Shows
The Squirrel News Podcast#38: The Connection CureIn a new medical trend, more and more doctors are prescribing outdoor pursuits and social activities instead of drugs and medication. Solutions journalist Julia Hotz has spoken about this topic on our podcast before. In this episode she returns to talk with us about the book she has written on the subject in the meantime: "The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging."
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf
Links
Julia Hotz, The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service...
2025-04-0340 min.jpg)
The Squirrel News Podcast#37: Meet a JewPrejudices about Jews are still widespread today. Yet many young people in Germany have never consciously met a Jew. The project ‘Meet a Jew’ aims to change this by bringing Jewish volunteers together with school classes and clubs. In this episode, project coordinator Masha explains what the encounters achieve and why many participants are amazed by them.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf
Links
Project website
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2024-05-1444 min
The Squirrel News Podcast#36: Rediscovering the past to shape the future – with special guest Jim KleinIn this special, personal episode, we continue our conversation about history with a special guest and a special project in which Jonathan's father recently rediscovered the story of Kurt Klein and Gerda Weissmann Klein: two Jews who left Germany during and after World War II, married and became very well-known in the US due to Gerda's book "All but my life" – but remained almost unknown in Germany. In this episode, we speak with their son Jim Klein about how his father Kurt saved Oskar Schindler, lessons from his mother for politics today, and the meaning of re-establishing contact with a...
2024-04-2355 min
The Squirrel News Podcast#35: Personal notes on current events and the pastIn this episode, Ed and Jonathan, a Jew in LA and Jonathan a German in Berlin, reflect on current political events and their personal relation and experience with it: The rise of the far-right AfD in Germany, mass protests against it, and how Germany deals with the past in general; and on the other hand, the possible comeback of Donald Trump, racism and antisemitism in US history.
By the way, we’re just getting started. Much more to come in our next episodes.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf
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2024-02-1355 min
The Squirrel News Podcast#34: MDMA and social changeCan psychedelics like MDMA drive positive social change? Journalist Rachel Nuwer wrote a book on "MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World", and in one chapter she describes how taking the drug in a scientific study seems to have helped a former white nationalist leader change his extremist beliefs. In this episode, Rachel explains how this could be possible, how MDMA could have similar effects on others and where the limits are.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf
Photo: Gil Gonzalez
Stories discussed
2023-09-2848 min
The Squirrel News Podcast#26: Humor for HumanityCan humour help solve social problems? Comedian Jimmy Tingle thinks it can. With his project "Humor for Humanity" he aims to raise spirits, funds and awareness for non-profits and social causes. In our new episode, Jimmy explains to us how that works and shares impressing anecdotes on the President of Moldova and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf & Jens Krijger
Links
Humor for Humanity, Website
Squirrel News
Squirrel News is a free, curated news service.
2022-09-1545 min
The Squirrel News Podcast#25: India's open prisonsA few years ago, authorities in the Indian state of Rajasthan faced a unique problem: inmates who had served their sentences did not want to leave prison. They had done time in open prisons without wardens or guards, but with their familes instead. Since that moment, researcher and activist Smita Chakraburtty has studied Rajasthan's open prisons and contributed to their spreading in India. In our new episode, Smita explains to us how the systems works, what benefits it has and how she effects reforms in an industry dominated by men.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder...
2022-08-251h 01
The Squirrel News Podcast#24: Free pianos for disadvantaged kidsThe positive benefits of playing music are well known. But instruments are expensive and courses even more so. St Louis based non-profit Pianos for People aims to eliminate these barriers by providing both free pianos and free lessons to children of low-income families. In this episode, executive director Matt Brinkmann tells us how the concept works and what impact it has on the children.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf.
Stories discussed
In the key of joy: Pianos for People gives instruments to St. Louis children...
2022-08-0527 min
The Squirrel News Podcast#22: The Good NewspaperThere are several online magazines covering exclusively "good news", but hardly any newspaper. Interestingly, Branden Harvey, the man who founded one of them, had never purchased a printed newspaper in his life before. In this show, Branden tells us why he did it anyway, what kind of impact their stories have, and what the difference is between feel good news and real good news.
Hosted by Ed Crasnick and Jonathan Widder; edited by Leon Wolf.
Links
Good Good Good website
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2022-07-0846 min