BEYOND BITCOIN: Cryptocurrency is just the beginning. The blockchain is poised to change everything.
As the predicted crashes in bitcoin’s value are manifesting, all may seem lost. But like any good drama, there’s a twist. It appears that bitcoin was not the star after all. It is its underlying technology—something known as the blockchain—that deserves attention. We talk with Tomek Mackowiack about his cover story, ‘Bitsplained: How blockchain is positioned to reshape our economic system.’
THUMBS DOWN: Facebook is opting out of the news.
In January, Facebook announced it would once again alter its News Feed algorithm to show users even more posts from their friends and family, and a lot fewer from media outlets.
YOU DON’T SAY: It’s true! Nic Cage is coming to town.
The SV411 Podcast makes its triumphant return after losing our former fearless leader, Josh Koehn. Now at the helm of the ship is our decidedly fearful leader, Nick Veronin—joined by News Editor Jennifer Wadsworth.
HIT THIS: On this week’s podcast we talk about the legalization of recreational marijuana.
It’s the end of 2017 and the end of an era. As of January 1, pot is no longer verboten for recreational use in California and longtime Metro staffer Josh Koehn is leaving the paper for the San Francisco Chronicle.
We’ll miss him dearly, but at least we can buy some sweet sticky icky to help us smoke out our sorrows. On this podcast we talk about this week’s cover story on the legalization of recreational marijuana and bid farewell to Josh. We also cover the Hit List, of course.
Join us in bidding adieux to Mr. Koehn and wishing him well on his future endeavors.
MOON MAN: Andy Weir has followed up ‘The Martian’ with a book about a caper on the moon: ‘Artemis.’
On this week’s podcast we talk about the new book from Mountain View-based author Andy Weir. His previous novel, “The Martian,” was a smash hit—both as a book and a movie starring Matt Damon. He returns with “Artemis,” a space-aged caper, which takes place on a colony on the moon.
ROCK BOTTOM: Drug-fueled parties. Forced labor. Damning allegations shut down a San Jose rehab center—but the operators dispute the charges and are back in business. Photo by Greg Ramar.
This week on the SV411 Podcast, Metro staffer Jennifer Wadsworth returns to discuss her latest cover story, “Rehab Gone Rogue,” which tells the story of a local drug rehab center with a sordid history. According to court documents and on-record allegations, patients seeking treatment at Life Choices found themselves thrust into situations—such as being forced to work at hard-drinking bars—where their recovery was put into jeopardy.
BILL FREAKING MURRAY: ‘Nuff said. Photo by Peter Rigaud.
This week we talk about CMT—Children’s Musical Theater—the longest running theater organization in San Jose, which is entering its 50th anniversary season. The performing arts group has gone through some growing pains over the years, but the company is staying young at heart and continuing to produce top-notch shows.
Also on the program—Bill Freaking Murray! We actually got the iconic actor on the horn for a brief conversation. We discussed his upcoming live show, “New Worlds,” and found out how to beat a hangover with the tried and true Murray Method. Listen up. You just might learn something.
MILK CARTON ADULTS: What happens when missing people don’t want to be found?
At any given time, police in the U.S. handle nearly 90,000 active missing person cases. But for adults deemed voluntarily missing, the burden of finding them falls largely on family and friends. In this week’s podcast, Josh talks with staff writer Jennifer Wadsworth about her cover story on the efforts of private detectives and distraught family members to try to find missing loved ones. Some of them don’t want to be found.
Also on this week’s Hit List, Samantha Bee comes to Stanford, Canaan Smith wants to love you like the Mississippi and a spinoff of the Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters” brings a live stage show to San Jose.
BRAINZ! We talk brains on this week’s SV411 Podcast.
This week on the SV411 Podcast, we talk about some fascinating new research coming out of Stanford that may help us learn more about the way our brains work and which points to a future where our minds are linked to computers.
OLD COOL: Maurice Carrubba and his brother, Giuseppe, have reinvented Grandview Restaurant into a topflight venue and steakhouse. Photo by Greg Ramar.
The old is new—and cool—again. On this week’s podcast we discuss the SV Dining issue. In particular, Maurice Carrubba and his brother, Giuseppe—who are perhaps the most successful restaurateurs much of the Bay Area has never heard of. This is because their specialty isn’t opening up trendy joints, but rather in taking old classics that have seemingly been around forever and reenergizing them.
