CHIASMOS is the University of Chicago’s International and Area Studies Multimedia Outreach Source. They have guest speakers on a regular schedule and publish the talks as podcasts. If you are interested in international studies and want something to listen to, check them out.
I was listening to this one while driving to Minnesota last week. One thing that stuck in my mind was that Professor David Cole (the speaker) claims the world used to identify the statue of liberty as the symbol of the USA, now the world identifies images of Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib with us. I think that this is sad but true.
I also listened to this one (long drive). Dahr Jamail (the speaker) describes how little has been accomplished in terms of re-building Iraq by government contractors with huge contracts (Bechtel, Haliburton, etc.). Many of these contracts were no bid, cost plus gaurenteed profit contracts, ie. tax dollars being flushed down the toilet.