrial food system. Among his stories: How Oroes became kosher, and how and why Manischevitz became one of the most popular wines among African-Americans. Horowitz is director of the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library in Delaware. He is the author of "Negro and White, Unite and Fight: A Social History of Industrial Unionism in Meatpacking and Putting Meat on the American Table: Taste, Technology, Transformation."Links:https://cup.columbia.edu/book/kosher-usa/9780231158329

As Baltimore considers a dirt bike park, Cleveland votes to build one (episode 238)

2:07: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian, says readers who liked JD Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” will enjoy a new novel, “The Animators,” about the friendship of two artistic women from poor backgrounds who become the talk of the indie film world.6:43: Leila Atassi, City Hall reporter for The Cleveland Plain Dealer, talks about Cleveland’s effort to curtail illegal dirt biking by building a $2.3 million dirt bike park. Baltimore’s so-called “12 O’Clock Boys” have taken to the streets — and sometimes the sidewalks — of the city for years, prompting citizen complaints and a police crackdown (On episode 155 of the podcast, Dan interviewed Wheelie Wayne, considered the godfather of the 12 O'Clock Boys). While a private group studies the feasibility of building a dirt bike park in Baltimore, a divided Cleveland City Council has moved ahead with the controversial idea. Atassi fills us in. 17:42: Political analyst Herb Smith talks about the effect the Trump presidency has had on the American tourism industry, and what special congressional elections suggest about the 2018 mid-terms. Smith is professor and former chair of political science at McDaniel College.https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062300546/hillbilly-elegyhttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/533931/the-animators-by-kayla-rae-whitaker/9780812989281/http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/01/a_divided_cleveland_city_counc.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-dirtbike-arrests-wheelie-wayne-20170221-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-wheelie-wayne-story.htmlhttp://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/01/shouting_match_threat_of_lawsu.htmlhttps://www.ft.com/content/d8d3402a-1540-11e7-b0c1-37e417ee6c76http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-house-race-georgia-20170418-story.html

What Baltimore data — from birth rates to block parties — says about the city (episode 237)

On this episode of Roughly Speaking with Dan Rodricks, a dive into data about health, housing and community trends across the city — which neighborhoods are struggling, which ones are hot, which will be hot in the coming months and years, and which neighborhoods are the most ethnically and racially diverse.2:45: Seema Iyer measures Baltimore life in all kinds of ways. She’s associate director of the Jacob France Institute at the University of Baltimore, and each year for the past 15 years, the institute, in partnership with the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance, has published Vital Signs, a statistical portrait of the city, measuring everything from unoccupied homes to high school dropouts and teen pregnancy.29:26: We get the latest on the general health of Baltimoreans from Meredith Cohn, the Sun’s health and medical research reporter, and Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital.42:32: A look at Baltimore housing market trends with representatives of LiveBaltimore, Annie Milli and Steve Gondol.1:02:21: Seema Iyer describes a new project to measure the vitality of city neighborhoods in terms of art, culture and civic engagement. It’s a cool project called the Baltimore GeoLoom, launching this summer.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0329-20170328-story.htmlhttp://bniajfi.org/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/investigations/bs-md-sun-investigates-neighborhoods-20170401-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/business/real-estate/bs-bz-march-home-sales-20170411-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/female-trouble/bs-female-trouble-annie-milli-20170404-htmlstory.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-live-baltimore-gondol-20170301-story.htmlhttp://www.geoloom.org/

Maryland's strengthened attorney general sees "a lot to be vigilant about" with Trump (episode 236)

1:43: Paula Gallagher, a Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, recommends "Mozart's Starling," a non-fiction look at the great composer's relationship with a bird and how starlings, once favored as pets, came to be considered a nuisance in the United States.5:43: The General Assembly has authorized the state attorney general, Brian Frosh, to sue the Trump administration to protect Maryland’s interests — and Frosh is now empowered to do so without first getting the permission of the Governor. In his story about this in today’s Baltimore Sun, reporter Ian Duncan says the assembly left behind “a kind of night watchman” to keep an eye on Washington while the legislature is in recess. But what actions by the Trump administration would prompt Frosh and other Democratic attorneys general to go to court? We’ll also hear of efforts to stop price gouging by pharmaceutical companies and how the state legislature reformed a bail system that Frosh believes would ultimately have been found to be unconstitutional.Links:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/lyanda-lynn-haupt/mozarts-starling/9780316370875/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-frosh-success-20170411-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-attorney-general-powers-20170416-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-drug-prices-20170326-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-bail-frosh-20161011-story.html

The 'Baltimore Mom' and why whupping kids is wrong (episode 235)

Remember Toya Graham, the ‘Baltimore Mom’ during the unrest that hit West Baltimore on the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral in 2015? She was videotaped grabbing, berating and slapping her teenaged son in an effort to pull him away from the other teenagers who threw rocks at police near Mondawmin Mall. Graham’s actions were praised as heroic, but our guest today, Stacey Patton, offered a dissenting opinion in the Washington Post. In 2008, Patton, a journalist and assistant professor at Morgan State University, wrote a memoir, That Mean Old Yesterday, about how, as a foster child, she had survived a childhood of abuses, including whippings at the hands of her adoptive mother. Patton did not expect to write about corporal punishment in black families again, but, because of Toya Graham, Patton is back on the subject with a new book, “Spare The Kids: Why Whupping Children Won’t Save Black America,” an important and convincing argument against a common and widely accepted practice.Links:https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/29/why-is-america-celebrating-the-beating-of-a-black-child/?utm_term=.0b99a9adc97a

Does privacy matter? Can you say why? (episode 234)

Today’s guest, Firmin Debrabander, is a professor of philosophy at the Maryland Institute College of Art, an author and social commentator. He’s at work on a book about privacy and wonders if it really matters any more. He thinks Americans like to say they cherish privacy in the Internet age, but actually do little to protect it and pay only lip service to the evils of surveillance. Between online consumerism and shameless social media posts, people seem to actively eschew privacy for being part of the digital community. DeBrabander has written on the subject and in today’s show he dares listeners to define privacy and why it matters.Links:https://www.mica.edu/About_MICA/People/Faculty/Faculty_List_by_Last_Name/Firmin_DeBrabander.htmlhttps://aeon.co/essays/how-baring-and-sharing-online-increases-social-conformity

Bringing the troubled artist Donny Hathaway to life on stage (episode 233)

Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack scored major pop hits in the 1970s with their duets, “Where Is The Love?” and “The Closer I Get To You.” But Hathaway, a gifted soul singer and song writer, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, a severe form of mental illness that extracted a heavy toll on his music career and his personal life, culminating with his suicide at age 33 in 1979. At Baltimore Center Stage this month, Kelvin Roston Jr. portrays Hathaway in “Twisted Melodies,” a one-man play Roston wrote and reworked over the last 10 years.Today Dan speaks with Roston (3:03) about Hathaway and the play, and about mental illness. Then, Dr. Mark Komrad (17:26), Baltimore psychiatrist, gives his impressions of “Twisted Melodies.” Komrad, a contributor to conversations about mental health on Roughly Speaking, is the author of, “You Need Help: A Step-by-Step Plan to Convince a Loved One to Get Counseling.”Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/artsmash/bs-ae-arts-story-0324-20170320-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/artsmash/bs-ae-twisted-melodies-review-20170330-story.htmlhttp://www.komradmd.com/Mark_Komrad_MD/Welcome.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-trump-anxiety-story.htmlhttp://www.youneedhelpbook.com/You_Need_Help/Overview.html

On being Sikh or Muslim in Trump's America (episode 232)

"Nothing has left me feeling more aggrieved than the sudden realization that in much of America, I will never be more than a second-class citizen," writes Baltimore economist and consultant Anirban Basu in an op-ed for The Baltimore Sun. "All of a sudden, being of Indian descent and brown-skinned feels like a disadvantage. It never felt quite like this before." Today, on being dark-skinned in Trump's America. Our guest is racial justice activist and writer Deepa Iyer, the author of "We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future." Iyer, who was born in India and moved to the U.S. with her parents, served for a decade as the executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), focusing on community building in post-9/11 America. She teaches in the Asian American studies program at the University of Maryland. She will speak at the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Baltimore on April 18 as part of the Pratt Library's Writers LIVE series.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-american-experience-20170402-story.htmlhttp://deepaiyer.com/http://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/writers_live_deepa_iyer_we_too_sing_america_south_asian_arab_muslim_and_sikh_immigrants_shape_our_multiracial_future

Sully Baseball on the Orioles and the new season (episode 231)

Paul Francis Sullivan, host of the Sully Baseball podcast, talks about the 2017 Orioles and sizes up the top contenders in the American and National leagues. Sullivan, a California-based writer and TV producer who started his daily podcast in October 2012, ended that run on Sunday; he will continue to host a weekly podcast about baseball. Today, Sully’s take on Baltimore’s team and his predictions for the playoffs.Links:http://www.sullybaseball.com/

Your Web history for sale; 'Eat Up' on food books (episode 230)

2:28: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian (and Sean’s wife), recommends a good book, “Truffle Boy: My Unexpected Journey Through the Exotic Food Underground,” by Ian Purkayastha, who comes to Towson next Sunday (April 9) for an appearance with Gertrude’s chef Doug Wetzel as part of the month-long BC Reads program.10:26: Are your documents safe in the cloud? Last week, a security researcher discovered a serious problem with Docs.com, Microsoft’s free document-sharing site tied to the company’s Office 365 service: Its homepage had a search bar. Not a big deal, except that hundreds of users of Office 2016 and Office 365 apparently were unaware that their documents could be shared publicly. Sean Gallagher, Baltimore-based IT editor of Ars Technica, nosed around and found a significant number of documents shared with sensitive information in them—some of them obtainable by just entering “passwords” or “SSN." Also on the show: What Congress and President Donald J. Trump are planning to do with our web surfing data. They’re going to make it easier for Internet providers to sell customer browser histories to advertisers and other companies.Links:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/ian-purkayastha/truffle-boy/9781478909903/https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8----text=Ian Purkayastha----search-alias=books----field-author=Ian Purkayastha----sort=relevancerankhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-doug-wetzel-survives-life-threatening-heat-stroke-and-he-still-makes-a-pretty-good-donut-20151204-story.htmlhttp://www.bcpl.info/bcreadshttps://docs.com/en-ushttps://arstechnica.com/security/2017/03/doxed-by-microsofts-docs-com-users-unwittingly-shared-sensitive-docs-publicly/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/03/for-sale-your-private-browsing-history/

Trump's presidential honeymoon from hell (episode 229)

Seventy days into his presidency, Donald J. Trump gets the nod of approval from only 35 percent of Americans, the all-time lowest approval rating of any president in his first year. The latest Gallup poll also shows his approval rating among men falling from 51 percent to 44 percent during the month of March. The traditional honeymoon enjoyed by most presidents during their first 100 days has not happened. In fact, says political analyst Herb Smith, Trump is having the presidential "honeymoon from hell." Smith, longtime professor of political science at McDaniel College in Westminster, talks about Trump’s struggles and how it could affect Republicans in the 2018 elections. And, fresh from a McDaniel roundtable on the subject, Smith talks about "fake news" and "alternative facts," and he compares the dystopian prophecies of Orwell's "1984" with Huxley’s "Brave New World."Links:http://www.gallup.com/poll/207518/trump-approval-rating-unusually-low-unusually-early.aspxhttp://www.gallup.com/poll/207497/gender-gap-shrinks-trump-loses-support-among-men.aspxhttp://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/product/Maryland-Politics-and-Government,674904.aspxhttp://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Poli_Sci/facsmith.htmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/books/review/which-dystopian-novel-got-it-right-orwells-1984-or-huxleys-brave-new-world.html?_r=0

The absurd possibility that its opponents could ever 'fix' Obamacare (episode 228)

Dan comments on what happened over the past few days in Washington — the botched Republican attempt to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, the enduring domestic achievement of President Obama repeatedly dismissed as a disaster by President Trump and others who vowed to repeal and replace it. But the effort was doomed from the start: Obamacare can only be fixed by those who support it, not those who oppose government involvement in delivering health care for all, and certainly not by those who seek to wipe out President Obama’s legacy.Links: http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-201703-htmlstory.html

ICYMI: Catching up on news (and the Orioles) with Sun staffers (episode 227)

2:06: The Sun’s Washington correspondent, John Fritze, talks about the Republican splintering over the House GOP’s repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. 16:42: Can a city that loses population and struggles with violent crime afford to require a $15 minimum wage? Luke Broadwater, who covers Baltimore government and politics, talks about that issue and offers perspective on the first 100 days of Mayor Catherine Pugh.36:26: Erin Cox, State House bureau chief of the Sun, catches us up on news from the General Assembly as it heads into the final two weeks of the 2017 legislative session. 48:28: Almost live from Florida: The Sun’s Orioles beat writer, Eduardo Encina, gives his views of the Orioles as they prepare to come north for Opening Day on April 3. 1:08:59: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a coming-of-age novel set in the 1970s, "Setting Free the Kites," by Alex George.

St. Patrick's Day food, and how an Irish love song became Morgan State's alma mater (episode 226)

2:08: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a foodie book, this one called, "Eating Korea," by British writer Graham Holliday, a chip off the ole Bourdain. 7:15: With St. Patrick’s Day a week away, Dan welcomes Henry Hong and John Shields for a lesson in making corned beef from scratch. If you’re going to make your own corned beef in time for the Irish holiday, you’d better listen up and get started right away. While corned beef and cabbage is considered the traditional dish, John says it’s not so in Ireland, and he offers a recipe for what he had there on St. Patrick’s Day: Irish Bacon and Cabbage. John Shields is a cookbook author and proprietor of Gertrude’s restaurant in the Baltimore Museum of Art. Henry Hong, aka The Food Nerd, is food and beverage manager of the Baltimore Country Club.24:35: Laura Byrne, founder and director of the Baltimore Irish Arts Center, talks about Irish music in Baltimore on St. Patrick’s Day and the upcoming Baltimore Irish Trad Fest.30:38: Peter Brice, executive director of New Century American Irish Arts Co. in Annapolis, tells the back-story of an old Irish tune that years later became the school song of Morgan State University. Dan tells about the Morgan teacher who adopted “Believe me, if all those endearing young charms” into “Fair Morgan,” the university’s alma mater. The segment concludes with the Morgan choir singing the song. Special thanks to Maryland Public Television for providing the recording.Links:http://www.gertrudesbaltimore.com/http://www.bcc1898.com/http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/irish-bacon-cabbage-with-mustard-saucehttps://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018642-homemade-corned-beefhttps://www.harpercollins.com/9780062400765/eating-koreahttps://www.laurabyrne.com/biographyhttp://www.baltimoreirisharts.com/tradfest.htmlhttp://www.newcenturyirisharts.com/biographies/peterbrice/http://www.newcenturyirisharts.com/http://www.morgan.edu/academic_affairs/university_convocation/the_alma_mater.html

Which Democrat is up to the Hogan challenge in 2018? (episode 225)

6:31: Maryland’s Republican governor, Larry Hogan, faces re-election in 2018, but he remains highly popular in a predominantly blue state where President Donald J. Trump is deeply unpopular. Who among the state’s leading Democrats will emerge to take the Hogan challenge? Could Maryland voters, unhappy with Trump, turn against Hogan in the mid-term elections? With the Maryland primary election 13 months away, Dan talks politics with Erin Cox, the Baltimore Sun’s State House bureau chief.1:40: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking critic, calls “Pachinko,” a family saga from novelist Min Jin Lee, a tour de force.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-jealous-governor-20170228-story.htmlhttps://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/min-jin-lee/pachinko/9781455563937/

The roots of Islamophobia and the U.S. retreat from refugees (episode 224)

4:46: Award-winning author Mohsin Hamid, whose new novel, “Exit West,” is a love story about refugees fleeing a war-torn country, talks about migrants, globalization, nationalism and America in the time of Trump. Hamid is scheduled to appear Saturday at the Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore for a fundraiser for the International Rescue Committee’s Baltimore area refugee rescue and resettlement efforts. Hamid is the author of three previous novels, including “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” an international best-seller in 2007.23:12: With President Trump having revised and signed an executive order banning immigrants from six majority-Muslim nations, veteran journalist Arnold “Skip” Isaacs returns to Roughly Speaking to offer more perspective on American fears of terrorism and the roots of Islamophobia. Isaacs says those fears are overheated and in part driven by anti-Islamic extremists who push conspiracy theories about “civilization jihad,” sharia law and terrorist connections to Muslim-American organizations.Links:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/27/books/review-exit-west-mohsin-hamid.html?_r=0http://www.redeemerbaltimore.org/events/moshin-hamid-exit-west/

March 1917: The U.S. and Russia, war and revolution (episode 223)

Will Englund (5:17), who won a Pulitzer Prize as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun, is the author of a new book about the American entrance into World War I. The book, "March 1917," is being released this week. It tells the story of the end of U.S. neutrality during the bloody conflict in Europe and the collapse of the Russian empire under the czars. Also with a new book is Gene Fax (24:26), author of "With Their Bare Hands: General Pershing, the 79th Division and the Battle for Montfaucon." On today's podcast, Fax tells how the U.S. — and Baltimore, in particular — mobilized for war.Links:http://books.wwnorton.com/books/March-1917/https://ospreypublishing.com/with-their-bare-hands

Offering a safe space for addicts to do drugs (episode 222)

Should local governments or nonprofits establish “safe places” for heroin addicts to shoot up? Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan calls it “absolutely insane” and “idiotic,” but for a man who just declared a state of emergency because of a deadly drug epidemic, maybe he ought to read Susan Sherman’s report and recommendations before dismissing the idea. Sherman, a professor and researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, says “safe-drug consumption spaces” have reduced overdose deaths, linked addicts with treatment services, reduced crime and saved money. Such places are now in operation in 66 cities in 11 countries. On today’s show, Sherman talks about how these “safe places” work and how they might come to Baltimore, where deaths from opioid overdoses have been on the rise. Officials say Maryland had 2,000 such overdose deaths in 2016, prompting Hogan’s Wednesday announcement.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-drug-safe-20170225-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-heroin-funding-20170301-story.htmlhttp://www.abell.org/publications/safe-consumption-spaces-strategy-baltimorehttp://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-safe-drug-consumption-space-20170221-story.html

'Fake news' but one complication of media's new reality (episode 221)

As Donald Trump and his White House staffers continue to attack the news media, culture commentator Sheri Park opens a broader conversation about the press in 2017, the changes that have taken place in journalism since the advent of social media, and how Trump’s attacks might influence public opinion of the nation’s mainstream news organizations.

Oscars recap: Grace after snafu capped a night of Hollywood solidarity (episode 220)

Our film critics, Linda Delibero (12:30) of Johns Hopkins University and Christopher Llewellyn Reed (5:08) of Stevenson University, react to the 2017 Academy Awards, and the most shocking snafu in Oscars history — the announcement of the wrong winner for best picture.

Trump's fear-mongering on refugees (episode 219)

7:56: President Trump’s executive order on immigration cuts by more than half the maximum number of refugees the United States will take from troubled lands each year. Trump claims that refugees, particularly those from Syria, pose a threat to public safety and national security. But what are the facts? Veteran journalist Arnold “Skip” Isaacs takes a hard look at the data, and finds virtually no evidence to support the president’s claim.3:05: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends a memoir of “addiction and ambition” by a young woman described as “New York’s enfant terrible,” Cat Marnell. The book: “How To Murder Your Life.”Links:https://consortiumnews.com/2017/02/17/jeff-sessionss-dubious-refugee-math/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/books/review/how-to-murder-your-life-cat-marnell.html?_r=0http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/How-to-Murder-Your-Life/Cat-Marnell/9781476752273

Is the president a national security risk? (episode 218)

Sean Gallagher is the Baltimore-based IT editor and national security editor of Ars Technica, the Cond\u233\u Nast website covering technology news. In an earlier life, Sean was a naval officer whose computer skills landed him assignments as network administrator and computer security officer. He’s plugged into the world of national security, cybersecurity and intelligence. Today, Dan and Sean discuss the Russian connection to Donald Trump and the 2016 Trump campaign for president, the resignation of national security adviser Mike Flynn, the president’s frequent trips to Mar-A-Lago, and what people in security and intelligence think about Trump’s use of an Android device for his many Tweets. Sean just wrote a story about all that: Trump’s security faux-pas palooza.Links:https://arstechnica.com/author/sean-gallagher/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/02/trumps-apparent-string-of-security-faux-pas-trigger-call-for-house-investigation/

Massacre of 11 black soldiers was nearly kept hidden from history (episode 217)

More than a million African-American men served in segregated units of the U.S. military during World War II. While most were relegated to Army support units, the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion served in combat in France and took part in the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive of the war, in December 1944. Eleven members of the battalion were captured by Nazi SS, tortured and massacred in the small Belgian village of Wereth. The Army covered up the atrocity; it did not become known until 50 years after it occurred. There is now a memorial in the village to the Wereth 11. Today’s guest is Denise George, co-author with Robert Child, of "The Lost Eleven: The Forgotten Story of Black American Soldiers Brutally Massacred in World War II."Links:http://www.wereth.org/en/historyhttp://www.historynet.com/the-wereth-11-a-little-known-massacre-during-the-battle-of-the-bulge.htmhttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/531793/the-lost-eleven-by-denise-george-and-robert-child/9781101987391/

Crazy idea: Turning the old penitentiary into an art gallery (episode 216)

Kelly Cross, a Baltimore community activist, has a crazy idea about preserving the old Maryland Penitentiary and possibly turning it a destination — with a museum, art gallery, shops and restaurants. It sounds farfetched, but some architects and philanthropists already have taken a look at the place. They see potential. Plus, Baltimore Heritage is on the case, calling for the state of Maryland to revise demolition plans and consider saving the 19th Century penitentiary and another building in the prison complex to the east of the Jones Falls Expressway — the Tudor Gothic warden’s house on Madison Street. Preservation is one motivation but, for Cross and others, the closing of the penitentiary’s west wing and the dilapidated Baltimore City Detention Center present an opportunity to reduce the concentration of prisons and jails in a high-profile part of the city and better connect East Baltimore to the city’s core.Links:https://strobophotostudio.pixieset.com/kellycross-baltimoresfuturegrowthanddevelopment/http://www.baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/prominent-architects-museum-cultural-center-baltimore-jail/https://baltimoreheritage.org/preservation/baltimore-jail-demolition-threatens-landmark-ties-citys-history-slavery/https://baltimoreheritage.org/preservation/baltimore-jail-demolition-threatens-landmark-ties-citys-history-slavery/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-ci-jail-20170127-story.htmlhttps://i1.wp.com/baltimoreheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/baltimore-jail-demolition-map-2016-03.jpg

Nico Sarbanes making a name for himself in jazz world (episode 215)

2:46: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, recommends a new work of science fiction, "All Our Wrong Todays," by Elan Mastai.6:28: Sarbanes is a widely recognized name in Maryland. Paul Sarbanes was a U.S. Senator for 30 years. John Sarbanes, the senator's son, is a member of the House of Representatives, serving Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District. The next Sarbanes you’ll hear about is the congressman's son, Nico Sarbanes, a 23-year-old jazz musician who’s just releasing his first recordings this month. A trumpet player and singer, and student of jazz, Nico Sarbanes joins us today, ahead of his performance at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, to talk about his ambition to capture "the Baltimore sound."Links:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FEY5EP2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8----btkr=1http://www.midatlanticjazzfestival.org/artists/nico/http://www.midatlanticjazzfestival.org/

What's new with Orioles pitchers and catchers as they start spring training (episode 214)

Dan speaks with Peter Schmuck, Sun sports columnist, about the Orioles’ pitchers and catchers, now at spring training in Sarasota. The Orioles’ ace Chris Tillman has a lingering shoulder problem and will likely miss his Opening Day start. Schmuck discusses the significance of that development, runs through the starters and relievers, and talks about the departure of Matt Wieters and the arrival of the team’s new catcher, Welington Castillo.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/balnews-peter-schmuck-20130507-staff.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck-blog/bs-sp-schmuck-column-20170213-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-new-orioles-catcher-welington-castillo-believes-wbc-absence-won-t-hinder-his-adjustment-20170214-story.html

Leaving prison, and not going back (episode 213)

Maryland has made some progress in keeping ex-offenders from committing new crimes and going back to prison. Still, four out of 10 former inmates end up back behind the walls within three years of their release. Today, a talk about the challenges of re-entry and what it’s like for inmates coming home.Elizabeth Morse (3:28), a crime-prevention specialist assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Baltimore, describes the services available to help ex-offenders adjust to life after prison. Morse compileda new list of government and private-sector agencies that assist adults recently released from state and federal prisons and local jails. The guide contains hundreds of resources with direct links to programs in Baltimore and all Maryland counties.While some inmates learn skills in prison, few are able to put them to use after they’ve been released. Chester France (31:50) and his volunteers are preparing to establish a job center for inmates who learned how to sew in prison. Their goal: Develop a line of apparel for churches — vestments for ministers, robes for choirs — and put ex-offenders to work making them. The project has been in the planning stages for a few years, and France expects “Lifting Labels” to open in September, under the auspices of a non-profit collaborative, Chill Station-Root of Jesse, and an apparel manufacturer, Fashion Unlimited, in southwest Baltimore.Links:http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-30/news/bs-md-recidivism-20130930_1_recidivism-prison-sentences-ex-offendershttps://www.justice.gov/usao-md/page/file/918571/downloadhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-to-reduce-violence-more-effort-needed-on-offenders-while-in-prison-20161226-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-0129-20170128-column.htmlhttps://www.facebook.com/The-Chill-Station-Inc-Root-of-Jesse-Inc-412017988998191/?fref=tshttp://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-fashions-unlimited-adidas-20150912-story.html

Celebrating the cuisine of the seven banned nations (episode 212)

3:33: The Sun’s State House bureau chief Erin Cox talks about Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s refusal to comment on President Donald J. Trump’s controversial — and now overturned — executive order on immigration. Plus, we get an update on the prospects for full marijuana legalization in Maryland.8:13: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends "A Really Good Day," by Ayelet Waldman, a memoir of mood swings, marriage and microdosing LSD. Gallagher is a librarian at the Pikesville branch of the Baltimore County Public Library.21:13: In the spirit of international solidarity and adventurous cooking, Roughly Speaking foodies John Shields and Henry Hong join Dan to share recipes from the seven majority-Muslim countries targeted in President Trump’s executive order on immigration — Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Iran. Shields, owner of Gertrude’s restaurant in the Baltimore Museum of Art, is an accomplished author of cookbooks, and he recommends two for anyone interested in the cuisine of the Middle East: “Jerusalem: A Cookbook,” and “Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen.” Look for the recipes discussed on the show in Dan’s Roughly Speaking blog post. Additional resources: The Sudanese Kitchen and chicken dishes from The Somali Kitchen, and a BBC program about the food of Syria. Henry Hong, “The Food Nerd,” is food and beverage manager at the Baltimore Country Club.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-what-s-cooking-this-weekend-food-of-syria-iran-sudan-iraq-somalia-yemen-and-libya-20170210-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-erin-cox-20141007-staff.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-hogan-facebook-20170208-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-cannabis-vote-20170130-story.htmlhttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/545767/a-really-good-day-by-ayelet-waldman/9780451494092/http://www.bcpl.info/http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/225366/jerusalem-el-by-yotam-ottolenghi-sami-tamimi/9781607743941/https://www.amazon.com/Recipes-Remembrances-Eastern-Mediterranean-Kitchen/dp/0970971699http://www.sudanesekitchen.com/http://www.somalikitchen.com/category/chicken/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06d29bh

Amid progress on mental health, Obamacare repeal would be giant step back (episode 211)

Can the country afford repeal of the Affordable Care Act, especially while we’re in the midst of a deadly opioid epidemic? What happens if the ground-breaking mental health provisions of the law, which include coverage for drug abuse treatment, are scrapped? Dr. Mark Komrad, a psychiatrist on the clinical and teaching staff of Sheppard Pratt Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, provides perspective on mental health and insurance through the years, and what’s at stake if Congress and President Trump repeal the ACA. Komrad is the author of “You Need Help: A Step By Step Plan to Convince Your Loved One to Get Counseling.”Links:http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/1/12/14242086/obamacare-repeal-opioid-heroin-epidemichttp://www.komradmd.com/Mark_Komrad_MD/Biography.htmlhttp://www.youneedhelpbook.com/You_Need_Help/Overview.html

Trump's travel ban and the U.S. doctor pipeline (episode 210)

If upheld, one of the ramifications of President Trump’s restrictions on travel from seven nations could be fewer primary-care doctors for areas of the United States where they are badly needed. In criticizing Trump’s executive order, the Association of American Medical Colleges notes that the U.S. faces a serious shortage of physicians. International graduates represent roughly 25 percent of the medical workforce. In the last decade, says the association, one immigration program alone directed nearly 10,000 physicians into rural and urban underserved communities. “Impeding these U.S. immigration pathways,” the association says, “jeopardizes critical access to high-quality physician care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations.” On today’s show, Dr. John Cmar, director of the residency program in internal medicine at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, discusses the role foreign medical-school graduates play in the U.S. health-delivery system.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-donald-trump-travel-ban-20170206-story.htmlhttps://news.aamc.org/press-releases/article/executive-order-immigration-013017/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/sns-tns-bc-immigrants-medicalstudents-20170202-story,amp.htmlhttp://www.lifebridgehealth.org/Sinai/AMessagefromtheProgramDirector6.aspxhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/sns-tns-bc-immigrants-medicalstudents-20170202-story,amp.html

Clavel's Lane Harlan makes a margarita; a new novel from 'Family Fang' author (episode 209)

1:40: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, praises "Perfect Little World," a new novel from Kevin Wilson, best-selling author of "The Family Fang." If you liked the early works of John Irving, says Paula, you’ll like the characters in this new work by Wilson. With today’s podcast, Paula begins a series of weekly book recommendations.5:09: Lane Harlan, creator of Bar Clavel, the Mexican-inspired bar and restaurant in Remington, describes her establishment’s widely-hailed margarita and provides tequila drinkers with a primer on the world of mezcal. Joining us for some “mezcal enlightenment” is bartender Brendan Dorr of the B----0 American Brasserie. Hear Lane’s earlier interview on Quinn Kelley’s Female Trouble podcast.Links:https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062450326/perfect-little-worldhttp://www.barclavel.com/http://www.bandorestaurant.com/menus/food-drink.htmhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/female-trouble/bal-female-trouble-lane-harlan-20160712-story.html

A sometimes testy chat with David Zurawik on presidents and the press (episode 208)

Dan and David Zurawik have a spirited, wide-ranging and sometimes testy conversation about presidents (Trump and Obama) and the press, CNN being “iced out” by the White House, news reporting on Trump supporters, Obama administration pursuit of reporters’ sources, NAFTA and the Affordable Care Act. In this episode, Zurawik refers to two programs, a podcast from Al Jazeera English about the Obama administration and the press, and an upcoming Showtime program about the 2016 election.Links: http://www.sho.com/titles/3445564/trumped-inside-the-greatest-political-upset-of-all-timehttp://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/2017/01/obama-media-freedom-unprecedented-intrusion-170122115158844.html

The Fire of 1904 and tragic death of Baltimore’s youngest mayor (episode 207)

The Great Baltimore Fire started on Sunday Feb. 7, 1904, burned for 30 hours, devastated 80 blocks of downtown and destroyed 1,500 buildings and hundreds of businesses. The city had a young mayor — in fact, the youngest in its history, Robert McLane, 35 years old at his election in 1903 — and he oversaw the efforts to fight the fire, then took on the daunting challenge of rebuilding the central business district.Today, historian Wayne Schaumburg talks about the Great Baltimore Fire and the sudden, shocking demise of that young mayor — at the center of efforts to stop the fire in February, leader in the effort to rebuild the city immediately afterwards, but dead of a single gunshot wound in late May. Wayne Schaumburg conducts tours of areas affected by the Great Baltimore Fire, in association with the Fire Museum of Maryland.Links: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/history/bs-baltimorefire-slideshow-htmlstory.htmlhttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2004-02-07/news/0402070176_1_mclane-committed-suicide-baltimorehttps://www.firemuseummd.org/eventshttp://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2014/02/great-baltimore-fire-of-1904-110-years-later/#1http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-great-baltimore-fire-a1-feb-8-1904-photo.html

International relief agencies decry Trump’s refugee ban (episode 206)

Leaders from two Baltimore-based relief agencies — the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Catholic Relief Services — talk about President Trump’s order banning immigration from seven majority-Muslim nations and Trump’s indefinite ban on refugees from the Syrian civil war. Dan’s guests are Linda Hartke (1:28), president and CEO of LIRS, and Bill O’Keefe (13:14), vice-president for government relations for CRS. Offering commentary on the potential international ramifications of Trump’s controversial order: Arnold Isaacs (22:17), former Sun foreign correspondent and editor, and author of “From Troubled Lands: Listening to Pakistani Americans and Afghan Americans in post-9/11 America.”Links:http://lirs.org/http://www.fromtroubledlands.net/troubled lands about the author-1.htmhttp://www.fromtroubledlands.net/

Breaking down Trump’s baseless assertions of voter fraud (episode 205)

Could voter fraud of the massive scale being asserted by President Donald J. Trump occur in the United States? Sean Gallagher, the Baltimore-based IT editor of Ars Technica and our favorite techsplainer, explains why getting 3 million to 5 million illegal votes cast in multiple states would be nearly impossible. Gallagher also talks about the Russian hack of the 2016 presidential campaign, but he believes Internet trolls likely had more of an influence on voters than did the Russian hackers and WikiLeaks.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/sns-bc-us--trump-20170124-story.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/author/sean-gallagher/

A Baltimore cop on the crime fight, increased patrols, targeting offenders (episode 204)

With 2017 off to a deadly start in Baltimore, Bob Cherry, a Western District sergeant and past-president of the police union, asks citizens to step up and help officers prevent and solve crimes across the city. Additionally, Cherry suggests that the police department adopt a New York City model for patrol-based targeting of violent, repeat offenders to reduce the shootings that have claimed nearly 700 lives since the spring of 2015. That means, he says, fewer officers in special units and more in uniform and on the street. With the city in a consent decree with the Justice Department to foster reforms within the department, Cherry says it’s time to shift more attention back to the crime fight. “We will increase trust when we start cutting crime,” says Cherry, a city resident. “If you get the numbers down and people feel safer, they’re going to feel proud and good about their police department.” Past-president of the Baltimore lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, Cherry also serves as a national trustee for the Maryland FOP.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-violence-20170125-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/doj-report/bs-md-ci-lawyers-committee-concerns-20170125-story.html

Oscar nominations snubs and surprises (episode 203)

Roughly Speaking film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed share their thoughts with Dan on nominations for the 89th Academy Awards, noting nods to African-American actors and directors following the #OscarsSoWhite controversy of 2016, a snub of actress Amy Adams and yet another (and perhaps unnecessary) nomination for the great Meryl Streep.

The Parker sisters’ rescue from a notorious Maryland slave catcher (episode 202)

Thomas McCreary lived in Maryland’s Cecil County in the 19th Century and, in the 1840s and 1850s, he became widely known as a slave catcher, a man who would cross into the free state of Pennsylvania to nab black men, women and children he suspected of being runaway slaves. Sometimes they were; sometimes they were not. At a time of heightened tensions over slavery, McCreary’s exploits were decried by abolitionists and praised by those who defended slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Cecil County historian Milt Diggins tells the story of McCreary and Rachel and Elizabeth Parker, the black sisters who were born free yet abducted by McCreary from Pennsylvania and taken to the Baltimore slave market. Diggins’ book, “Stealing Freedom Along the Mason-Dixon Line,” also tells of white neighbors of the Parkers who traveled to Baltimore to demand their release and McCreary’s prosecution.Links:https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/stealing-freedom-along-mason-dixon-line

Trump refries a stump for his inaugural address (episode 201)

Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor in American and Africana studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County; and Richard Cross, Maryland Republican analyst and speech writer, give their takes on President Donald Trump's inaugural address.

The president vs. the press (episode 200)

1:35: Culture commentator Sheri Parks talks about the transition from Obama to Trump, and Friday’s inauguration.19:37: The Sun’s media critic David Zurawik expounds on Trump and his incessant tweets, and David explains how he came to be known as “Schmobo in Baltimore.”

What happened to the State Center project? (episode 199)

It happened just a few days before Christmas: Maryland’s governor, comptroller and treasure — the state’s Board of Public Works — voted to cancel the $1.5 billion State Center redevelopment plan on mid-town Baltimore’s west side, a project 10 years in the making. Gov. Larry Hogan claimed the plan made no economic sense. What’s more, the state filed a lawsuit against State Center’s developer, seeking to break the leases for office space that underpin the financing of the project. Then, state comptroller Peter Franchot suggested that a whole new plan be developed to include a sports arena for an NBA or NHL team. And just like that, Hogan agreed to have the Maryland Stadium Authority fast-track a study of how to redevelop the property, including whether an arena would be feasible.So, in a very short period of time, a huge, well-vetted redevelopment project was killed, a new one proposed, and the state went to war with the developer. Merry Christmas! What happened? Dan goes over the story with Caroline Moore, CEO of Ekistics, the Baltimore development firm and leader developer of State Center.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-state-center-vote-20161221-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-md-ci-state-center-ruling-20140327-story.htmlhttp://communityarchitectdaily.blogspot.com/2016/12/governor-kills-second-baltimore-mega.html

Freddie Gray, Trayvon Martin and mothers having ’the talk’ with their sons (episode

April Ryan, White House correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, talks about the president-elect, Donald J. Trump, and his criticism of the press. (He will be the fourth president Ryan has covered in her broadcasting career.) But, with her new book, Ryan’s focus is on the important roles mothers play in the lives of African-American children, particularly boys and young men. Ryan’s book is “At Mama’s Knee: Mothers And Race In Black And White,” and it addresses race relations, and relations between African-Americans and police, the Freddie Gray case and the death of Trayvon Martin. (“Everyone needs to read a book about race,” Ryan says.)April Ryan is chief of American Urban Radio Networks’ Washington bureau — the only African-American broadcast bureau in the White House, with a network of more than 300 stations nationwide and nearly 20 million listeners each week. Ryan is the author of “The Presidency in Black and White: My Up‑Close View of Three Presidents and Race in America.” She’ll discuss her new book, “At Mama’s Knee,” on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Enoch Pratt Free Library.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bs-ae-april-ryan-20161028-story.htmlhttp://aprildryan.com/http://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/brown_lecture_series_april_ryan_at_mamas_knee_mothers_and_race_in_black_and_white#.WH426dIrK71

Scorsese and what it means to believe (episode 197)

Film critic Christopher Llewellyn Reed says "Silence," about Jesuit missionaries to Japan in the early 17th Century, is Martin Scorsese's best work in years, a monumental film notable for the director's uncharacteristic restraint. "It's as if Scorsese had taken the title to heart," he says. Reed also reviews from the current cinema "A Monster Calls," Hidden Fences," "Patriots Day," and "20th Century Women."Christopher Llewellyn Reed is chair of the Film ---- Moving Image Department at Stevenson University. He is the lead film critic for Hammer to Nail, a website devoted to independent cinema, and he writes occasional reviews and pieces for Bmoreart and Film Festival Today.Links: https://chrisreedfilm.com/about/http://www.hammertonail.com/

Exiled from Bell Foundry, Baltimore Rock Opera Society seeks own home (episode 196)

“Brides of Tortuga,” “Grundelhammer” and “Phantom of the Paradise” were three of the original productions staged by the Baltimore Rock Opera Society over the last eight years. But BROS actors, writers, designers, builders, musicians and artists now finds themselves in exile, without a headquarters and production house. The nonprofit opera company was among tenants of the old Bell Foundry building until Baltimore officials condemned the workspace in the Station North Arts District last month. Now BROS is trying to raise money to buy a permanent home for its raucous and imaginative productions. Today’s guest: Aran Keating, the company’s artistic director, talks about BROS’s quest for a new space. Here’s an amusing video that BROS used in 2015 to raise funds.Links:http://baltimorerockopera.org/https://www.crowdrise.com/brosforeverhomehttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bal-hilarious-video-launches-fundraising-campaign-for-baltimore-rock-opera-society-20150224-story.html

Cummings and Van Hollen on Trump, ACA repeal, Russian hack, Obama's record (episode 195)

1:29: Just two days after being sworn in as Maryland’s junior Senator, Chris Van Hollen took to the floor to speak out against Republican fast-track efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. On today’s podcast, Van Hollen talks about the consequences of dismantling President Obama’s signature health insurance law.18:48: Rep. Elijah Cummings criticizes congressional Republicans, including the chairman of a government watchdog committee, for not questioning President-elect Donald Trump’s extensive foreign financial holdings and the potential for conflicts in his presidency. Cummings and other Democrats have filed legislation requiring all presidents to divest of their businesses and put their assets in a blind trust. Anything short of that, says the Maryland Democrat and ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, will put Trump in violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause the day he takes office. In this podcast, Cummings also talks about the significance of the Russian hack of the 2016 election and, with President Obama scheduled to give his farewell address tonight from Chicago, the congressman reflects on the Obama years in the White House.

The Obama Legacy (episode 194)

With President Obama scheduled to give his farewell address from Chicago on Tuesday night, Michael Days, editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, talks about the president’s legacy. Days has written a book about Obama’s time in the Oval Office, assessing everything from the passage of the Affordable Care Act to the Detroit bailout and the efforts to pull the nation out of the worst economic decline since the Great Depression. Days, author of “Obama’s Legacy: What He Accomplished,” will be the featured speaker Tuesday evening in Baltimore as part of the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Writers LIVE! Series.Links:https://www.whitehouse.gov/farewellhttps://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/michael-i-days/obamas-legacy/9781455596614/http://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/writers_live_michael_i_days_obamas_legacy_what_he_accomplished_as_president#.WHPfVdIrK71

What's new in Washington and Baltimore? A lot. (episode 193)

1:04: John Fritze, the Sun's Washington correspondent, talks about the new Congress and the battles ahead, plus the roles of Maryland's two Democratic senators, Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, are expected to play in Trump administration confirmation hearings next week.12:52: Kevin Rector, crime and criminal justice reporter for The Sun, provides perspective to the disturbing statement, by the police union leader, that Baltimore does not have enough cops on patrol to protect its citizenry. The warning came just after the city closed out another deadly year of violence, with homicides over 300 in both 2015 and 2016.21:23: Luke Broadwater, City Hall reporter, talks about Baltimore's new mayor, Catherine Pugh, and her first big challenge — getting crime under control as the city and the U.S. Justice Department work toward a consent decree on police reforms. Plus, what's up with the city's new water-billing system and those crazy, $80,000 bills some homeowners received?

A cherished boyhood gift's long round trip (encore presentation)

This is an encore presentation of the podcast from Dec. 24, 2015.Dan shares a story from his New England boyhood. The Baltimore Sun first published the story Dec. 25, 1998.Preview the episode: https://soundcloud.com/baltsun/roughly-speaking-with-dan-rodricks-christmas-eve-episode-previewLinks:http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-12-25/features/1998359088_1_foundry-day-my-father-father-business

Toward grander things: A musical antidote to Trumpism (episode 192)

Since Donald J. Trump’s election, we’ve heard from a lot of people who supported the winner of the popular vote, Hillary Clinton, and who have been downright despondent or depressed over the outcome. Many have turned to other things to get their minds off the crude and divisive politics of 2016, to avoid arguments over the holidays with friends and relatives, and to feel inspired again. They’ve vowed to perform acts of kindness and generosity. They’ve turned to books, to movies and to nature. They’ve turned to art, to acts of human imagination that elevate spirits. In this vein, Dan offers something he recently discovered, an astonishing work by Beethoven that premiered 208 years ago today, on Dec. 22, 1808, in Vienna. It’s the Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra. Hear some excerpts, including the stirring finish, and catch Dan’s commentary in our penultimate episode of the year.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/presidential-elections/bs-md-president-20161108-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bs-ae-thanksgiving-politics-20161123-story.htmlhttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12424757https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOYwrStA-Q4

100 things to do in Baltimore before it's too late (episode 191)

Haussner’s Regret is Dan’s term for the remorse Baltimoreans feel when they realize it’s too late to do something they always meant to do but never did, or something they did once and enjoyed but never got to a second time. It is named for the once-famous, now-gone Highlandtown restaurant crammed with paintings, ceramics and sculpture that closed after 73 years in 1999. It closed fast, too, just two weeks after Mrs. Frances Haussner George announced she’d had enough. Haussner’s was overwhelmed with customers who wanted one last meal; some stood in line for three hours. Many had not dined at Haussner’s in forever, and they regretted it. On today’s show: Avoiding Haussner’s Regret with a Baltimore Bucket List — that is, an inventory of things every Baltimorean should do — or do again — before it’s too late, from hiking the full length of Charles Street to having a corned beef sandwich at Attman’s to enjoying the annual taxidermy show at the Walters Art Museum to jazz at the Caton Castle. Our discussion is occasioned by the publication of author Judy Colbert’s latest book of regional interest, “100 Things To Do In Baltimore Before You Die.”Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/baltimore-diner-blog/bal-haussners-building-demolition-20160526-story.htmlhttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-11-14/news/bs-md-backstory-charles-street-20131114_1_south-baltimore-baltimore-county-baltimore-museumhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/baltimore-diner-blog/bs-fo-attmans-100-years-20150328-story.htmlhttp://www.citypaper.com/news/thisweek/bcpnews-thursday-baltimore-taxidermy-open-20161004-story.htmlhttp://www.catoncastle.com/calendar.htmlhttps://www.amazon.com/Judy-Colbert/e/B001HP1Z8S

Why city-dwellers should be tree-huggers (episode 190)

Baltimore would likely be a healthier city if it had more trees, and there’s plenty of research to support that claim. In addition to their role in human wellness, trees suck up storm water and provide awesome curb appeal to homes in city neighborhoods. Jill Jonnes, an accomplished author, is a champion of urban trees and the founder of the Baltimore Tree Trust, established in 2009 to promote tree plantings in the city, particularly in neighborhoods that have not seen healthy trees in years. Her latest book is “Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape,” published by Viking.Links:http://jilljonnes.com/bio/http://baltimoretreetrust.org/our-mission-and-historyhttp://jilljonnes.com/

Celebrating the winter solstice with Pat Montley(episode 189)

On Wednesday, the first day of winter, there will be a celebration of the solstice at First Unitarian Church in Baltimore — and, of course, it will be celebrated all around the world. Druids, Wiccans, Pagans and Neopagans everywhere will be hanging the evergreens and mistletoe, lighting candles and burning the Yule log, beating drums, forming circles, chanting and singing. Patricia Montley, a playwright and teacher of playwriting, wrote a book on this celebration of the Earth, and she will be leading the rituals Wednesday night at First Unitarian. She joins Dan to talk about the growing popularity of the winter solstice celebrations, which ties directly to human concerns about climate change. Montley is the author of, “In Nature’s Honor: Myths and Rituals Celebrating the Earth.”Links:http://www.firstunitarian.net/event/winter-solstice-ritual/https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Honor-Myths-Rituals-Celebrating/dp/155896486Xhttp://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2013/12/celebrating-winter-solstice-at-stonehenge/#1

The week in Trump; the current and holiday cinema (episode 188)

1:26: Mild-mannered Maryland Republican Richard Cross talks about the week in Trump, along with Kimberly Moffitt, political analyst and associate professor in American studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. From his cabinet picks to his criticism of the CIA to his attack on Vanity Fair for a bad review of one of his restaurants, President-elect Donald Trump seems to makes news every hour with his Twitter account. But he cancelled a press conference to address questions about his potential business conflicts, and his approach to Russia and allegations about Russian hacking have caused divisions within the Republican ranks that closed behind Trump following his election victory. 25:47: Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed review “Manchester By The Sea,” “La La Land,” and “Jackie,” and Chris tells us what movies to expect in theaters over the holidays.

Who was really behind the presidential campaign hacks? (episode 187)

Get some fresh, informed perspective on the massive Yahoo cyber breach and the Russian hacking of the presidential campaign from Sean Gallagher, Baltimore-based IT editor of Ars Technica, the news and technology web site.

When Walter Gill walked up The Hill (episode 186)

In September 1954, just four months after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling against racial discrimination in public education, 17-year-old Walter Gill became one of the first black students to enter the elite, all-white, all-male Baltimore City College High School. He and nine other black students reached the famous "Castle on the Hill" after Baltimore’s school board voted to desegregate the schools and adopt a free choice policy that made integration voluntary. Gill, who would become the first black graduate of City — the photo, from his high school yearbook, shows Gill surrounded by his classmates — tells the story in a new memoir, "Yesterday’s Tomorrow," which details his youth and his long career as an educator. Gill will appear 6:30 Wednesday evening at the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.Links:http://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/writers_live_wah_gill_yesterdays_tomorrow#.WFAFzdIrK71

Punching up cocktails with brandy; making soup; gifting books (episode 185)

1:43: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, offers a list of non-fiction titles -- from American history to celebrity memoir to cookbooks -- that could make good gifts for friends or relatives.26:43: Food nerd Henry Hong and restaurateur and cookbook author John Shields have some professional advice on making great soups, including savory Asian concoctions involving noodles.47:31: Baltimore bartender Brendan Dorr of the B----O American Brasserie offers suggestions for cocktails that call for brandy, as well as some holiday drinks and punches, including The Tom and Jerry.Links:http://www.bcpl.info/category/between-the-covers-blogger/paula-ghttp://foodnerd.org/2011/03/03/henrys-well-marcella-hazans-minestrone/http://www.johnshields.com/http://www.bandorestaurant.com/http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/recipes/a3819/tom-and-jerry-drink-recipe/

A breakthrough movie about coming home from war: 'The Best Years of Our Lives' (episode 184)

Today marks 75 years since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and, soon after, the United States’ entry into World War II. The war lasted four more years. While there were many movies made about the war while it was still underway, the post-war film, "The Best Years of Our Lives," told the stories of three American servicemen returning to the states, a breakthrough movie about the pains and challenges (unemployment, adultery, alcoholism, alienation) of a soldier’s and sailor’s homecoming. The film was released in theaters 70 years ago this month and won several Oscars. Our film critics, Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed, walk us through the story line of the best picture of 1946.

Treating post-election 'Trump anxiety' (episode 183)

4:17: While a Gallup Poll shows some Americans growing more confident in a Trump presidency, mental health professionals reported a surge in demand for services in the wake of last month’s election, and the prospect of Donald Trump taking the oath as president has led to increased anxiety, confusion and hard feelings among friends and relatives. Author Jeff Gillenkirk claimed to be suffering from Post-Trump Stress Disorder, and died of a heart attack two days after his essay’s publication. Psychiatrist Mark Komrad has some advice for people who might be experiencing unwelcome levels of stress related to Trump’s ascendance, and for supporters of Hillary Clinton worried about conflicts with family members who voted for the New York billionaire. Dr. Komrad is a psychiatrist on the clinical and teaching staffs of Sheppard Pratt Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is the author of “You Need Help: A Step-by-Step Plan to Convince a Loved One to Get Counseling.”35:18: Book critic Paula Gallagher gives rave reviews to Trevor Noah’s memoir about growing up in post-apartheid South Africa and Paulette Jiles’ new novel, “News of the World.” She calls the latter “incredible,” with passages we’ll want to read out loud. Gallagher also reviews Michael Chabon’s new novel, “Moonglow.” She returns to show later this week with a list of books that will make good gifts for the holidays.Links:http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/new-ptsd-post-trump-stress-disorderhttp://www.komradmd.com/Mark_Komrad_MD/Welcome.htmlhttp://youneedhelpbook.com/You_Need_Help/Overview.htmlhttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537515/born-a-crime-by-trevor-noah/9780399588174/https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062409201/news-of-the-worldhttps://www.harpercollins.com/9780062225559/moonglow

Reflecting on Francis in the time of Donald (episode 182)

Mark Shriver, a nephew of the country's first Catholic president, goes on a fact-finding mission to learn about the life of Pope Francis, the Jesuit from Argentina who has challenged the powerful and the wealthy, including Donald Trump, since arriving on the world stage. Shriver, nephew of President John F. Kennedy and a former Maryland state delegate, serves as president of the Save The Children Action Network. His book, "Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis," follows its subject from boyhood to the papacy, and snaps Shriver out of this "Catholic funk" in the process.Links: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/249196/pilgrimage-by-mark-k-shriver/9780812998023/

Standing with the protesters at Standing Rock (episode 181)

Bruce Snyder, a retired Baltimore County firefighter who serves as a spiritual counselor, traveled with his 22-year-old stepson, Jesse Hanlon, to the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota to support the ongoing Sioux protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Snyder provided medical care and Hanlon constructed yurts for winter housing. They witnessed a gathering of thousands of demonstrators who oppose the construction of the DALP near Sioux water supplies and cultural sites on the reservation. Snyder and Hanlon describe their experiences, including their encounters with Sioux elders, in this episode of the podcast. Some 2,000 veterans planned to gather this weekend at Standing Rock to serve as “human shields” for protesters. In Maryland, Sen.-elect Chris Van Hollen called on the Army Corps of Engineers to “de-escalate” the standoff with protesters.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bal-chris-van-hollen-calls-for-deescalation-of-dakota-access-pipeline-dispute-20161128-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-roughly-speaking-the-surviving-daughter-story.html

Trump bump: The Dow hits 19,000 since the election, and what does it all mean? (episode 180)

Wall Street has been celebrating the Trump election victory, but will the Trump bump last? Does all the activity — the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 19,000 on Nov. 22 while the S----P 500 and Nasdaq are at record highs — signal real growth in value or the onset of inflation? Ken Solow, founding partner in Maryland-based Pinnacle Advisory Group and its investment team leader, shares observations about market activity since Trump’s election and how Trump’s proposals on taxes and trade are viewed by both bears and bulls. Solow is the author of "Buy and Hold is Dead (Again): The Case for Active Portfolio Management in Dangerous Markets." Pinnacle Advisory, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Columbia, manages more than $1.5 billion in assets for clients in the mid-Atlantic and around the world.

Reminding ourselves all we have to give thanks for (episode 179)

From the sound of ice melting on the Youghiogheny River, to bartenders who actually listen to your order, to an open seat on the bus, Dan reflects on things he's been thankful for in recent years.

Roughly Speaking podcast: 'The Way of the Heron' and other Thanksgiving stories (episode 178)

Dan shares four Thanksgiving stories and essays about the holiday — one called, "The Baby Boomer's Big Chill," about families, distance and travel; one called, "The Man Who Learned to Smile;" another about Dan’s first Thanksgiving Skype; and one about what native people of the Chesapeake Bay region called "The Way of the Heron."

How we pick our presidents, and Zurawik on the Trump press corps (episode 177)

2:51: Does it matter if the President of the United States tells the press he’s going to a private dinner in New York? Journalists and press advocates say yes, but the Washington press corps has never seen the likes of Donald J. Trump before. The Sun’s media critic David Zurawik talks about the president-elect and the press and what could continue to be a rough relationship, with Trump making his own rules as he goes. We also look at the press’s willingness to call out lies and racist actions by government officials, from the presidency down to small-town officials. If The New York Times does it, should all news organizations, or is that, as Zurawik states, a slippery slope?18:50: With Hillary Clinton the latest presidential candidate to win the popular vote but lose the Electoral College, is it time to dump the electors for a presidency by direct, popular vote? Christian Caryl is the editor of Democracy Lab, a project of Foreign Policy magazine in conjunction with the Legatum Institute, a London-based think tank that promotes prosperity through reforms of capitalism and democracy. In an essay this week, Caryl argues that it’s time for a national conversation about how we pick our presidents and other political reforms.Links:http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/business/media/under-a-trump-administration-presidential-press-pool-may-be-a-ritual-under-threat.htmlhttp://www.cjr.org/analysis/trump_liar_media.phphttp://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20161115/clay-mayor-resigns-after-commenting-on-racist-facebook-posthttp://www.npr.org/2016/09/22/494919548/new-york-times-editor-we-owed-it-to-our-readers-to-call-trump-claims-lieshttp://cookpolitical.com/story/10174http://www.li.com/programmes/democracy-labhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rBqv-O8XJQhttp://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/11/lets-face-it-the-u-s-constitution-needs-a-makeover/

A divisive campaign leads to a divided nation (episode 176)

In another in our series of post-election conversations, American culture commentator Sheri Parks talks about the overwhelmingly white coalition that backed Donald Trump, the nation's racial divide and the rise in hate crimes across the country. Parks is Associate Dean for Research, Interdisciplinary Scholarship and Programming for the College or Arts and Humanities, an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Maryland at College Park. She is the author of "Fierce Angels: The Strong Black Woman in American Life and Culture," and a contributor to "Roughly Speaking."

A philosophical lift for those troubled by Trump (episode 175)

For Americans feeling anxiety over the election of Donald Trump, some wise perspective from the German philosopher via Firmin DeBrabander, associate professor of philosophy at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Hegel, he says, believed that progress does not happen without crisis and conflict, that “happy periods are blank pages in history.” When there is peace, people become complacent about their freedom and their rights, and that sets the stage for a setback, after which people double-down again on their freedom and rights, and become more vigilant. Trump, says DeBrabander, challenges the left to fight harder and be smarter, and that’s a “golden opportunity” for progressivism. DeBrabander is an associate professor of philosophy at MICA. He has written social and political commentary for Salon and other publications, including the Baltimore Sun and the New York Times. His book, "Do Guns Make Us Free?: Democracy and the Armed Society," was published in 2015 by Yale University Press.Links:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Georg-Wilhelm-Friedrich-Hegelhttps://www.mica.edu/About_MICA/People/Faculty/Faculty_List_by_Last_Name/Firmin_DeBrabander.htmlhttp://www.salon.com/2016/05/19/donald_trump_is_just_the_scare_we_need_heres_how_a_toxic_despot_might_reinvigorate_our_democracy/https://www.amazon.com/Do-Guns-Make-Free-Democracy/dp/0300208936

Bagel cuts, dog bites and other medical curiosities (episode 174)

Two Maryland doctors from two generations provide some simple answers to common medical questions, from the kinds of injuries they’ve seen in emergency rooms to the best rules for losing weight. Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital in Baltimore is an infectious disease specialist and Roughly Speaking’s regular medical answer man. Dr. Larry Romane of Frederick, Md., spent more than 35 years in emergency rooms before retiring to write and lecture about medicine. His specialty is medicine for the layman. He teaches such a course at Frederick Community College and has written a book, “R U Medically Curious?” now in its second edition from LifeRich Publishing.Linkshttp://www.lifebridgehealth.org/Main/LifeBridgeHealthPhysicianDirectory/Cmar-John-MD-651.aspxhttps://ilratfcc.com/portfolio/medically-curious-heart-attacks-strokes/http://bookstore.liferichpublishing.com/Products/SKU-001062057/R-U-Medically-Curious.aspx

Rodricks reads Remnick; a Republican's quandary (episode 173)

2:00: A day after the day after Donald Trump's shocking victory in the presidential election, Dan reads from David Remnick's essay, "An American Tragedy," in The New Yorker. Dan's latest column was written Tuesday night as votes from battleground states indicated a Trump defeat of Hillary Clinton.9:41: Republican analyst Richard J. Cross III, a former Capitol Hill and Annapolis press secretary and political speechwriter, talks about what Trump's triumph means for the GOP and the country. Cross's recent op-ed in The Sun was about Trump and his leading surrogates, now likely to be part of a Trump administration.Links:http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/an-american-tragedy-donald-trumphttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bs-md-rodricks-1109-20161108-column.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-four-horsemen-20161105-story.html

Trump to pollsters: 'You know nothing, Jon Snow' (episode 172)

1:53: Invoking a line from "Game of Thrones," political analyst Herb Smith talks about where the polls and pundits went wrong in forecasting Tuesday's election results. Smith is a longtime political science professor at McDaniel College and a GOT fan.13:17: Kimberly Moffitt talks about the Obama backlash as represented in the vote for Donald Trump. Moffitt is associate professor of American Studies and affiliate assistant professor in the Departments of Africana Studies and Language, Literacy and Culture at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She is co-editor of the 2009 book, "The Obama Effect."27:11: Why white women went for Trump over Hillary Clinton despite his shabby record of behavior toward women, with Melissa Deckman, chair in political science at Washington College and author of “Tea Party Women: Mama Grizzlies, Grassroots Leaders, and the Changing Face of the American Right," and Mileah Kromer, director of the Goucher Poll at the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College.

How the media did with a great baseball game and a strange campaign (episode 171)

3:04: Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik talks about baseball and the World Series and the final week of the presidential campaign.24:51: Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed review two news films, "Moonlight," and "Certain Women," and then, with Election Day approaching, offer a short list of our favorite films about American politics.1:11:42: Ahead of his Friday night birthday bash at Baltimore Sound Stage, reggae vocalist Scott Paynter, known on stage as Scotty P, recounts his Ugandan adventure with one of his musical idols, British reggae and pop singer Maxi Priest.Links: http://scottpayntermusic.com/bio

Clinton email case explained; how single-payer would work (episode 170)

In this podcast:2:46: Sean Gallagher, IT editor of Ars Technica, walks us through the flap caused by FBI director James Comey’s letter to Congress about Hillary Clinton’s emails as well as a Slate report about the Trump campaign’s possible connections to Russian hackers.38:35: Dr. James Burdick, professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, talks about the prospects of a single-payer health insurance system — to replace Obamacare — and the critical role doctors would have to play in it. Burdock is the author of “Talking About Single Payer: Health Care Equality for America,” published by New Horizons.Coming Wednesday: At 12:30 p.m., a Facebook Live concert from the Baltimore Sun lobby, featuring Symphony Number One. Twenty seats available. If you want to attend, drop Dan a line at [email protected]:http://arstechnica.com/author/sean-gallagher/https://www.amazon.com/Talking-About-SINGLE-PAYER-Equality-ebook/dp/B01D5HMQAQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8----qid=1458658042----sr=8-1----keywords=james burdickhttp://symphonynumber.one/about/

Leon Day’s long road to the Hall of Fame (episode 169)

5:32: Should Howard County establish a special fund to provide public financing of local political campaigns? It’s Question A on the general election ballot. Two proponents talk about the issue — Howard County Councilman Jon Weinstein and Maryland PIRG director Emily Scarr — while Dan offers opposition from a recent Sun op-ed by Howard County executive Alan Kittleman. The Sun has endorsed Question A while the Howard County Times published an editorial in opposition.24:20: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic, shares one book she really likes, one she likes, one that she two-thirds likes and one she likes not at all.39:50: Bob Hieronimus, Baltimore artist and champion of Negro baseball league history, talks about pitcher Leon Day, born 100 years ago this weekend. Day was a stellar pitcher for Negro league teams, including the Baltimore Elite Giants. Hieronimus describes Day’s long road to Cooperstown and the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Day will be remembered Saturday at the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum during an afternoon fundraiser for the foundation in his name. For more information about the event, email [email protected]:http://marylandpirg.org/mdp/abouthttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/ellicott-city/ph-ho-cf-oped-kittleman-campaign-finance-1027-20161026-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-hoco-campaigns-20161026-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-editorial-1027-20161027-story.htmlhttp://baseballhall.org/hof/day-leon

Halloween special: Best of horror movie music (episode 168)

From “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” to “Stranger Things,” an appreciation of music from horror movies, television and the web with Terence Hannum, an assistant professor of art at Stevenson University, visual artist and musician who loves horror films and the music that gives them an extra layer of creepiness. Once a year, as Halloween approaches, Hannum compiles the best of horror music for his podcast, “Dead Air.” Today he shares some of his favorite soundtracks with us.Links:http://stevensonu.podbean.com/e/dead-air-2014-horror-film-soundtrackshttp://www.stevenson.edu/deadair

To frack or not to frack? (episode 167)

Maryland’s moratorium on fracking for natural gas ends in October 2017, and, putting forth rules last month, the Hogan administration said its regulation of the industry will be the most stringent in the nation. But environmentalists and some residents of Western Maryland, where the drilling will take place, believe the rules do not go far enough — and that too much is still unknown about fracking’s effect on the environment and on human health. There will likely be a call for a complete ban on hydraulic fracturing in the Maryland General Assembly when it convenes in January. On today’s show, the first of a series on fracking, Dan speaks with a leading opponent of the process: Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food ---- Water Watch and author of “Frackopoly: The Battle for the Future of Energy and the Environment.” Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/blog/bal-gr-state-introduces-anticipated-fracking-regulations-20160927-story.htmlhttp://www.times-news.com/news/local_news/friendsville-bans-fracking-within-its-borders/article_c2f9c618-be9f-5165-b59a-034bb040f06f.htmlhttp://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/bio/wenonah-hauterhttp://thenewpress.com/books/frackopoly

In praise of the Greek-American gyro (episode 166)

3:29: Beer aficionado Barry Hansen, Mid-Atlantic regional manager for City Brew Tours, talks about his tours of the craft breweries that have taken root in Baltimore.7:53: Coming attractions: Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed have some notes to share about films to be looking for this fall.12:32: It’s one of the most delicious and comforting dishes in the world, and while there are plenty of Greek-American restaurants and carry-outs that sell them, today we discuss the do-it-yourself gyro. (Yes, you can make one at home.) John Shields from Gertrude’s Restaurant, where they’ve had gyros on the lunch menu, compares notes with Dan, and provides a recipe for all-important tzatziki sauce. For additional information, check out this DIY video from Alton Brown on the Food Network. And if you like the Gyro parody song by So Tiri that accompanies today’s episode, here’s the YouTube video.

Roughly Speaking podcast: Final Debate Reaction, Dan Rodricks and Sheri Parks

Sun columnist Dan Rodricks and American culture commentator Sheri Parks comment on the third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

'100 Objects that Shaped Public Health' with Dr. John Cmar (episode 164)

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is one of the busiest places on the planet. It has been in operation, educating public health officials and doctors, conducting research and saving millions of lives, for 100 years. As part of its centennial commemorations, the staff at Bloomberg compiled a list of 100 objects that shaped public health over the last century. We go over some of them — from the obvious to the obscure — with our health contributor, Dr. John Cmar of Sinai Hospital.Links:http://www.globalhealthnow.org/100-objectshttp://www.lifebridgehealth.org/Main/LifeBridgeHealthPhysicianDirectory/Cmar-John-MD-651.aspx

Sipping rye whiskey with bartender Brendan Dorr (episode 163)

Brendan Dorr, who tends bar at the B----O American Brasserie and serves as president of the Baltimore Bartenders Guild, showed up at The Baltimore Sun with five brands of rye for a tasting. On today's show: The results of that memorable recording session — plus the recipe for Brendan’s featured cocktail of the month, The Scofflaw.

Solving the mysteries of a former slave's photo album (episode 162)

In 1984, Pamela Rigby and her mother, Vivian Rigby, were winning bidders of a 19th-century photo album at an auction on Baltimore's Antiques Row. They soon discovered that the woman who had started and maintained the album, Fannie Keene, was a former slave who had lived most of her life in Missouri. The Rigbys went about trying to identify the dozens of men, women and children whose formal portraits appear in the album, and they had some success. But many of the people are still unidentified.By taking her project public, Pam Rigby hopes to continue her late mother's work, connecting African-Americans with the ancestors they likely never knew. Rigby has published a book about the album and her efforts to identify the people pictured in it. The book is, "Waiting To Be Found: The Lost Treasure of Fannie Keene." Pam Rigby has a website devoted to her project, and she hopes to reach people whose family roots were in Missouri and Illinois. She is scheduled to speak in the Writers Live series at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore on Oct. 18. For a gallery of some of the images from the album, go to http://bsun.md/waiting-to-be-found.Links:http://waitingtobefound.comhttp://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/writers_live_pamela_rigby_waiting_to_be_found_the_lost_treasure_of_fannie_keenehttp://bsun.md/waiting-to-be-found

Analyzing the Trump-Clinton town hall debate (episode 161)

Reactions to last night’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump — with Barry Rascovar of Political Maryland (1:20), plus mild-mannered Maryland Republican Richard Cross, and political analysts Melissa Deckman from Washington College and Kimberly Moffitt of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (16:20). We also talk about the 2005 videotape in which Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women, something that has caused numerous Republican officials to distance themselves from their party’s candidate for president.

'The Birth Of A Nation,' 'The Girl On The Train,' Zurawik on Trump-Clinton town hall (episode 160)

4:05: Will Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” be a box-office success or suffer from a boycott promised by the director’s critics? The movie, which tells the story of Nat Turner and the bloody slave rebellion he led in 1831, generated great buzz and garnered a lucrative Hollywood deal after its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. While many feel compelled or obligated to see the movie, especially in this time of Black Lives Matter and heightened tensions about race relations, others have vowed boycott because of Parker’s history with a sexual assault case. As his star rose this summer, details emerged about the rape charge Parker faced — and was acquitted of — while a student-athlete at Penn State in the late 1990s. Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed discuss the film and the controversy.23:17: The Sun’s media critic, David Zurawik, talks about television coverage of the baseball playoffs, the format for Sunday night’s Clinton-Trump debate and the growing role of social media as a source for political news.49:17: Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed review “The Girl On The Train,” a sex-lies-and-murder mystery starring Emily Blunt, based on the best-selling psychological thriller of the same title by Paula Hawkins.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-shipp-0824-20160823-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-pitts-birth-nation-20160901-story.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/opinion/sunday/nate-parker-and-the-limits-of-empathy.htmlhttp://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/09/30/poll-for-many-trump-watchers-the-social-media-is-the-message/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-girl-train-review-20160930-snap-story.html

Mayoral hopeful Joshua Harris envisions green-collar jobs for blue-collar Baltimore (episode 159)

A conversation with Joshua Harris, the Green Party candidate for mayor of Baltimore in November’s general election. In his campaign, Harris has pushed a plan to create a public bank to provide capital to finance local projects. He also wants to attract clean-energy manufacturing jobs and “transform a blue-collar town into a green-collar town.” Harris, a Chicago native, sits on the boards of Southwest Partnership, Charles Village Urban Renewal Plan Community Review Board and Paul’s Place Community Advisory Board. He co-founded Hollins Creative Placemaking, which aims to revitalize the historic Hollins Market community.Links:http://www.harrisforbaltimore.com/

Orioles-Blue Jays analysis with Peter Schmuck; Justin George on his gun crime series (episode 158)

1:46: Baltimore Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck talks about last night’s American League wild-card game, won with a walk-off home run by the Blue Jays’s Edwin Encarnacion off the Orioles’ Ubaldo Jimenez. With the Orioles eliminated from postseason play, there are two big questions today, one about the immediate past, the other about next season: Why did manager Buck Showalter leave ace closer Zach Britton in the bullpen, and where do the Orioles go from here?20:24: Sun reporter Justin George gives some background on his in-depth look at gun crimes in American cities, including Baltimore, and the growing lethality of gunfire. George’s series, “Shoot To Kill,” shows Baltimore to be one of the most lethal of America's largest cities while Washington and New Orleans shared the brutal distinction of one in three shootings ending in a homicide in 2015.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-orioles-blue-jays-wild-card-game-20161004-story.htmlhttp://data.baltimoresun.com/news/shoot-to-kill/

An Oscar-winning producer seeds a film incubator in Baltimore (episode 157)

Saul Zaentz was a Hollywood producer who won three Academy Awards for Best Picture: "The English Patient," "Amadeus," and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest." He died in 2014, leaving behind a foundation that, among other things, established a new film incubator at Johns Hopkins University. Launched in March with a $1 million grant, the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media supports prospective filmmakers and audio/visual artists who submit ideas for projects and get some mentoring before going into production. We hear about some of the fellows and their unique projects from Roberto Bus\u243\u-Garc\u237\ua, director of the fund and the Hopkins Master of Arts in Film ---- Media program.Links:http://articles.latimes.com/2014/jan/04/entertainment/la-et-mn-saul-zaentz-oscar-winning-producer-dead-at-92-20140104http://zaentzfund.com/http://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/directory/roberto-buso-garcia/

David Zurawik on the Clinton-Trump split-screen; three good books (episode 156)

Today on the show, Dan catches up with the Sun’s media critic David Zurawik to talk about last Monday’s televised debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. With Clinton widely seen as the winner of that debate -- well prepared, with attacks on Trump’s record that seemed to stick and keep him on the defensive for the rest of the week — what will the next debate might bring? The second debate, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper as host, is scheduled for a week from Sunday.Baltimore County librarian Paula Gallagher is back with three books recommendations, including a new novel by Emma Donoghue, author of “Room,” another by Carolyn Pankhurst, and a superb nonfiction book about lobotomy and the disturbing history of psychosurgery.

Wheelie Wayne, Baltimore dirt bikes and the Highway to Nowhere (episode 155)

At 39, Wheelie Wayne is the godfather of Baltimore’s 12 o'clock guys, the dirt bikers who have been a source of irritation and fascination for years. DeWayne Davis has gained international notoriety — and a friendship with rapper Fetty Wap — for his skills on city streets. Videos of Davis balancing his bike on its rear tire have won millions of views on YouTube. He has 208,000 followers on Instagram. Fetty Wap has come to Baltimore to hang out, ride with Davis and pick up some pointers. In today’s episode, Wheelie Wayne talks about dirt bike culture, the current crackdown by Baltimore police and the prospects of creating a dirt bike park to get riders off city streets. Also joining us is M. Holden Warren, Baltimore-based filmmaker, photographer and community activist who sees business potential in a dirt bike venue along Baltimore’s infamous “highway to nowhere."Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks/bs-md-rodricks-0814-20160812-column.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/midnight-sun-blog/bs-ae-preakness-music-live-20160521-story.htmlhttp://www.mholdenwarren.com/index.php?/serious-professional-bio/

Police and protests, Monday's debate, and 'Drunk History'

2:26: David Zurawik, The Baltimore Sun's media critic, shares his thoughts about Monday night's televised presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, an event that could draw as many viewers as a Super Bowl telecast.16:08: Kevin Shird, a one-time drug dealer turned youth advocate, talks about the latest shootings of African-American men by police — in Oklahoma and North Carolina — and how police body cameras could make a difference in reducing the use of deadly force in the future. Shird is the author of two books, "Lessons of Redemption," about his tough early life and his 12 years in prison, and "Uprising in the City," about the death of Freddie Gray and the civil unrest that hit Baltimore in April 2015.45:46: Zurawik talks about two television programs — a Frontline look at presidential candidates Clinton and Trump, and the fourth season of "Drunk History" on Comedy Central.Links: https://www.amazon.com/Uprising-city-KEVIN-SHIRD/dp/1684195047/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8----qid=1474642314----sr=8-2----keywords=Kevin Shirdhttps://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Redemption-Kevin-Shird/dp/1908518235/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8----qid=1474642314----sr=8-1----keywords=Kevin Shirdhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-choice-2016/http://www.cc.com/shows/drunk-history

The Boys of Dunbar: Baltimore's greatest basketball team (episode 153)

In a new book, sportswriter Alejandro Danois tells the story of the Dunbar High School basketball team of 1981-1982, with four future NBA players on its roster — Muggsy Bogues, Dave Wingate, Reggie Lewis and Reggie Williams — one of the greatest prep teams ever. Danois, editor-in-chief of The Shadow League sports-and-culture website, chronicles life in East Baltimore in the early 1980s and profiles the players and their coach, Bob Wade, during an undefeated season that paved the way for a national title the following year. Danois’ book is “The Boys of Dunbar: A Story of Love, Hope and Basketball,” published by Simon and Schuster.Links:https://www.theshadowleague.com/authors/102http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Boys-of-Dunbar/Alejandro-Danois/9781451666977

Colin Kaepernick's protest and the evolving definition of patriotism (episode 152)

2:22: Culture commentator Sheri Parks talks about San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest and the evolving definition of patriotism among the millennial generation of Americans.18:08: Melissa Deckman, chair of the the political science department at Washington Goucher, and Mileah Kromer, director of the Goucher Poll, talk about the race for the White House between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and the importance of the approaching televised debates.43:36: Sun media critic David Zurawik says the television networks and cable channels have been derelict in fully vetting Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, leaving the heavy lift of investigative reporting to newspapers and news web sites.

Clinton's struggles with transparency, Trump's appeal to the 'poorly educated' (episode 151)

A talk about the presidential campaign: Hillary Clinton’s health issues and her struggles with transparency, the nature of Trump’s appeal to people in Dundalk, and some thoughts about the approaching debate between the two candidates. Dan’s guests are Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor of American Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and co-editor of “The Obama Effect," and Michael Reisch, the Daniel Thursz Distinguished Professor of Social Justice at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

Special help for a traumatized Baltimore high school (episode 150)

Erica Green, education reporter for The Sun, talks about Renaissance Academy, the last-resort high school for at-risk youth in West Baltimore where a student was stabbed to death in a classroom last year. In addition, two other Renaissance students were killed within weeks of each other during the winter months. Now the U.S. Department of Education has granted the school $350,000 to enhance its highly-praised mentorship program and to help faculty establish and maintain a safe learning environment. Green talks about the school, the violence, last spring’s graduation and Renaissance’s determined principal, Nikkia Rowe.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/blog/bs-md-ci-renaissance-grant-20160906-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bs-md-ci-renaissance-graduation-20160604-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-renaissance-wolves-20160305-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bal-renaissance-academy-graduates-discuss-tragedy-and-triumph-20160603-premiumvideo.html

The wine talking: Deux sommeliers (episode 149)

Two Baltimore sommeliers talk about their profession, helping diners order wine in restaurants without feeling bad about it.Ahead of the 33rd annual Maryland Wine Festival, a conversation with two Baltimore sommeliers about their profession and how they interact with restaurant customers. Greg Schwab is sommelier at La Cuchara in the Woodberry section of Baltimore. Jack Wells, who studied under the late Nelson Carey at Grand Cru, is the new sommelier at nearby Woodberry Kitchen. Both those restaurants recently made Wine Enthusiast magazine's list of top 100 wine restaurants in America.Links:https://www.facebook.com/events/1828192877467889/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/bs-fo-wine-study-group-20160823-story.htmlhttp://www.lacucharabaltimore.com/the-restaurant/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-07-23/news/bs-md-ob-nelson-carey-20140723_1_wine-bar-grand-cru-food-and-wine/2http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/bal-four-baltimore-restaurants-wine-program-awards-20160621-story.html

Host your own happy hour: Rye whiskey and finger food tips (episode 148)

1:24: Baltimore City has been asked to finance more than half-a-billion dollars in infrastructure improvements for Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s Port Covington project, and that proposal has generated a lot of news this week. Luke Broadwater of the Baltimore Sun staff joins us for this update.15:39: Brendan Dorr, president of the Baltimore bartenders guild and bartender at the B----O American Brasserie, shares thoughts about new rye whiskies that are being distilled, including Baltimore’s Sagamore Rye. Brendan offers a cocktail recipe, too — for The Diamondback.33:11: John Shields of Gertrude’s restaurant in the Baltimore Museum of Art shares some recipes for finger food, the appetizers you can make and serve if you’re having a happy hour at home. John draws his ideas from the late James Beard and from a 2007 article about appetizers by Mark Bittman in The New York Times.48:42: Film critic Christopher Llewellyn Reed reviews “Sully," the new Clint Eastwood film starring Tom Hanks as Sully Sullenberger, the pilot who successfully executed an emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan in 2009.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/politics/bs-md-ci-port-covington-deal-20160908-story.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/dining/19mini.html?_r=0https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549

Is the death penalty on death row? (episode 147)

It has been 40 years since the Supreme Court ruled outright on the constitutionality of the death penalty. The court took up issues related to the death penalty — what kind of drugs can be used to kill a man, for instance — but, as to whether lethal injection by the state amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of the 8th amendment, the court has not visited constitutionality since 1976. That could change in the near future because of what might turn out to be a landmark dissent by Justice Stephen Breyer. In June 2015, dissenting from the majority’s opinion in an Oklahoma case known as Glossip v. Gross, Breyer suggested that the death penalty had become so problematic in its application — arbitrary, unfair, unreliable — that it might be unconstitutional. He said the court should consider the question again and invited a new challenge to it. Legal scholars believe Breyer’s dissent sets the stage for a fresh look at the death penalty by the Supreme Court.The Brookings Institution in Washington asked University of Baltimore law professor John Bessler to analyze and annotate Justice Breyer’s dissent in the Glossip case so that more Americans could read it and understand it. The result is a small, but fascinating book titled "Against The Death Penalty," with John Bessler, one of the nation’s leading authorities on the death penalty, as editor.Links: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-supreme-court-lethal-injections-death-penalty-20150629-story.htmlhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-oklahoma-execution-20150930-story.htmlhttp://law.ubalt.edu/faculty/profiles/bessler.cfmhttps://www.brookings.edu/book/against-the-death-penalty/https://www.amazon.com/John-D.-Bessler/e/B001JS7352

John Vassos and the shape of things to come (episode 146)

Before your grandmother could listen to a radio, someone had to figure out what it should look like. Same with television a couple of decades later. Today, we head back several decades to learn about a prolific artist named John Vassos, who designed some really cool radios and televisions, and a lot of other things (view a gallery of some of them below) — portable record players, juke boxes, restaurants, a fountain pen, even the turnstile still in use at Oriole Park and other major league ballparks. He was also involved in the design of an early fax machine intended to deliver newspapers via radio waves to homes in the 1930s. Danielle Shapiro, who lives in Baltimore, is our guest. A historian of modern design, she’s written a biography, “John Vassos: Industrial Design for Modern Life.” Links:http://www.johnvassos.com/about-the-author.htmlhttp://www.johnvassos.com/john-vassos-industrial-design-for-modern-life.html

How Maryland is reacting to Hogan's school calendar decree (episode 145)

2:07: Liz Bowie, the Sun’s senior education reporter, talks about the reaction to Maryland Gov Larry Hogan’s decree that all public school systems start their academic year after Labor Day and end by June 15.14:52: Paula Gallagher, Baltimore County librarian, reviews three books — one about “pseudocide,” or faking one’s death; an excellent memoir about going gluten-free and a first-time novel that takes us back to Steinbeck’s Cannery Row.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-school-labor-day-20160831-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bs-md-labor-day-local-districts-20160901-story.htmlhttp://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Playing-Dead/Elizabeth-Greenwood/9781476739335http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/247616/in-memory-of-bread-by-paul-graham/9780804186872/http://thepenguinpress.com/book/monterey-bay/

Curveballs, three-pointers and other mysteries of the brain (episode 144)

You can’t learn to throw a curveball from words and pictures in a book. Why is that? Jonathan Flombaum, an assistant professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University, mixes philosophy with some neuroscience to come up with an answer. We also talk about algorithms, machine leaning, deep learning, three-pointers and autonomous cars. Flombaum’s work at the Visual Thinking Lab at Hopkins focuses on big questions about the brain: What we already know about how it works and, more importantly, what we don’t know, and why so much of the brain’s process is a mystery to us.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-learning-to-throw-the-curve-ball-and-other-mysteries-of-the-brain-20160831-story.htmlhttp://www.jhuvisualthinkinglab.com/

Tracking trash in the Chesapeake; Hogan’s eco-backslide (episode 143)

2:37/42:05: Julie Lawson, executive director of Trash Free Maryland, talks about the amount of micro-plastics her organization has found in the Chesapeake Bay and efforts underway to reduce the kind of pollution barely discernible to the eye. Also, Lawson talks about Trash Free Maryland’s project to recover and track some of the merchandise lost by Main Street stores during the Ellicott City flood late last month, including ceramic Christmas figurines.13:01: Rona Kobell, reporter with the Chesapeake Bay Journal, discusses Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s decision to roll back septic rules for new houses put in place by his predecessor, Martin O’Malley. Plus, O’Malley-era oyster sanctuaries — watermen want some of them opened to harvest, and they might get their way. Rona also has a story about ex-offenders being put to work planting trees in Baltimore neighborhoods in dire need of things green.Linkshttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-last-and-found-a-flotilla-of-figurines-from-the-ellicott-city-flood-20160830-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/blog/bal-bill-aims-to-end-use-of-plastic-microbeads-in-personal-care-products-20150207-story.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/local/microbeads-soon-will-be-banned-from-toothpaste-soaps-shampoos/2016/01/07/254166a8-b4c1-11e5-a842-0feb51d1d124_story.htmlhttps://trashfreemaryland.org/2016/08/10/help-us-track-the-ectreasures/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-septic-20160823-story.htmlhttp://www.bayjournal.com/article/green_jobs_helping_ex_cons_turn_over_a_new_leaf

Catherine Pugh's 4 a.m. idea for lowering Baltimore unemployment (episode 142)

2:13: Dr. John Cmar, an infectious disease specialist based at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, gives an excellent primer and update on Zika following news that Johns Hopkins Medicine plans to establish the world’s first center devoted to the mosquito-borne virus.27:58: The Sun’s media critic David Zurawik’s head almost explodes as he gets into … all of it: Trump, Clinton, Bannon/Brietbart, Ailes, The New York Times, Vietnam, lies and moral authority.48:38: Catherine Pugh, the Democratic candidate for mayor of Baltimore in November’s election, says she’s been researching “best practices” for approaching some of the city’s chronic problems. She speaks with Dan about the Department of Justice report on the Baltimore Police Department and her idea for tackling unemployment in the city’s most distressed neighborhoods.

A spy plane over Baltimore, and a hack at NSA (episode 141)

2:49: The Baltimore Police Department has been using a surveillance plane to investigate all sorts of crimes, from property thefts to shootings, reports Bloomberg Businessweek, and some Baltimore citizens are outraged about it. Sean Gallagher, IT editor of ars technica, talks about how the system works and the company behind it.14:16: Plus, who hacked the hackers at the National Security Agency? More from Sean on a story that has the information security world buzzing and bolstering system defenses.Links: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-secret-surveillance-20160824-story.htmlhttp://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/07/a-tivo-for-crime-how-always-recording-airborne-cameras-watch-entire-cities/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-nsa-hacked-auction-20160815-story.html

Donald Trump is 'his own worst enemy,' Michael Steele says (episode 140)

Michael Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee and Maryland lieutenant governor, says he’s spoken privately with Donald Trump about "some of the crazy," and says the Republican presidential nominee "is his own worst enemy." With his controversial and offensive statements, Trump has been "writing the commercials for Hillary Clinton," says Steele, but he adds that a much-needed change is now underway, thanks to Trump’s new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway. Steele, who served as RNC chair from 2009 to 2011, is a political analyst for MSNBC.

John Dickerson on politics; Sheri Parks on the Olympics (episode 139)

2:06: John Dickerson, host of "Face The Nation" on CBS, talks about Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and presidential campaigns of the past. Dickerson is a contributor to Slate and its podcast "The Political Gabfest." He is the author of “Whistlestop: My favorite stories from Presidential Campaign History.”24:37: Sheri Parks, our American culture commentator, talks about the Rio Olympics, race and gender, and about the prominent roles black women have played in the summer games. Parks, associate dean in arts and humanities at the University of Maryland College Park, is the author of “Fierce Angels: The Strong Black Woman In American Life and Culture.”Links:http://www.cbsnews.com/face-the-nation/http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/gabfest.htmlhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FD96JQ6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8----btkr=1#nav-subnavhttps://www.amazon.com/Fierce-Angels-Strong-American-Culture/dp/0345503147

Epic Hollywood and new Ben-Hur (episode 138)

With a remake of “Ben-Hur” opening in theaters nationwide, film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed talk about the long, loud and lavish line of Hollywood epics that stand iconic in American cinematic history, including the remarkable productions of “Ben-Hur” from 1925 and with Charlton Heston in 1959. Plus, Chris and Linda review two new films, “Hell or High Water,” and “War Dogs."Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nO2DPqO6Bghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irQdcfOZpCUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQoqsKoJVDwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdFIkMY1SUI

Saving great horses from the Nazis and the slaughterhouse (episode 137)

Elizabeth Letts, author of the best-selling book, "The Eighty-Dollar Champion," talks about how she discovered the great story of champion jumper Snowman and the horseman who saved him from the slaughterhouse, Harry de Leyer. Snowman is the subject of a documentary film due for release in September. Letts has a new book, due out next week, also about saving horses. "The Perfect Horse" tells how the Nazis stole priceless European stallions and set out to develop a super breed of horses, built for war. It also chronicles the men of a U.S. Army unit who carried out a secret mission at the end of World War II to save the stallions from certain death.Links:http://www.elizabethletts.com/elizabeth-letts/http://www.elizabethletts.com/the-eighty-dollar-champion-snowman-the-horse-that-inspired-a-nation/https://vimeo.com/111068304http://www.elizabethletts.com/the-perfect-horse/

Tough training for the urban classroom (episode 136)

As the new school year begins, Jennifer Green, co-founder and CEO of Baltimore-based Urban Teachers, talks about her program’s success in preparing hundreds of college graduates for lasting careers in city schools. Since 2010, Urban Teachers has used a demanding, medical school-style residency model to develop new teachers for jobs in Baltimore and other low-income school districts across the country.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/blog/bs-md-teacher-residency-20140817-story.htmlhttp://www.urbanteachers.org/

Russian hackers; a great new novel; a jailhouse ministry; corn off the cob (episode 135)

1:54: Book critic Paula Gallagher reviews what has all the makings of the next great American novel, Colson Whitehead’s "The Underground Railroad."9:11: Sean Gallagher, IT editor of ars technica and our favorite tech-splainer, talks about the suspected Russian hack of Democratic National Committee email and its larger, geopolitical significance.28:33: We meet John Rusnak, a former currency trader convicted 14 years ago in one of the largest U.S. bank frauds in history. As an ex-offender, Rusnak now devotes a good part of his life to a jailhouse ministry, visiting young men and boys -- juveniles all -- who face trial for violent offenses. Rusk is executive director of UnCuffed, a faith-based organization devoted to young offenders who face an uncertain future.47:28: And we top off the show with a chat with John Shields, cookbook author, chef and owner of Gertrude’s in the Baltimore Museum of Art. Today’s topic is Corn: Beyond Boiled and Buttered. We’ll compare notes on recipes for corn off the cob.Links:http://calendar.prattlibrary.org/event/writers_live_colson_whitehead_the_underground_railroad#.V64B71srK71http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/08/dnc-staffers-fbi-didnt-tell-us-for-months-about-possible-russian-hack/http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-john-rusnak-dry-cleaner-redemption-20140412-story.htmlhttp://www.uncuffedministries.org/team/http://www.johnshields.com/http://www.gertrudesbaltimore.com/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-corn-off-the-cob-some-recipes-from-chesapeake-connoisseur-john-shields-20160812-story.html

DOJ investigation was long overdue, criminologist says (episode 134)

A University of Baltimore criminologist talks about the scathing Department of Justice report on the Baltimore Police Department. Jeffrey Ian Ross wonders why federal investigators did not undertake their examination of policing practices sooner and how the DOJ will go about enforcing its recommendations for reforms. Ross is professor in the School of Criminal Justice and a research fellow of the Center for International and Comparative Law at UB. He is the author of several books including, "Policing Issues: Challenges and Controversies," published in 2011 by Jones ---- Bartlett Learning.Links:http://www.jeffreyianross.com/Forthcoming_Q0KG.phphttps://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-Ian-Ross/e/B000AQ10W6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1378919895----sr=1-2-enthttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/doj-report/bs-md-ci-doj-reaction-20160810-story.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-doj-report-20160810-story.htmlhttps://www.facebook.com/dan.rodricks/photos/a.212487828799080.50839.212350378812825/1086232888091232/?type=3----theater

Trump, trolls, Orcs and Harry Potter (episode 133)

2:19: Dan talks about the Trump and Clinton campaigns with Herb Smith, longtime political analyst and professor of political science at McDaniel College; Michael Reisch, professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work; and Richard Cross, Maryland Republican analyst who served as a speechwriter at the Republican National Convention last month in Cleveland.37:26: Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik discusses how the Trump campaign has challenged some of the traditional approaches to news reporting on a political candidate.54:24: Book critic Paula Gallagher reviews the latest in the Harry Potter series, a script for a play, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."Links: http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Poli_Sci/facsmith.htmhttp://www.ssw.umaryland.edu/academics/faculty-bios/michael-reisch/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/http://www.bcpl.info/category/between-the-covers-blogger/paula-ghttp://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-harry-potter-sequel-cursed-chil-20160803-premiumvideo.html

Port Covington TIF; Ellicott City recovery (episode 132)

2:42: Sun reporter Natalie Sherman and architect Klaus Philipsen talk about Under Armour's big pitch for a new corporate campus in Baltimore -- the multi-billion-dollar Port Covington project -- and the developer's request for more than $600 million in infrastructure from the city. Philipsen is the president of ArchPlan Inc. of Baltimore and blogs daily as the Community Architect. Sherman covers real estate and economic development for The Sun.34:06: Philipsen discusses last weekend's devastating flood in Ellicott City and the challenges of rebuilding the historic mill town on the banks of the Patapsco River.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-natalie-sherman-20141007-staff.htmlhttp://communityarchitectdaily.blogspot.comhttp://www.archplan.com

Meg Guroff on 'How The Bicycle Reshaped America' (episode 131)

Today Dan welcomes Margaret "Meg" Guroff, a magazine editor and writer in Washington who gets to work on a bicycle. She loves biking, and has written a book about it, a cultural history called, "The Mechanical Horse: How The Bicycle Reshaped America," published by the University of Texas Press.Link:http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/guroff-mechanical-horse

The naturalists: Teddy Roosevelt and Nick Carter (episode 130)

In this podcast, the stories of two naturalists — Nick Carter, who lives at the headwaters of the Choptank River, the longest river on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; and Theodore Roosevelt, the nation's 26th president and a lifelong naturalist.2:38: Tom Horton, long-time environmental writer and author, tells the story of the Choptank River on the Delmarva Peninsula and Nick Carter, the naturalist who lives on an old farm at its headwaters. Carter does a wonderful thing for the river – he does nothing. Horton explains in his new book, "Choptank Odyssey: Celebrating a Great Chesapeake River," with photos by Dave Harp.20:56: One of the nation’s great naturalists was also its 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt. He developed an interest in nature when he was a boy and maintained the fascination through his life. Our guest is Darrin Lunde, a museum naturalist who works at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington. He is the author of "The Naturalist: Theodore Roosevelt, A Lifetime of Exploration and the Triumph of American Natural History."Links:http://www.schifferbooks.com/choptank-odyssey-celebrating-a-great-chesapeake-river-5867.htmlhttp://crownpublishing.com/news/naturalist-darrin-lunde/#.V5o0GdIrK70

John Fritze reports from the DNC; Peter Schmuck on the Orioles' resurgent rotation (episode 129)

2:24: John Fritze, The Sun’s Washington correspondent, reports from the Democratic National Convention, where delegates made history Tuesday night by nominating Hillary Clinton for president. 13:24: Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck discusses the surprising and promising turn in the Orioles’ starting pitcher rotation.

GOP convention wrap-up; a bevy of book and film picks (episode 128)

3:37: American culture commentator Sheri Parks discusses Donald J. Trump’s candidacy for president and how it has further alienated American minorities from the Republican Party. Parks is associate dean in arts and humanities at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Roughly Speaking contributor.25:33: Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik reviews news coverage of the Republican convention and the forced resignation of Roger Ailes as CEO of Fox News.42:40: Book critic Paula Gallagher recommends six novels: "This Must be the Place," by Maggie O’Farrell; "Dark Matter," by Blake Crouch; "Disappearance at Devil's Rock," by Paul Tremblay; "You Will Know Me," by Megan Abbott; "The Unseen World," by Liz Moore; "How to Set a Fire and Why," by Jesse Ball.59:16: Film critic Christopher Llewellyn Reed reviews new movies and talks about films to be released in the coming weeks, including a remake of the Hollywood epic, "Ben-Hur."

Digging for the truth in No Man's Land (episode 127)

A bloody disaster within a debacle: Today's podcast explores a long-buried claim that American troops, many from Maryland, were betrayed during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I.In 1916, there was a presidential election, with Woodrow Wilson running successfully for a second term while pledging to keep the U.S out of World War I. But that only lasted until the following spring. Congress declared war against Germany in April 1917, and by 1918, American troops were immersed in battle in France. In September, there was a massive offensive involving more than a million troops. That’s where William Walker’s story takes us — into a place known as the Meuse-Argonne, and specifically to a flat-topped hill known as Montfaucon, heavily fortified by the Germans, bristling with machine guns and artillery, a place the French dubbed “Little Gibraltar."Walker’s new book argues that an American general disobeyed orders that likely cost many lives and delayed the end of the war. This story has been buried all these years, and Walker believes he’s found the paper trail that establishes what went wrong and why. The key players in the story: General John "Black Jack" Pershing, commander of the U.S. forces in World War I, a major general named Robert E. Lee Bullard, the 79th Army Division, and two infantry regiments — the 313th, or Baltimore’s Own, and the 314th. We'll also hear the story of Henry Gunther, a soldier from Baltimore who died in the final minute of the so-called War to End All Wars.Links:http://www.betrayalww1.comhttp://www.betrayalww1.com/men-of-montfaucon.htmlhttp://articles.baltimoresun.com/2008-11-11/news/0811100097_1_henry-gunther-11th-month-war-i

Black lives, blue lives, and what we tell our kids (episode 126)

1:49: John Fritze, the Sun’s Washington correspondent, talks about Dump on Hillary Day at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. The convention officially nominated Donald J. Trump for president, speakers tore into his presumptive Democratic opponent, and Dr. Ben Carson brought up Saul Alinsky again.11:55: A talk about everything — #BlackLivesMatter, police, guns, police shootings, shootings by police, President Obama, Republicans, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling — with the provocative Kimberly Moffitt, associate professor in American studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.38:12: David Miller, founder of the Dare To Be King consultancy in Baltimore and creator of “10 Rules For Survival When Stopped by the Police,” shares his thoughts on the recent deaths of black men in police shootings, the assassination of white officers by black men, and what he must tell his son about all this.Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-john-fritze-20141007-staff.htmlhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bal-ben-carson-warns-of-clinton-new-world-order-20160719-story.htmlhttp://amst.umbc.edu/faculty-and-staff/moffitt/http://daretobeking.net/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/dan-rodricks-blog/bal-video-baltimore-based-group-s-10-rules-for-surviving-a-police-stop-20160711-story.html

The Republican National Convention and the 1880 surprise (episode 125)

1:22: John Fritze, the Sun's Washington correspondent, reports on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, and Mileah Kromer, director of the Goucher Poll, comments on the anticipated nomination of Donald Trump for president.17:57: Stan Haynes, a Baltimore attorney and historian, talks about the good old days, when conventions were rough and tumble, frequently held in Baltimore, and full of surprises. Haynes tells the story of the 1880 Republican convention in Chicago, when James Garfield, a man drafted to nominate another for president, ended up as the party's nominee. Haynes is with the law firm Semmes, Bowen ---- Semmes and the author of two books, "The First American Political Conventions: Transforming Presidential Nominations (1832-1872)," and, "President-Making in the Gilded Age: The Nominating Conventions of 1876-1900."Links:http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-john-fritze-20141007-staff.htmlhttp://www.goucher.edu/academics/political-science-and-international-relations/the-sarah-t-hughes-field-politics-center/about-the-directorhttp://www.semmes.com/attorneys/stan-haynes.asp

Trump and Clinton; better meatloaf; summer cocktails (episode 124)

3:22: Presidential historian Richard Striner says the 2016 election could be a catastrophe for the nation and the Republican Party or a breakthrough for progressive politics. He talks about the course of the GOP over the last century and the rise of Donald J. Trump. Steiner is professor of history at Washington College and the author of several books, including "Father Abraham: Lincoln's Relentless Struggle to End Slavery." and, more recently, "Woodrow Wilson and World War I."26:39: Amie Parnes, senior White House correspondent for The Hill and co-author of a book about Hillary Clinton, assesses the damage done to the presumptive Democratic nominee’s presidential aspirations by the FBI director’s recent report on her use of a private email server. Parnes and Jonathan Allen of Bloomberg News are co-authors of"HRC: State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hillary Clinton."45:14: Henry Hong of the Thames Street Oyster House and John Shields of Gertrude’s restaurant talk to Dan about his evolving recipe for a better meatloaf, one stuffed with eggs, sausage and cheese. You can find photos and notes about Dan’s experiments — and recipes from Henry and John — on Dan's Facebook page.1:02:42: Brendan Dorr, bartender at the B----O American Brasserie and president of the Baltimore Bartenders Guild, offers recipes for fruit-based summer cocktails, including banana daiquiris, peach mint juleps and a classic called the Clover Club.Links:https://www.washcoll.edu/live/profiles/1790-richard-strinerhttp://thehill.com/author/amie-parneshttp://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/227921/hrc-by-jonathan-allen-and-amie-parnes/9780804136778/http://www.thamesstreetoysterhouse.com/http://www.gertrudesbaltimore.com/https://www.facebook.com/dan.rodricks/http://www.monaco-baltimore.com/inner-harbor-baltimore-restaurants/http://www.bmorebarguild.com/

The summer's best movie was made in 1948 (episode 123)

1:57: Why you should see “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” on the big screen: After “Finding Dory,” the pickings are slim among new releases this summer. So film critic Linda DeLibero noticed in coming attractions a revival screening of “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” at the Charles Theatre in Baltimore on July 23 and 25. Until the new Jason Bourne movie gets here, she says, this might be your best summer ticket. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" was directed by John Huston, and it starred his father, Walter Huston, who won an Oscar as an old gold prospector who meets up in Mexico with two guys down on their luck, one played by Humphrey Bogart, the other by cowboy actor Tim Holt. They set out to seek a fortune in the hills, and what follows is a classic cinematic drama about gold fever, grit and greed. Linda DeLibero is director of film and media studies at the Johns Hopkins University and she co-directs the Hopkins/MICA film center.25:39: Bonus: On this 14th of July, Bastille Day, we could not resist an indulgence — the scene in "Casablanca," starring Bogart in an iconic role, when the Nazis are in Rick’s Cafe American singing a patriotic German military song, prompting the exiled French to rise up and counter with their national anthem.Links:http://thecharles.com/movie/the-treasure-of-the-sierra-madre/http://krieger.jhu.edu/film-media/directory/linda-delibero/

Six questions about the Clinton email scandal (episode 122)

In this podcast: Six questions about the Hillary Clinton email scandal for Sean Gallagher, the Baltimore-based IT editor of Ars Technica. A Navy veteran, Gallagher once served as a computer security officer.

Baltimore rapper reflects on his encounters with police (episode 121)

2:53: After the killings of five police officers in Dallas in apparent retaliation for the fatal shootings of black men by police in Minnesota and Louisiana, Dan speaks with Carl Reuben, a rapper known as VeganG. The conversation covers Reuben's experiences with police in Maryland, his angry song and video about stop-and-frisk practices, his reaction to Orioles manager Buck Showalter's call for understanding across the racial divide, and Reuben's positive message about "living a virtuous life."25:29: Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik comments on the sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former FOX News host Gretchen Carlson against the cable channel's CEO Roger Ailes.Links:http://www.carlreuben.com/#visionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvd2d-SdWnwhttp://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-kendall-hilton-recalls-his-poignant-exchange-with-buck-showalter-after-orioles-no-fans-game-20160428-story.html

The 45-year-old Baltimore Ironman who eats ice cream every day (episode 120)

Ironman competitor Rick Armiger, a 45-year-old vice-president at Morgan Stanley in Baltimore, just returned from Germany after completing his 25th long-distance triathlon. He plans to enter two more Iron Man competitions this summer. In today's podcast, Dan speaks with Armiger about how he trains for the endurance challenges — surprisingly, he says his daily diet includes ice cream — and what got him into the Ironman culture. It was a family tragedy 20 years ago that alerted Armiger to the critical importance of cardiac health and led him to establish the Ironheart Foundation, a support network for athletic-minded cardiac patients, their doctors and nurses, relatives and friends. The Ironheart Foundation just produced a movie that will have a screening on July 21 in Baltimore.

4th of July episode: Jefferson and Hamilton (episode 119)

In this Independence Day episode of Roughly Speaking, some fresh perspectives on Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, with two leading Jefferson scholars — Annette Gordon-Reed, who won the Pulitzer Prize for history for her research on Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings, and Pete Onuf, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia and senior researcher at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies. Gordon-Reed and Onuf have collaborated on a book, “Most Blessed of the Patriarchs: Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination.”

Fact-checking Donald Trump, and 13 good summer books (episode 118)

Is it really elitist for the news media to fact-check everything Donald J. Trump says? Dan speaks with David Zurawik, the Sun’s media critic, about the claim by a Trump supporter on CNN that Trump’s political opponents, not the media, should point out any misstatements by the verbose Republican presidential candidate. David also talks about the too-cozy relationship between political operatives and the cable news channels. Plus, a preview of a new Viceland series, “Black Market,” featuring actor Michael K. Williams, who played Omar on HBO’s “The Wire.”Baltimore County librarian and Roughly Speaking book critic Paula Gallagher offers her 13 best choices for summer reading, including “Vinegar Girl,” a new novel, set in Baltimore, by Anne Tyler.

A wonky, but user-friendly Obamacare status report from Hopkins expert (episode 117)

A Johns Hopkins expert on the Affordable Care Act provides an objective assessment of the implementation of the health insurance law after the third year of enrollment. Jonathan Weiner, professor in health policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, talks about the good and not-so-good aspects of the nation’s historic health insurance expansion, including the refusal of several states with Republican governors to accept federal funds to cover the poorest of their uninsured. Weiner calls that “the biggest political malpractice I’ve seen in my life.” A 30-minute look at the status of the law nationally and in Maryland with one of the country’s go-to experts on the law.

LeBron’s hot hand, and a million-dollar first novel (episode 116)

Penguin Random House made publishing news when it agreed to pay a reported $2 million for the rights to a series of novels by a new writer, Emma Cline. The first in that series, “The Girls,” based on the Manson family murders of the late 1960s, is out. Paula Gallagher reviews Cline’s debut novel.Is there such a thing as a “hot hand” in basketball? What’s going on when we see baseball players having a hot streak or a slump? Johns Hopkins’ researcher Jonathan Flombaum takes us to the intersection of sports, brain science and philosophy for a talk about LeBron James and the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, the Baltimore Orioles, and what studies tell us about athletes who get “hot.” Flombaum is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science at Johns Hopkins University, and he’s affiliated with the Visual Thinking Lab at Hopkins.

Roughly Speaking podcast: Goodson trial wrap; Being young and black in Obama's America (episode 115)

In this podcast:2:05: On the day after the latest verdict in the trials of Baltimore police officers accused in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, Sun reporters Justin Fenton and Kevin Rector talk about the acquittal of Officer Caesar Goodson, who faced the most serious charges of the six original defendants. With one hung jury and now two not-guilty verdicts, will Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby drop the lesser charges against the remaining four defendants? 26:10: The New York Times called Michael Denzel Smith "the intellectual in Air Jordans." A contributing writer to The Nation and cable commentator, Smith writes about coming of age in the time of Barack Obama, LeBron James, Trayvon Martin and the Black Lives Matter movement. His new memoir, "Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A Young Black Man’s Education," reflects on being young and black in a country that, eight years after electing the first African-American president, has Donald Trump as a choice for a successor.(courtroom sketch by Wm Hennessy/CourtroomArt.com)

What's it like to be principal of a Baltimore city school? (episode 114)

What’s it like to run a Baltimore city school? Dan speaks with five principals who were recently honored for their outstanding work. They are recipients of "Heart of the School" awards, established this year by the Fund for Educational Excellence. The inaugural awards celebration was held at the Hippodrome Theater in May. More than 450 nominations for 88 principals were submitted by teachers, parents and students. From a list of 11 finalists, five winners were chosen. They are our podcast guests today: 1:49: Chris Battaglia of Benjamin Franklin High School at Masonville Cove20:58: Tamika Daniels of George W.F. McMechen High School in Dorchester/Ashburton30:45: Mary Donnellyof John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle School in East Highlandtown40:20: Najib Jammal of Lakeland Elementary/Middle School in Lakeland51:27: Rochelle Machado of Arundel Elementary/Middle School in Cherry Hill

Awaiting verdict in Freddie Gray case officer trials (episode 113)

Sun reporters Kevin Rector and Justin Fenton review the state's case against Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., the Baltimore police van driver accused in the death of Freddie Gray last April. Goodson was the driver of the van in which Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury. Rector and Fenton review the prosecution, Goodson's defense and the questions Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams had for both sides during Monday's closing arguments. Preview the episode at http://bsun.md/28O4F4B.

Legends of Baltimore: 'Little Willie' Adams and Philip Berrigan (episode 112)

3:50: Little Willie Adams was truly the stuff of legend — a heroic figure among African-Americans of Baltimore in the 20th Century, a one-time numbers-runner-turned-venture capitalist, philanthropist and political power broker. Adams died five years ago this month. Mark Cheshire has written a biography of him: "They Call Me Little Willie."23:15: Paula Gallagher has another book to recommend, this one a collection of non-fiction essays by the best-selling author Neil Gaiman.26:44: The other Baltimore legend we’ll be hearing about today is Philip Berrigan, the one-time Catholic priest who, with his brother Daniel Berrigan, a Jesuit priest, were prominent protesters of the Vietnam War. They were both part of the Catonsville Nine, jailed for their destruction of files from the draft board in Catonsville in May 1968. Later Phil Berrigan, with his wife Elisabeth McAlister, established the Jonah House peace community in Baltimore; he lived here the rest of his life. He died at the age of 79 in 2002. Dan Berrigan died at the age of 94 in April. Phil and Dan Berrigan wrote letters to each other for years, and those letters have now been edited and published as a book. One of the editors, Dan Cossachi, is our guest today.View full show notes with links at http://bsun.md/28IE333.

How deteriorating infrastructure costs families and businesses (episode 111)

Two recent reports paint a troubling picture of infrastructure investment in the U.S. and around the world. The McKinsey Global Institute says major economies are cutting back on spending on bridges, roads and other infrastructure at a time when they need to be increasing that investment to keep up with economic growth. In the U.S., the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates a trillion-dollar investment gap in infrastructure, with the shortfall costing each American household and business thousands of dollars annually. Dan speaks with Greg DiLoreto, past president of the ASCE and chair of its infrastructure committee.

Larry Hogan walks away from Donald Trump (episode 110)

In this podcast:1:10: Republican analyst Richard Cross and UMBC professor Kimberly Moffitt comment on Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's declaration that he won't be voting for Donald Trump for president, and we look at how Trump's aggressive position on immigrants and terror have affected his campaign.18:41: American culture commentator Sheri Parks talks about the massacre in Orlando, President Obama's reaction to Trump's statements on that tragedy, and the news media's intensified scrutiny of the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

Maximum-security inmates read Shakespeare in professor's prison book club (episode 109)

Mikita Brottman, a literary scholar and professor in humanities at the Maryland Institute College of Art, established a book club for inmates at Maryland’s maximum-security Jessup Correctional Institution. The club members, some of them convicted murderers serving life sentences, read Melville’s "Bartleby," "The Scrivener", Conrad’s "Heart of Darkness," Shakespeare’s "Macbeth," Stevenson’s "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and Poe’s "The Black Cat," among other works. Brottman, who is also an author and psychoanalyst, tells about her experiences sharing her favorite books with prisoners in a new memoir, “The Maximum Security Book Club,” published by Harper Collins.Brottman speaks Wednesday night, June 15, at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.

Will the Orlando massacre change anything? (episode 108)

Dan speaks with Firmin DeBrabander, professor of philosophy at the Maryland Institute College of Art and author of "Do Guns Make us Free? Democracy and the Armed Society," his reporting and reflections on the country’s gun culture, published a year ago by Yale University Press. Is the scale of the massacre in Orlando going to change anything when it comes to the amount and type of guns available to American citizens? Will Congress and the states raise the bar on who is allowed to legally purchase and own a certain firearm? Or are we to accept — and expect — such nightmares as the price of freedom in a democracy?

Roughly Speaking podcast: Launching a life out of poverty in Baltimore (episode 107)

A follow-up to Dan's Sunday column with Stefanie DeLuca, a Johns Hopkins sociologist and co-author of a 10-year study of 150 young, African-American men and women who were born in the late 1980s and 1990s to parents who lived in Baltimore's public housing projects. The researchers conducted extensive interviews with the children to measure their success in coming of age as young adults despite the hardships of family poverty, poorly performing schools and violent neighborhoods. The results were surprising. DeLuca, along with Susan Clampet-Lundquist and Kathryn Edin, are the authors of "Coming of Age in the Other America."

Trump and White Rage, Z on Goodson trial coverage , Hong & Shields' weekend recipes (episode 106)

2:27: As Republican leaders, including Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, try to adjust to the reality of Donald J. Trump, explainers abound. How did the GOP get here? What does Trump’s presumptive nomination for president say about the American electorate? Carol Anderson, for one, says Trump’s ascendancy is all about white anger, a predictable backlash to eight years of Barack Obama. Anderson, professor and chair of African-American studies at Emory University, is the author of "White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide," a political history of American progress blunted by racial backlash.23:07: Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik looks at how national news organizations have changed their approach to covering the trials of police officers charged in the death last year of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Given the lack of convictions after two trials, and the lack of civic trauma that resulted from the acquittal of Officer Edward Nero last month, is the national media losing interest in the story? Is Marilyn Mosby’s prosecution team, rather than the accused officers, now the focus of the story?35:32: Baltimore County librarian Paula Gallagher reviews a new novel, "Sweetbitter," about a young woman who lands a job in a celebrated New York City restaurant.38:18: Henry Hong of the Thames Street Oyster House and John Shields of Gertrude’s offer recipes for the weekend cook. From appetizer to dessert, six dishes you can try at home using fresh produce from your local farmers market.

How the news skews the reality of mental illness and violence (episode 105)

A recently published study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that news reports frequently link mental illness with acts of violence, giving the public the impression that people with mental illness are prone to violence when, in fact, only a small percentage of them are. We talk this over with Mark Komrad, Baltimore-based psychiatrist on the clinical and teaching staffs of both Sheppard Pratt and Johns Hopkins hospitals.Mark Komrad also serves as ethicist-in-residence at Sheppard Pratt and he is a member of the ethics committee of the American Psychiatric Association. He is the author of "You Need Help: A Step-by-Step Plan to Convince a Loved One to Get Counseling." We start the show with a chat about Section 7.3 of the APA's ethics principles — something known as the Goldwater Rule and dating to the 1964 presidential election, but with relevance to the present campaign for the White House.

3,000 home brewers hit Baltimore (episode 104)

HomeBrew Con 2016, the 38th annual National Homebrewers Conference, brings 3,000 beer lovers to Baltimore this week. Dan speaks with Gary Glass, director of the 46,000-member American Homebrewers Association, about the popularity of brewing beer, cider and mead at home. HomeBrew Con is being held at the Baltimore Convention Center June 9-11.

Driverless cars, the Buick Cascada, Airbag recall, with John Davis of MotorWeek (episode 103)

Driverless cars are being tested in the United States and in Europe. A British concern is set to roll out a commuter and shuttle-type vehicle called Pod Zero to get people around places like airports and resorts. The state of Michigan is pushing to allow the manufacture and sale of driverless cars in an effort to get ahead of the development curve in the United States. Are driverless cars really going to become part of our daily lives?We discuss a no-hands-on the-steering-wheel future with John Davis, host of MotorWeek, now in its 35th year on public television. The award-winning program, based at Maryland Public Television, that has been test-driving and reviewing motor vehicles since 1981. Other topics: Buick’s cool new convertible, why it’s hard to buy a bad new car today, and John Davis suggests a smart buy in the $25,000 range.

Gin summer cocktails from bartender Brendan Dorr (episode 102)

2:39: Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik discusses two things — TV coverage of the leading presidential candidates, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, and an Investigation Discovery special on the Adnan Syed murder case.35:18: Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Reed reviews six films from the current cinema — "Weiner," "Me Before You, "Lobster," Nice Guys," "Bigger Splash," and "X-Men: Apocalypse" — and talk about what's ahead for the summer at the movies.1:09:04: Bartender Brendan Dorr gives a tutorial on gin and recommends some fine summer cocktails, including the French 75 (http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014443-french-75), which also uses Champagne.

Could dinosaurs come back? and other 5th grader questions answered by experts (episode 101)

“What’s the most gruesome thing you ever saw?” There’s a question you’ve always wanted to ask a doctor and probably never did. But a student in Leah Burchman’s 5th-grade class at Bollman Bridge Elementary School in Jessup, Maryland, didn’t hesitate to ask Dr. John Cmar for his ickiest memory. "My students are very curious individuals, and they love learning about all different types of subjects,” says Burchman, who teaches two English/language arts classes at the Howard County school.On today’s show, Dr. Cmar, who practices at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, answers health questions from Bollman Bridge 5th graders (1:45) while science educator and author John Monahan answers questions about dinosaurs, Earth and space posed by the 5th grade students of Rosemary Hazle, a teacher at Tunbridge Public Charter School in Baltimore (33:47). "My students are eager learners and a really fun group of kids. They will come up with great questions,” Hazle promised, and they did.We expect to do this again before school lets out later this month. In the next health/science episode of Roughly Speaking, Cmar and Monahan answer questions from 5th graders at Hillcrest Elementary School in Catonsville and Roland Park Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore.

Riot response becomes a crisis management case study (episode 100)

Rob Weinhold, a former Baltimore police officer and one-time spokesman for the department, is a student of crisis management -- how leaders deal with tough times and threats to their reputations and careers. Now chief executive of the Fallston Group, a Baltimore-based crisis management and communications firm, Weinhold has a lot to say about Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's actions and statements during the unrest that hit Baltimore following the death in police custody of Freddie Gray last April. Weinhold also talks about the public relations problems experienced by Cafe Hon a few years ago, and how former Baltimore Police Commissioner Ed Norris and former Mayor Sheila Dixon handled their problems with the law. Weinhold is the author, along with former Sun columnist Kevin Cowherd, of "The Art of Crisis Management," published by Apprentice House Press at Loyola University Maryland.

The Trump reality show; History Channel reimagines 'Roots'; dining out vs. cooking in (episode 99)

1:42: The Trump reality show: The possibility of a Donald Trump presidency creates big buzz and more anxiety after the presumptive Republican nominee gets a poll bump showing him closing in on Hillary Clinton. Is the Trump candidacy a genuine political phenomenon or one rooted in reality television and the American desire to be entertained? Dan discusses that question with American culture commentator Sheri Parks.29:57: Reimagining "Roots": Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik reviews the History Channel's remake of the 1970s mini-series about the transatlantic slave trade.44:42: Dining out versus cooking in: Americans now spend more in restaurants than they do in grocery stores, according to a recent report from the U.S. Commerce Department. There is some dispute about what exactly that means — and whether it means that Americans (millennials, in particular) are spending less time in the kitchen. But it’s most definitely a trend, and Dan discusses it with John Shields, cookbook author and proprietor of Gertrude's restaurant in Baltimore.

Game of Drones (episode 98)

In December 2013, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos appeared on "60 Minutes" and unveiled Amazon Prime Air, a drone-delivery system that he said could transport packages to customer doorsteps in 30 minutes. Bezos said more safety testing and federal approvals were needed, but he estimated that Prime Air would be available to customers in as soon as 4 to 5 years. What's up with that project and other civilian applications of unmanned vehicle technology? Sean Gallagher, Baltimore-based IT editor of Ars Technica, recently attended two drone conferences, including one in New Orleans that featured Amazon Prime Air vice-president Gur Kimchi. Sean joins Dan to talk about drones in work, play and warfare.Links mentioned in the podcast:• The Dronebuster (http://arstechnica.com/informationtechnology/2016/05/dronebuster-will-let-you-point-and-shoot-command-hacks-at-pesky-drones/)• Marines' autonomous robot-drone (http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/by-our-powers-combined-marines-test-teams-of-autonomous-robots-drones/)• FAA's progress (or lack thereof) on drone rules (http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/faa-chief-announces-advisory-panel-on-drones-as-industry-checks-its-watch/)• Air traffic control for drones (http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/by-mapping-the-skies-airmap-app-paves-the-way-to-a-drone-filled-future/)

Race, place and the Dedric Colvin case (episode 97)

The Toy Gun and the Black Son episode: A look back to the Dedric Colvin case in Baltimore. Dedric is the African-American 8th-grader who was wounded by a police officer on April 27 after he spotted the boy with what the officer thought was a handgun. It turned out to be a BB gun that resembles a real gun. Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, suggested that police would not have chased and fired on Dedric had he been white. Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, who is white, seemed to agree a few days later, conceding that his own sons, in the same situation, might have been treated differently. But what about parental responsibility and the questionable decision to allow a teenage boy to play with a replica handgun in a city known for gun violence? Heather Harris engages Dan on this subject. She is a professor of business communications at Stevenson University outside Baltimore. She is co-editor of "The Obama Effect," a collection of essays on the 2008 presidential election.

Why the prospect of a Trump presidency has an African-American mom gun ownership (episode 96)

Donald Trump anxiety — people have been seeing their shrinks about it, and Mike Pesca on The Gist podcast introduced the Trump anxiety hotline, playing concern over the billionaire bully’s ascendance for comic and emotional relief. But, when Dan spoke to Kimberly Moffitt and asked her about Trump anxiety, she said it had made her consider buying a gun, something she had never considered before. Moffitt is associate professor in American Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She says she’s concerned that Trump’s candidacy — his statements about immigrants, about Muslims, the aggressive tone of his campaign, the zeal of his largely white supporters — could unleash a racial backlash. Also on the show: Republican political analyst Richard Cross III.

The 30 percent: Who are the women who support Trump? (episode 95)

If the polls are correct that 7 out of 10 women disapprove of Donald Trump as a presidential candidate, who are the women of the other 30 percent and why do they support him?In this podcast:Melissa Deckman, chair of political science at Washington College, has spent a lot of time with Republican women, particularly those aligned with the tea party — the “Mama Grizzlies,” self-branded and characterized by Sarah Palin as conservative moms who became politically active because they feared for their children’s future. What do they find appealing in Trump and will this new brand of conservative feminism ever gain any traction? What of the tea party generally? Do those who identify with it support Trump? Will the tea party, which came to life with the Obama presidency, fade with its passing or be re-energeized if Hillary Clinton is elected?Melissa Deckman is the Louis L. Goldstein Professor of Public Affairs at Washington College in Chestertown, Md. She’s concentrated on women in politics and religion in politics. She is the author or co-author of four books. Her latest, published by New York University Press, is "Tea Party Women: Mama Grizzlies, Grassroots Leaders and the Changing Face of the American Right."

On Kentucky Derby weekend, horsing around Maryland, mixing mint juleps (episode 94)

2:37: We start the show with our weekly visit with Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik. NBC did something the other night that got stuck in David’s craw, but that does’t keep him from talking about it. The network’s nightly news program moved, anchor Lester Holt and all, to Trump Tower. Holt interviewed presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and anchored the rest of the broadcast from the building’s gold-and-marble lobby. Says David Z: Bad idea.19:51: Today is actor George Clooney's 55th birthday. He’s in another film due for release this month: Money Monster, co-starring Julia Roberts and directed by Jodie Foster. Film critics Linda DeLibero and Christopher Llewellyn Reed discuss Clooney’s career, from his start on television through his turn to award-winning acting and directing.It’s Kentucky Derby weekend, the start of the Triple Crown races, and we have two features related to the season:50:17: Ross Peddicord, director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board, helps you get in touch with your inner horse. There are many places to do that across the state -- if you want to ride a horse, brush a horse, or just muck out a stall. Ross also has potentially good news related to the arabbers of Baltimore and an effort to preserve the horse-drawn produce wagons of the inner-city. We’ll also tell you about a one-night equine movie festival coming up at The Senator Theatre in Baltimore, featuring a film that the whole horse world has been talking about, "Harry and Snowman."1:06:48: Brendan Dorr, bartender at the B----O American Brasserie, will tell us how to make a classic Kentucky-style mint julep with love. We’ll also hear about the official drinks of the other Triple Crown races, including the Belmont Breeze. Plus, Brendan assesses the first batch of rye whiskey from the new distillery of Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, arriving in stores just in time for the Preakness and the making of Black-Eyed Susans.

'Strange Glow,' a history of radiation, with Tim Jorgensen (episode 93)

After the March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster at Fukushima, Japan, Tim Jorgensen suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a lot of emails and phone calls. People were frightened. People had questions. Jorgensen, a Johns Hopkins-trained radiation biologist based at Georgetown University, spent a good amount of time explaining radiation and the risks from exposure to an international news media. Since then, he’s written a history of radiation, telling fascinating stories of research and discovery, exploring controversies and offering an objective look at radiation’s benefits and risks. "Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation" is published by Princeton University Press. Jorgensen lives in Maryland. He is associate professor of radiation medicine and director of Georgetown’s graduate program in health physics and radiation protection. In addition, he is an associate in epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Celebrating the day Frank Robinson hit a ball out of Memorial Stadium (episode 92)

3:20: Sun sports columnist Peter Schmuck talks about the Orioles, the team's recent injuries and the value of connective tissue.19:06: This Sunday, May 8, marks 50 years since Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, in his first season with the Orioles, hit the first-ever home run out of Memorial Stadium. Mark Melonas, an Orioles fan who lives near the site of the bygone stadium, talks about Robinson's feat and an event this weekend to mark its golden anniversary.

Freddie Gray case trials; buying a home in Baltimore; American Pharoah's Triple Crown (episode 91)

5:17: On May 1, 2015, after the long week of unrest and curfew, Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby stepped into War Memorial Plaza and announced charges against six Baltimore police officers in connection with the in-custody death of Freddie Gray. Since then, one of the officers, William Porter, stood trial; that trial ended in December with a hung jury. We get an update on the next step in the prosecution of the officers from the Sun’s criminal justice reporter, Justin Fenton.13:12: A year after the demonstrations and unrest, do people still want to move to Baltimore? How are city housing sales doing? The answer might surprise you. Dan speaks with Steve Gondol and Annie Milli about LiveBaltimore’s efforts to provide incentives — up to $5,000 each — to prospective home buyers, and what the past year in home sales looked like.27:22 Last year at this time, there was some question about whether the 17th annual Maryland Film Festival would happen. We’ll hear from Jed Dietz, founder and director of the festival, about last year's and the one that starts next week.40:24: Chris Reed has reviews of new films, including an action comedy starring Key and Peele.48:41: Paula Gallagher recommends a cool book about insects that sting.51:55: Sean Gallagher, a Baltimore-based editor for Ars Technica our favorite techsplainer, talks about the use of paper ballots and scanners, instead of touch screens, on Election Day.1:03:55 And a look ahead to next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby and a look back to last year’s Triple Crown victory of American Pharoah with Joe Drape, who covers horse racing for The New York Times and just wrote a book, "American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner’s Legendary Rise."

Analysis of the Maryland and Baltimore primary results (episode 90)

In this podcast:1:39: Republican analyst Richard Cross and Sun reporter Yvonne Wenger: Analysis of the U.S. Senate and presidential primaries in Maryland and of the Baltimore Democratic mayoral primary. Cross says Trump is now the Republicans' "de facto nominee" and looks ahead to a Trump vs. Clinton general election matchup. Wenger crunches some numbers in the mayor's race, noting that both winner Catherine Pugh and runner-up Sheila Dixon outperformed their percentages in the final Sun poll. 17:26: Rep. Chris Van Hollen victory speech clip: Upon winning the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Van Hollen pays respects to the longtime public servant he's nominated to replace, retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who refused to endorse Van Hollen or his opponent, Rep. Donna Edwards. 18:23: Goucher Poll director Mileah Kromer and Sun reporter Luke Broadwater: In addition to a new mayor, Baltimore is guaranteed significant turnover on the City Council. Kromer also remarks on what she sees as self-inflicted wounds by Donna Edwards and Broadwater on the city's high turnout. 49:25: Sun media critic David Zurawik: Zurawik examines candidates' media presence and spending, which in the Baltimore market was higher than usual this year.

Lewis Museum takes on unrest anniversary; Cokie Roberts' 'Capital Dames' (episode 89)

5:36: NPR's Cokie Roberts: The longtime political analyst and author has a new book, this one about women of Washington before, during and after the Civil War. Roberts shares a few tales from "Capital Dames," with some fascinating connections to Baltimore and Maryland, including the woman at the center of a deadly scandal involving the son of Francis Scott Key.1:57, 29:30: Two books reviews from Paula Gallagher: A memoir by David Kushner, a Rolling Stone contributor, about his brother, Jon, who was kidnapped and murdered in Florida in 1973; and a collection of essays called, "The Books That Changed My Life."32:59: The Reginald F. Lewis Museum on the anniversary of the Baltimore uprising: Charles Bethea, its new chief curator, talks about the Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture's look into issues about the American black male raised by the death of Freddie Gray.

U.S. Senate candidate Richard Douglas (episode 88)

A veteran and former Pentagon official, Maryland attorney Richard J. Douglas is making his second run for the Republican Senate nomination, hoping to become his party's nominee to replace Sen. Barbara Mikulski. Douglas, who lives in College Park, finished second in the 2012 GOP Senate primary to Dan Bongino. Douglas served as a deputy assistant Secretary of Defense in the George W. Bush administration and spent five years on Capitol Hill as a staff attorney to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee. During the 1970s, he served aboard a Navy submarine and, in 2006, was recalled from reserve duty to serve in Iraq. Other major candidates for the nomination are Kathy Szeliga, a state delegate from of Baltimore County, and Chrys Kefalas, an executive at the Washington-based National Association of Manufacturing.

7th District City Council candidates (episode 87)

In this podcast:Sandtown-Winchester is the West Baltimore neighborhood where the late Freddie Gray was arrested last April, and it’s where he grew up. It's within District 7 of the Baltimore City Council, and that’s the focus of today’s show. The 7th District is central-west Baltimore City -- Sandtown, Hampden, Reservoir Hill, Matthew Henson, Walbrook, Druid Heights, Ashburton. Today, we offer interviews with six of the Democratic candidates campaigning to replace Nick Mosby, who decided to run for mayor this year instead of re-election to his council seat. 1:54: David McMillan is an official in emergency management for the city of Baltimore; he comes with an interesting family history and a desire to make the municipal government work better.21:31: Kerry Davidson is a Harvard-educated lawyer who turned a Penn North crack house into his home; he thinks the 7th District, like the city generally, is full of potential that’s being missed.44:55: Marshall Bell is a policy analyst for the City Council whose brother, Lawrence Bell, was once the council president. Marshall Bell has a criminal record from years ago and a powerful personal story that informs his candidacy.1:00:37: Shawn Tarrant is a former state delegate who served the west side in Annapolis and who says the 7th district's most pressing issues are jobs, quality affordable housing, crime and blight.1:18:46: Antonio Asa has an interesting idea about what the city could do with the hundreds of vacant houses on the sprawling west side.1:30:23: Ahmed Royalty says that, if he's elected, he will use his $66,000 annual council salary to fund programs that he thinks will improve city life.Next episode: On Monday -- one more candidate interview to offer: Richard Douglas, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Tuesday’s primary election.

5th and 12th districts City Council candidates (episode 86)

We have a lot of ground to cover today. If you live in northwest Baltimore City, if you live in central and east Baltimore, we’re bringing you the candidates for City Council from your part of town. In this podcast:District 5 is northwest Baltimore -- that is, Pimlico, Howard Park, North Roland Park, Fallstaff, Cross County. Rochelle "Rikki" Spector has been the City Council member for that district since the 1970s. She’s retiring. A woman named Elizabeth Ryan Martinez and two men, Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer and Christopher Ervin, are hoping to replace her. There are other Democratic candidates in the District 5 primary, but they didn’t RSVP Roughly Speaking.2:08: Elizabeth Ryan Martinez is an attorney who works in the Baltimore City law department.17:18: Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer is a young entrepreneur and community association leader.36:37: Christopher Ervin is a 47-year-old former Marine who served time in prison on drug charges. Since his incarceration ended, he has worked in offender rights and restorative justice.We had a much better response from candidates for the 12th District. That’s in central/east Baltimore, including neighborhoods such as Station North, Collington Square, Old Goucher, Greenmount West, Middle East and Oliver. Veteran City Councilman Carl Stokes decided to run for mayor this year, leaving his council seat up for grabs. Today, we’ll have Gary Crum, Kelly Cross, Gordon Stick -- whose slogan is "Stick with Stick Because Stick Will Stick With You" -- as well as Ertha Harris, Rashad Staton and Jason Pyeron.51:30: Kelly Cross is a legal consultant who moved to Baltimore from Washington six years ago and became active in the Old Goucher neighborhood.1:15:09: Gary Crum is from East Baltimore’s Oliver neighborhood and works as a property manager.1:28:30: Ertha Harris is a businesswoman and entrepreneur who has been politically active in the 12th District for years.1:40:44: Gordon Stick is a Bolton Hill native and gemologist whose campaign is based on the concept of incentives -- providing rewards for student achievement and good citizenship.1:51:41: Jason Pyeron is a software contractor who lives on 24th Street, between Old Goucher and Charles Village; he’s a civic activist who decided to run for City Council because he found all other candidates too accepting of the status quo.2:10:00: Rashad Staton is a young educator and entrepreneur who lives in Perkins Homes.Next episode: Our series of interviews with candidates ends on Friday with five of the 7th District candidates.

4th district City Council candidates (episode 85)

We have three more days of podcasts devoted to the candidates for Baltimore City Council in this month’s primary election. In this podcast:Today’s conversations are with candidates for District 4 in north-central Baltimore, stretching from Guilford to Govans, from Wilson Park to Woodbourne Heights, up and down York Road from Lake-Evesham to Penn Lucy. Bill Henry is the incumbent Democrat who has served two terms. His challengers are Rodney Burris, Francesco Legaluppi and Brian Hammock.1:39: Bill Henry is 47 years old, a resident of Radnor-Winston, and known as an independent thinker on the City Council.21:53: Rodney Burris is one of three political newcomers seeking the 4th District City Council. He is 34 years old, an entrepreneur and educator, father of five and a resident of Govans.39:43: Brian Hammock is an attorney and corporate executive, 35 years old, who lives in Homeland and who worked for former mayor and Gov. Martin O’Malley.1:05:02: Francesco Legaluppi is a business consultant and Homeland resident who, from a young age, served as Consul General for Italy in Baltimore.Our series of interviews with candidates continues in Thursday’s podcast with three of the candidates seeking to replace Rikki Spector after her long tenure in the 5th District, and six candidates vying for Carl Stokes' seat in the 12th District. Several Democrats are running to replace City Councilman Nick Mosby on the west side. My podcast interviews with five of the 7th District candidates will be posted on Friday.

6th and 8th districts City Council candidates (episode 84)

We are just a week away now from the Maryland and Baltimore City primary elections, and all this week we are taking time to bring the people of Baltimore interviews with candidates for City Council. Today conversations with candidates for two City Council districts -- District 6 and District 8, both on the west side of town.In this podcast:1:28: First, District 6, which runs from Roland Park to Forest Park and includes Ashburton, Park Heights and Pimlico. The incumbent city council member, Sharon Green Middleton, never responded to our invitation to the podcast. So today we’ll hear from Mark Hughes, a career educator who challenged Middleton in 2011. He lost that election but is running again, he says, because little has improved in the 6th District over the last five years.Helen Holton represents Baltimore’s 8th District in City Council. But she decided not to seek re-election, so the race is wide open. District 8, on the west side of town, includes Edmondson Village, Allendale, Uplands and Irvington and several other neighborhoods. Three Democrats accepted our invitation to talk about their candidacies — David Maurice Smallwood, Reggie Fugett and Kristerfer Burnett — as well as one Republican, Joseph Brown. 17:50: David Maurice Smallwood34:40: Reginald "Reggie" Fugett48:31: Kristerfer Burnett1:10:43: Joseph Brown

9th District City Council candidates (episode 83)

Continuing our conversations with candidates for Baltimore City Council, today we go to the 9th District, which is in west and southwest Baltimore, one of the poorest districts in the city, including neighborhoods such as Pigtown, Sowebo, Harlem Park, Rosemont and Franklintown Road. The city councilman there is Pete Welch, known as the council’s quietest member. He is seeking reelection. His mother, Agnes Welch, held the seat before he did. In this podcast:Today, you’ll hear from 9th District councilman Pete Welch and two challengers in the Democratic primary, John Bullock and Jerrell Bratcher. We will also hear from one of two candidates in the district’s Republican primary, Octavia Njuhigu.1:41: City Couuncilman William A. “Pete” Welch, Jr., accountant who was appointed to the council in 2011.21:59: Jerrell Bratcher, a passionate young man who until last year was the well regarded director of admissions for the Monarch School, a public charter school in Northeast Baltimore.41:29: John Bullock, a political science professor at Towson University who lives with his family in Union Square. 53:01: There are two candidates in the district’s Republican primary. One of them answered our invitation to an interview: Octavia Njuhigu, a former bank administrator who lives in Carrollton Ridge.

1st District City Council candidates (episode 82)

Today we bring you conversations with candidates for Baltimore City Council in the 1st District. That is southeastern Baltimore City — Canton, Fells Point, Highlandtown, Greektown, Little Italy, Patterson Park, Little Italy, Butcher’s Hill and other neighborhoods. The City Council member who served that district for the last 12 years is not running for re-election, so this has opened up a very competitive race with strong candidates, Democrat and Republican.In this podcast:We will hear from five Democrats — Mark Parker, Mark Edelson, Scott Goldman, Zeke Cohen and Ed Marcinko — and three Republicans — Jennifer Dudley, Matthew McDaniel and Liz Copeland. Democrats2:30: Mark Parker19:42: Scott Goldman42:58: Mark Edleson1:07:38: Ed Marcinko1:27:59: Zeke Cohen Republicans1:47:09: Liz Copeland2:04:52: Matthew McDaniel2:24:58: Jennifer Dudley

3rd and 11th districts City Council candidates (episode 81)

In this podcast:District 3: Several Democrats are running to replace retiring City Councilman Robert W. Curran in Northeast Baltimore — Moravia, Loch Raven, Belair-Edison, Hamilton and other neighborhoods. Three of the candidates agreed to be interviewed for Roughly Speaking: Ryan Dorsey, Marques Dent and George Van Hook Sr1:18: Ryan Dorsey18:45: Marques Dent36:57: George Van Hook Sr.District 11: In one of council's most competitive races, Councilman Eric Costello faces Greg Sileo, Dea Thomas and Curtis Johnson to retain the District 11 seat to which he was appointed in October 2014. The process the council used to select Costello was criticized as lacking community involvement. The diverse district includes Federal Hill, Bolton Hill, Locust Point, Sharp-Leadenhall and parts of West Baltimore. Here is a list of District 11 neighborhoods.59:09: Eric Costello1:17:22: Dea Thomas1:32:39: Curtis Johnson1:53:16: Greg Sileo

Mayoral candidates Patrick Gutierrez and Alan Walden (episode 80)

Roughly Speaking's two-plus weeks of candidate interviews returns to the Baltimore mayor's race with talks with one Democrat and one Republican, both of whom worked in local media, the latter a familiar voice on WBAL Radio for a decade.In this podcast:1:40: Patrick Gutierrez worked briefly here at the Sun as an editorial assistant. Before that, he had a successful career in banking. Today, he tells us why he’s running for mayor and describes the event last spring, following the death of Freddie Gray, that convinced him to get into the race and share his many ideas for improving the quality of life in the city.31:23: A veteran broadcast journalist, Allen Walden joined WBAL Radio in 1988 as morning anchor. In addition to catching his rush hour news reports, listeners heard his daily commentary, “Walden Ponderings” for years. Allen Walden retired from WBAL in 1998, ending a career that spanned decades and took him to new York, Boston and Cleveland before he settled in Baltimore. He's now a Republican candidate for mayor of his adopted hometown.

2nd District candidates Brandon Scott and Tony Christian (episode 79)

Today you’ll hear two candidates for the 2nd District (find your district) of the Baltimore City Council. That district includes Harbel, Parkside, parts of Belair-Edison, Gardenville, Cedmont, Cedonia, Overlea, Frankford and other neighborhoods in the east/northeast part of the city. Our two guests are Brandon Scott (19:14), the incumbent city council member in the 2nd District, and one of his challengers, Tony Christian (1:25). We did not get a response to our invitation for an interview from another Democratic candidate, Melissa Bagley.Christian is a financial officer with a small business in the city. His main concern is getting crime under control. Scott is seeking a second term in City Council. Though he's the council's youngest member, he has emerged as one of the body's most vocal members, asking men to step up against violence, the Police Department to reform, and city government to become more transparent.

14th District candidates Mary Pat Clarke and Terrell Williams (episode 78)

Today you’ll hear two candidates for the 14th District of the Baltimore City Council, representing neighborhoods that include Charles Village, Homewood, Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello, Waverly, and half of Hampden. Our guests are Mary Pat Clarke (1:15), the incumbent city council member in the 14th District, and her challenger, Terrell Williams (27:52), a 34-year-old regional cafeteria manager for Baltimore City public schools.

U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Chris Van Hollen; getting city kids to golf (episode 77)

2:25: A conversation with Chris Van Hollen: The Democratic Congressman who is trying to win his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate. His opponent is Donna Edwards, another member of the Maryland Congressional delegation. The Van Hollen-Edwards contest is one of the tightest Senate races in the country. Edwards has gone on the attack, accusing Van Hollen of being too willing to compromise with Republicans on key issues during his time in the House of Representatives. But, as you’ll hear, Van Hollen says Edwards been misleading voters about his record.27:05: Brilliance comes at a price: Our book critic Paula Gallagher is really excited about a new novel called “A Doubter’s Almanac.” She says it’s the best novel she’s read this year, literary fiction at its best.30:36: Coffee and conversation with David Zurawik: The Sun's overly caffeinated media critic makes his weekly visit to the show to talk about negative advertising in the Baltimore mayoral and Maryland Senate campaigns. We’ll be serving coffee freshly roasted by Roughly Speaking producer Steve Earley, and Steve will tell us about roasting your own at home.48:28: Getting city kids to golf: It's the weekend of the Masters, so a local golf feature: One of the Baltimore area’s most exclusive country clubs has stepped up to get city kids playing golf, with a new golf learning center at Baltimore’s Forest Park Golf Club, made possible with a donation from the Caves Valley Golf Club Foundation. Our guest is Sinclair Eaddy Jr. executive director of First Tee of Greater Baltimore.