There is, perhaps, no better symbol of the American economic system than the New York Stock Exchange. Today, while still the largest by stock market in the world by trade volume, the NYSE is one of many global markets. And much of the yelling and screaming has been replaced by the gentle whir of computers and algorithmic trading. Technology moves markets. But with algos and dark pools and even the occasional hacked Tweet that wrongly sends markets tumbling in seconds, the technology cuts many ways. Where will it take us next? Few would have better insight than Larry Leibowitz, Chief Operating Officer of the NYSE/Euronext. Larry has responsibility for operations management, global cash execution and global listings, and he joins us now. (Originally broadcast 5-5-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
About me
Larry Leibowitz, COO, New York Stock Exchange/EuroNext
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/781/
Paul Theroux, Author “The Last Train to Zona Verde”
It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that Paul Theroux is one of the great American writers, with a special – though not exclusive – affinity for travel. He took us by train from London’s Victoria Station to Tokyo and back again by way of the Trans-Siberian Railway. He later took the Orient Express to begin a journey that led to Sri Lanka and Turkey. He now returns, you might say, to his roots. Africa. He first arrived there as a recent college grad in the 60s and his new book, “The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari,” continues a voyage he wrote about some 10 years ago. How has that continent changed? How does hope for progress there breathe within the realities of government and urban sprawl? Theroux joins us now. (Originally broadcast 5-5-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/paul-theroux-author-the-last-train-to-zona-verde/
Diane Powell, NASA, Office of the Chief Technologist
Harvard University recently announced the Top 25 programs in this year’s Innovations in American Government Award competition. We’re here to talk about one of them. It’s called LAUNCH. It’s a partnership among NASA, USAID, the State Department, and NIKE, the apparel company — and it uses online collaboration and crowdsourcing, as its mission says, to do no less than maximize human potential. What does that mean in actuality? How does it work? Diane Powell is from NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist, the area where LAUNCH was launched. (Originally broadcast 5-5-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/diane-powell-nasa-office-of-the-chief-technologist/
Cameron Stracher, Author of “Kings of the Road”
The fact that the Boston bombing occurred at a marathon – a celebration of one of America’s most popular participation sports – is not lost on many of us. My next guest, Cameron Stracher, calls running a marathon “an act of faith,” and he has written about the freedom that comes with putting on a pair of shoes and hitting the pavement. Stracher is the author of “Kings of the Road: How Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers and Alberto Salazar Made Running Go Boom.” (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/cameron-stracher-author-of-kings-of-the-road/
Zack Kopplin, Student Leader of Repeal Creationism
The battle to teach Creationism in classes is playing out in the Bayou. In 2008, Louisiana passed the Louisiana Science Education Act, which many people say actually is an end around to allow teachers to refute Darwinism with Creationism. The law is supported by Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, among others, but now, the debate has gone global. More than 70 Nobel scientists and scores of clergy have lined up behind an outspoken and well-organized leader who wants the Act repealed. Who is that leader? Zack Koplin is a Baton Rouge-born, 20 year old college sophomore at Rice University. He is leading the charge and he joins me now. (Originally broadcast 5-5-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/zack-kopplin-student-leader-of-repeal-creationism/
Viktor Mayer-Schonberger, co-Author “Big Data” & Oxford University Professor
Of all the changes technology brings to our lives, none may be more significant to what it means to interact in a human society than Big Data. Nearly every nanosecond of every day, we and the machines around us generate billions of bytes of data – information – that when analyzed reveal not just what we’ve done, but what we’re thinking. The reality and potential around Big Data are hugely positive – from public health to smarter shopping – and scary negative – the ability for governments and neighbors to pry into our privacy in highly uncomfortable ways. You might say Big Data sits at the intersection of technology and morality. Viktor Mayer-Schonberger is Professor of Internet Governance and Regulation at Oxford University. He is also co-author of “Big Data: A revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think.” (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/viktor-mayer-schonberger-co-author-big-data-oxford-university-professor/
David Rose, MIT Media Lab
Today more than ever, great, new, innovative ideas come from anywhere. But if you had to name a capital for this place called anywhere, it just might be the MIT Media Lab, where researchers design technologies for people to create a better future. This group of incredible thinkers and doers take existing and non-existing technologies and evolve them to make our every day lives better. How does that happen? Within the Media Lab is something called the “Tangible Media Group,” and within the “Tangible Media Group” is my next guest – David Rose, visiting scientist, product designer, teacher, and serial entrepreneur. (Originally broadcast 5-5-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/david-rose-mit-media-lab/
Graham Allison, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government
With the death and capture of the of the Tsarnaev brothers, an area unknown to many Americans has now jumped to our front pages: Chechnya. Russia has sought US agreement to classify Chechnya a terrorist state. Is it possible now that this terrorist activity has reached our shores? What else should we know about this region? Few know the area and conflict better than Graham Allison, professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Prof. Allison has devoted much of his career to Russian studies, served in the Defense Department under Presidents Reagan and Clinton and twice earned the DOD’s highest civilian award: The Distinguished Public Service Medal. (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/graham-allison-harvard-universitys-kennedy-school-of-government/
Jonathan Hock, 8-time Emmy Award winning producer, director, writer & editor
ESPN’s 30 for 30: What began as 30 documentaries to celebrate the network’s 30th birthday has become a signature for some of the best storytelling around the role of sports in society. The series is headlined by award-winning directors – people like Barry Levenson and Ice Cube and Jonathan Hock. An 8-time Emmy winner, Hock’s 30 for 30 films include one on football flameout Marcus Dupree and another on the inspirational 1983 North Carolina State NCAA championship basketball team. (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/jonathan-hock-8-time-emmy-award-winning-producer-director-writer-editor/
Alan Siegel, Founder Siegel+Gale & SiegelVision
As communications in this age of Twitter and Facebook and email and texting and targeted ads and so on, have gone – shall we say – a bit haywire, something of a trend has emerged among those who do it well: Simplicity. Today more than ever, if you want to get your message heard, you’ve got to keep it simple. And the style – the language – used for simple messaging is equally simple. It’s called Plain English. And if that’s not clear to you – if I’m not making it simple enough – my next guest will. Because, with only slight exaggeration, Alan Siegel founded Simplicity. And he did it more than 40 years ago. Since then, Siegel became an icon in the branding world, helping groups like the NBA, Xerox, American Express, Caterpillar, The Girl Scouts and others define who they are and how they say it. He founded the global firm Siegel + Gale, recently launched SiegelVision, and his latest book is “Simple: Conquering the Crisis of Complexity.” (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/alan-siegel-founder-siegelgale-siegelvision/
Taegan Goddard, Publisher, Political Wire
You might think this is the political off-season, but you’d be wrong. In South Carolina, a special election for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. Why is one seat in a medium-sized southern state interesting political talk? Because it’s a battle between former Gov. Mark Sanford – yes, he’s the one who said he was hiking the Appalachian Trail when he in fact was liaising in South America – and Elizabeth Colbert Busch, a businesswoman and Stephen Colbert’s sister. Then there’s Virginia, where the off-year election will be a first major sign of what we might expect in the 2014 midterms. Who do we call when we want to talk politics? Taegan Goddard, of course. He’s Publisher of Political Wire. (Originally broadcast 5-5-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on May 7, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/05/07/taegan-goddard-publisher-political-wire-3/
Dr. Tony Marx, President & CEO, New York Public Library
For all the talk of the decline of public education, we take a moment to celebrate one of the most famous public high schools in America – Bronx High School of Science, which turns 75 this year. With 8 Nobel Prize winners – more than Australia, they point out, and tied with Norway – Bronx Science is one of the most accomplished public schools we have. It is also home to an incredible alumni list, including writer E.L. Doctorow, architect Daniel Libeskind, and my next guest, New York Public Library President & CEO Dr. Anthony Marx. The former President of Amherst College, Dr. Marx has spent his career promoting higher education for low-income students and today runs the one of the largest public libraries in the world — at a time when technology and digital are completely overhauling not only how we learn, but perhaps even what it means to be a library. (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on April 24, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/04/24/dr-tony-marx-president-ceo-new-york-public-library/
John Hunter, Teacher & Author, “World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements”
If you’ve ever watched kids programming on, say, Disney Channel or Nick – or seen a kids movie – they all seem to have the same general world view: Adults know nothing, and everything would be a lot better if kids ruled the world. For some 35 years, one educator has put that theory into action. Starting with an in-class game he calls “World Peace,” John Hunter has spent decades letting school children – from high school down to 4th grade – address and solve various issues. The result has been an incredibly hopeful and inspirational series of lessons so simple a child can understand them, that if applied by adults, just might be able to change the world. John Hunter, teacher, author of “World Peace and other 4th Grade Achievements” has brought his ideas to the Pentagon and the United Nations and elsewhere. (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on April 23, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/04/23/john-hunter-teacher-author-world-peace-and-other-4th-grade-achievements/
Kevin Werbach, Wharton Professor, on Online Education (MOOCs)
Here’s how Penn Professor Kevin Werbach tells it: The University’s Wharton School of Business – where Werbach teaches – is one of the oldest, most prestigious institutions in the world. Since opening in 1881, more than 92,000 people have graduated. However, in the last 8 months, in just two sessions of a single course, Werbach has taught some 140,000 students in 150 countries. How is that possible? Welcome to the power of MOOCs – Massive Open Online Courses – which are revolutionizing – and democratizing – education. According to Werbach, his course on Gamification generated “more than 2 million video views and nearly 20,000 forum posts.” The numbers stagger. How incredible is the potential for online learning? And why do some say it’s no big deal? Professor Werbach joins me now. (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on April 23, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/04/23/kevin-werbach-wharton-professor-on-online-education-moocs/
Hoyt Harper, Sr. VP, Global Brand Leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Group
It’s what every company in the world – big and small – wants. It drives revenue. Cuts expense. Extends reach. Delivers happiness. And separates winners from the losers. Companies spend billions to secure it and hold onto it and for good reason – they can lose it in an instant. And yet, it’s nearly impossible to define. I’m talking about Customer Loyalty, that ephemeral sense we all have towards brands we like and companies where we want to spend our money. How do the world’s largest organizations drive customer loyalty? How hard do they think about how to keep us coming back? Few business leaders have been more successful in driving Customer Loyalty than Hoyt Harper, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Leader, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Group. At a time when many hotels were reducing their Club offerings, Harper doubled down, investing more than $100MM to drive greater customer benefit and loyalty. What were the risks? How has it worked? (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on April 23, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/04/23/hoyt-harper-sr-vp-global-brand-leader-sheraton-hotels-resorts-group/
Anne Morriss, CEO GenePeeks & co-Author “Uncommon Service”
Ever wonder why, if so much of our economy is based on service, great service is still so rare? Or why, if your call is important to us, you still have to hold indefinitely for an operator? Or, if call centers are in business to judge and manage call volumes, they continually apologize because we’re experiencing higher than usual call volumes? So has my next guest. Anne Morriss is CEO of GenePeeks, a genetic information company, and co-author of “Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business.” (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on April 22, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/04/22/anne-morriss-ceo-genepeeks-co-author-uncommon-service/
Taegan Goddard, Founder of Political Wire & Editor-at-Large at The Week.com
For anyone keeping a political scorecard at home, we have just completed a week that covered more of the biggest issues we face than any other week in memory: Homeland Security, Miranda Rights, Gun Control, Immigration – all at the top of the political agenda. Where do things stand? And do the events threaten to derail President Obama’s second term agenda. Few understand America’s political pulse better than our friend Taegan Goddard, Publisher of Political Wire and editor-at-large at The Week. (Originally broadcast 4-21-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on April 22, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/04/22/taegan-goddard-founder-of-political-wire-editor-at-large-at-the-week-com-4-21-13/
Jagdish Bhagwati, Sr. Fellow for Int’l Economics, Council on Foreign Relations
Of all the issues that stand in the way of a country’s ability to reach its full economic potential — and there are so many — few are more globally pervasive, and harder to solve, than poverty. But how does the path that connects economic potential and personal poverty get not just identified, but solved? What role can a pro-growth policy play? And, as we consider yet again how to address economic growth and poverty in the US, what can and should we learn from international examples. Few think through the pros and cons of international economic policy more cleverly or deeply than Dr. Jagdish Bhagwati, Senior Fellow for International Economics at Council on Foreign Relations, and University Professor at Columbia University. And his book “Why Growth Matters” will be published in the US in April. (Originally broadcast 1-27-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on January 30, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/01/30/jagdish-bhagwati-sr-fellow-for-intl-economics-council-on-foreign-relations/
Yann Martel, Author “Life of Pi”
With just a month to go before the biggest movie night of the year, I want to talk about a book. And not just any book, but the thoroughly compelling story of a boy and a tiger and, if not the meaning of life, then at least a reflection on the existence of a higher being. A story that captured the world’s attention, winning the Booker Prize and selling more than 9 million copies. It was made into a movie, earning an astonishing 11 Academy Award nominations. What makes Life of Pi so popular? Why does this tale of a boy from a faraway land speak so clearly to so many of us? Few should know better than the author, Yann Martel, and he joins us now from Canada. (Originally broadcast 1-27-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on January 30, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/01/30/yann-martel-author-life-of-pi/
Dave Girouard, Founder & CEO, Upstart
It’s a story we hear every day. Student debt is rising out of control. At graduation — and with jobs so hard to find — our best young minds, the ones with the newest and shiniest ideas, immediately move back home with their parents and then take the first job they can in order to start paying down their loans. It might not be the best job — but they take what they can get. Many of us hear these stories and think nothing beyond how lucky the new grad is to have a job. Dave Girouard heard these stories and thought: Market Opportunity. Dave is the founder of Upstart, an online marketplace that lets financial backers invest in individuals. The backers give recent graduates immediate funding in exchange for a predetermined percentage of the grad’s future earnings. Can an online marketplace for human talent really work — and what might it mean for the way our future grads think about their first jobs? Upstart founder Dave Girouard joins me now. (Originally broadcast 1-27-13 on The John Batchelor Show)
Posted by Chris Riback on January 30, 2013
http://chrisriback.com/2013/01/30/dave-girouard-founder-ceo-upstart/
