Toast n' Topics

In our latest episode, we speak with Adithi Ramakrishnan of the Associated Press on a recent piece that she wrote on the lighting of the US Open tennis championships, which has been recently renovated to reduce light pollution in New York City's skies. For more on Adithi and some of her work at AP, click the link below! https://apnews.com/author/adithi-ramakrishnan

In the first of an exciting series of interviews, Toast n' Topics speaks with Stuart Reid, Senior Fellow for History and Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. We focus on Stuart's book "The Lumumba Plot", discussing the riveting plot of the CIA to assassinate Patrice Lumumba, The Congo's first Prime Minister. In the podcast, we learn more about Congo's history, their relationship with the US and other foreign countries, as well as the role that other peacekeeping organizat...

In our latest episode, we discuss the recent string of technical failures that unfolded at Newark Airport, including the longer-term problems of outdated infrastructure and staffing shortages in the industry, as well as what could be done to improve them.

In this episode, we interview Nikhil Kamdar, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and a current med student at George Washington University, about a recent medical service trip that he made to Uganda and his observations on the ground

In this episode, Ben and Sachin discuss the progress that has been made in generative AI technology and the tangible evidence that it could be improving productivity. See a sample of Ben's webpage mentioned in the podcast here: https://commandofcommerce.com/

In this episode, we unpack the latest developments in the global AI race including the recent breakthroughs from Deepseek, a Chinese AI startup, and what it could mean for the future in the race for global AI dominance.

Healthcare plays a massive role in the American economy at 18% of GDP, however, data on US health outcomes has not been as encouraging, with the highest rate of infant mortality in developed nations, the lowest life expectancy, and the highest rate of preventable deaths. Our first episode of 2025 dives into some of these issues, with a discussion on the US health system, how it compares to others in the world, and possible reform that could improve outcomes.

In our last episode of 2024, we speak with Sachin Shiva, a graduate of Dartmouth College in the Class of 2022 and a current researcher at the Center For American Progress, about some of his work around unions, their benefits to our economy, and how they promote a more inclusive democracy. To read more of Sachin's research, click the link here: https://www.americanprogress.org/people/sachin-shiva/

In this episode, Ben and Sachin explore what the intensification of tropical storms and other natural disasters may mean for risk analysis and development over the coming decades.

In this episode, Ben and Sachin unpack the U.S. fiscal deficit, its primary drivers, and why it matters.

In this episode, Ben and Sachin examine California's recent student smartphone ban and the effects that technology has broadly had on American youth.

In this episode, Ben and Sachin explore the history of the gold standard and what would happen if the U.S. went back to it.