prEview: All Cakes Considered, Radio Lab, Gordon Stone

At home, at work, at roller derby, and anywhere else I go, everyone seems to be fighting illness over the last couple of weeks. I’ve managed to avoid getting sick so far, but I’m not taking any chances…which is why I bring you this edition of prEview largely written from my couch.

In between frequent naps and cups of tea, I’m catching up on my podcasts of This American Life, Vermont Edition, and Radio Lab. I even dug up Jean Ferguson’s recipe for spicy chicken soup in VPR Cooks. It all keeps me connected with the world even when I’m trying to lay low. Read on to learn more about Lilly Ledbetter’s recent speech at Vermont Technical College, the new season of Radio Lab, and a recipe for sweet potato pound cake – tested and approved by NPR’s All Things Considered staff.

PS: This week two of Vermont’s highest-ranked political leaders join Bob Kinzel on Vermont Edition. Today, Gov. Jim Douglas will be on the show, and tomorrow, Sen. Bernie Sanders. Send your questions to vermontedition@vpr.net, and listen at noon and 7 p.m.

Radio Lab Returns
Saturdays through December 5, 4 p.m.
Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich return to VPR beginning this weekend with five new episodes of Radio Lab, taking a big idea and following it wherever their creativity takes them, uncovering hidden connections and challenging your curiosity at every turn. This season they examine the topics of stochasticity, afterlife, parasites, the “new normal,” and numbers. Learn more, subscribe to the podcast and browse the new episodes here.

VPR Presents: Lilly Ledbetter
Online at VPR.net
When Lilly Ledbetter learned her male coworkers were paid more for doing equal work, she filed a complaint and began a wage discrimination debate that landed in the Supreme Court. Now an advocate for pay equity, Ledbetter became the inspiration for the first bill President Obama signed into law. Ledbetter appeared at Vermont Technical College with Senator Patrick Leahy on Saturday, October 17th. Download her talk here.

Live from the Performance Studio: Pianist Di Wu
Thursday, November 5, 11 a.m.
Walter Parker welcomes pianist Di Wu for a live performance. She was a medalist at the most recent Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and will perform solo and with the Burlington Chamber Orchestra as part of the UVM Lane Series this weekend.

VPR Cooks: A Year of Cakes at NPR
Almost every Monday, All Things Considered producer Melissa Gray dashes off an e-mail that reads something like this: "Up front we've got sweet potato pound cake, still warm. Dig in, don't be shy." Her adventures in baking, and the staff's adventures in eating what she created, are recounted in a new cookbook called All Cakes Considered: A Year's Worth of Weekly Recipes Tasted, Tested, and Approved by the Staff of All Things Considered. You’ll find that recipe for sweet potato pound cake online here.

Gordon Stone Performs Live on Vermont Edition
Wednesday, November 11, noon and 7 p.m.
Local banjo and pedal steel guitar player Gordon Stone is a legend in the Vermont music scene. He's known for his bluegrass and jam-band music, played on a couple of instrumental Phish albums, and taught kids in the Washington West Supervisory Union the love of guitar, bass, banjo, and pedal steel. He’ll perform live and talk with VPR's Jane Lindholm.

Marketplace Money: Financial Futures
Marketplace Money has been exploring questions about kids and money. What should parents be teaching their kids about money, and when is the right time to start? Listen for a special episode next Saturday, November 14, and visit the show’s website for additional resources for talking to your kids about money.