Perspective.

Every day, countless numbers of us use devices incorporating artificial intelligence, or A-I, such as Siri. Often times when thinking of artificial intelligence, such things as the Terminator, I Robot, Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Robot and Frank come to mind. On today’s Perspective, a look at artificial intelligence from a vantage point few considered. One expert says we need to realize that more and more we are immersing ourselves in technologies that are changing how we live, learn, work and engage…and that A-I is at the heart of that change. Guest: Tatyana El-Kour, a technical officer at the Office of the Regional Director in the World Health Organization Regional Office in Cairo, Egypt. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and tho

Education is one of four areas covered in the 2017 Kids Count Data Book. And even though Kansas ranks 13th nationally in the overall well-being of kids, it ranked 21st in educational outcomes, and 23rd in family and community. The advocacy group, Kansas Action for Kids, says it is a good news-bad news scenario for the state. In the second of a two-part series on the results presented by the Kids Count Data Book, a look at what put Kansas at 13th nationally. Guest: John Wilson, vice president of Advocacy for Kansas Action for Children. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name fo

The Annie E. Casey Foundation tracks how well the United States takes care of its kids, using its "Kids Count" data book, in which it annually ranks states on overall child wellbeing. The Kids Count index does that by using four domains to capture what children need most to thrive: economic wellbeing, education, health, and family and community. Now, each of those domains includes four indicators that represent the best available data to measure the status of child wellbeing at the state and national levels.  In the first of a two-part series, Perspective will examine what the "Kids Count Data Book" says about how Americans are currently taking care of their children.     Guest: Laura Speer, associate director for policy reform and advocacy at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and one of the authors of the Kids Count data report.   Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stati

According to the Pew Research Center, the United States is undergoing some major changes. Not only is the country growing in numbers, it is also becoming more diverse, both ethnically and racially. In addition, we are also becoming older. And a new analysis by the Center says these trends are playing out differently across community types … urban, suburban, and rural. On this week’s Perspective program a look at not only the trends, but also what they may portend for our country.     Guests: Kim Parker, the director of social trends research at the Pew Research Center, and Juliana Horowitz, the associate director of social trends research at the Pew Research Center.   Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world.

For far too long the subject of race has been a thorn in the side of mankind…and even today, it seems little closer to being solved. One of the difficulties surrounding race is that it carries with it privilege and power. And keep in mind, there is only one race…the human race. A Kansas State University professor, who earlier this year was honored by Diverse Magazine as one of the 25 influential women in higher education, offers some thoughts on race. Guest: Kakali Bhattacharya, a professor in the College of Education at Kansas State University. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a sh

The Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill June 28th. That follows the House effort which passed earlier in the month. The end result is that Congress appears headed for fights over farm subsidies, food stamps, and conservation. Despite appearances, a Kansas State University agricultural economist says he feels Congress will be forced into getting the next Farm Bill passed…and passed on time. Guest: Art Barnaby, professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Sta

The Electoral College is one of a litany of problems many see confronting a United States government that is floundering. The two main political parties, grassroots institutions and special interest groups, along with the media are also viewed as potential problems which have led to confrontations between conservatives and liberals, legislative gridlock, threats of government shutdowns, and a mistrust of those running the country. On today’s Perspective, the thoughts and insights of one man who worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for almost four decades.  Guest: John Lawrence, a historian and visiting professor at the University of California’s Washington Center. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the wor

Few of us can imagine the stress involved in being a transgender child. Think for a moment about what it is like to be asked again and again, “Are you a boy or a girl?” Or think about what it means to have your deepest sense of self questioned by many of the adults in your life. That is the focus for the conclusion of a two-part series on what it means to be transgender.  Guest: Ann Travers, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University

At one time, gender structure was a stable fact of life. Boys were boys and girls were girls. No questions asked. Each sex was raised differently, depending on their gender, and they were expected to live their lives differently, depending on that gender. Now, for the first time, many young people are pushing the boundaries of what is appropriate behavior for females and for males. Some are even asking to be identified without gender at all. One sociologist says the very meaning of gender is up for grabs. Guest: Barbara Risman, distinguished professor of Arts and Sciences in the Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or

The heat of summer is upon us and with that the drabness of winter has given way to the green lushness of summer. It has also given way to many of the pests of summer. Pests like fleas, mosquitoes, ticks, and mites, which are not only aggravating, but also can present some very real dangers. On this week’s Perspective program a look at the dangers and some common sense things to do to protect yourself … along with some common sense things not to do.   Guest: Kansas State University Entomologist Raymond Cloyd Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State Universi

Robert F. Kennedy started his public life as counsel to red-baiting Sen. Joseph McCarthy, but ended that life as a liberal icon. Kennedy was assassinated during a campaign to unite working-class whites with poor blacks and Latinos in an electoral coalition that looked to change presidential politics. In the second of a two-part series on Perspective today, we conclude our look at some of what drove Senator Kennedy to evolve from a hard-driving conservative to a fiery liberal.   Guest: Larry Tye is the author of "Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal icon." He is also the author of a number of other books, including "Satchel," "Superman," "The Father of Spin," "Home Lands," and "Rising from the Rails." In addition, Tye has been an award-winning journalist at the Boston Globe and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.   Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across

About a year before he was shot and killed, U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy traveled to the Mississippi Delta to confront the face of hunger. During that trip, he saw children so malnourished that most would have thought such a thing was not possible in the United States. In the first of a two-part series on Robert Kennedy, we begin a journey through some of the changes he went through…from counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy to fiery liberal presidential candidate. Guest: Ellen Meacham, an author, longtime journalist and journalism instructor at the University of Mississippi. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Res

A former media executive says this country faces the growing threat of news deserts – areas that are not served by any kind of news outlet. On today’s Perspective program, the impact that loss would have on the community, news availability and media literacy. Guest: Penelope Abernathy, a former executive at the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. She is also the Knight chair in journalism and digital media economics at the University of North Carolina.  Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperati

Countless dinosaur movies have been made over the years. Movies where dinosaurs were roped by cowboys, lived side-by-side with humans, and where dinosaurs lunched on humans. Beyond the movies, there are natural history museums to awe the young and old. But after all that, what is really known about dinosaurs and their place in history? Even though most scientists know quite a bit, one author and paleontologist says the average person is not that knowledgeable. Guest: Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for th

In early April, over 200 people gathered in Garden City to examine some of the concerns about the Ogallala Aquifer, a source of groundwater that underlies some 112 million acres in parts of eight states, including Kansas. The Ogallala supports around 30% of all U.S. crop and livestock production – an estimated $35 billion in agricultural products every year. On this edition of the program, a look at the future of the Ogallala Aquifer and water in general in the state of Kansas. Guest: Dan Devlin, director of the Kansas Water Research Institute at Kansas State University. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Rese

Manhattan recently saw a march for science by a diverse, nonpartisan group that was not only calling for science that upholds the common good, but also for political leaders and policymakers to enact evidence-based policies in the public interest. On today’s Perspective program, two university scientists look at science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. Guest: Brett DePaola, professor and interim head of the Department of Physics and Chris Sorensen, Distinguished Professor in physics, both at Kansas State University. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the K

In a speech earlier this year, the U.S. Secretary of Education called Common Core a disaster. In addition, Secretary Betsy DeVos said, “At the U.S. Department of Education, Common Core is dead." Despite that proclamation, one political scientist says Common Core is very much alive, with twenty-four states reviewing and revising their English and math standards under the Common Core.   Guest: Nicholas Tampio is the author of Common Core: National Education Standards and the Threat to Democracy. Tampio is also an Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State R

Some 15 years ago, K-State Research and Extension became part of a national effort to increase its audience base. The idea was not simply to increase numbers but to learn how to effectively interact with the many ethnic, cultural, racial and religious groups across the state. A decision was made to bring in trainers from Washington State University Extension who had created an effort called “Navigating Difference” to train a group of Research and Extension specialists to train others in dealing with differences. Guests: Nozella Brown, the county director of Wyandotte County Extension and Charlotte Shoup Olsen, a professor and extension specialist in Family Systems at Kansas State Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from aroun

For far too long there has been a belief that kids who grow up in poverty or kids who grew up confronting inequality can overcome the obstacles of getting into college if they just work at it…if they simply persevere. But one educator says that is a myth…a myth about equality and opportunity. Guest: Dr. Linda Nathan, executive director of the Center for Artistry and Scholarship in Boston. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leaders from around the world. Send comments, questions or requests for copies of past programs to ksrenews@ksu.edu. K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooper

We are surrounded by computers…at the bank, at work, at home, in our cars, on airplanes, and even on our wrists. They are ubiquitous. We use them to vote and run our democracy, to figure our taxes, how long it takes to get to grandma’s, how much money we have in the bank, to communicate with our family, and to tell us how many steps we’ve taken and how much weight we’ve gained. So what happens when computers get hacked by thieves or Russians? On today’s Perspective program, one expert takes a look at the technology around us, and whether or not we are keeping it safe. Guest: Brian McClendon, former vice president of engineering at Google and co-founder of the startup that became Google Earth. Perspective is a weekly public affairs program hosted by Richard Baker, communications professor at Kansas State University. Perspective has been continuously produced for radio stations across the nation by K-State for well over six decades. The program has included interviews with dignitaries, authors and thought leade