PODCAST

Think Out Loud

Oregon Public Broadcasting

OPB"s daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.

news

All Episodes

17:11

Portland host of “Conspirituality” podcast on...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/02/02

The podcast “Conspirituality” digs into the conspiracy theories arising at the intersection of health, wellness and spirituality. As reported in Willamette Week, the show’s three co-hosts combine their expertise in health journalism, psychology and cult research to "discuss the stories, cognitive dissonances, and cultic dynamics tearing through the yoga, wellness, and new spirituality worlds.” Portlander Derek Beres is one of the co-hosts of

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16:22

Lewis & Clark College in Portland displays rare...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/02/02

If you want to see some really old stuff, Portland isn’t a bad place to be. With dozens of antique shops around the city, it isn’t hard to find objects more than a hundred years old. But from now until March 6, Lewis & Clark College will do you one better: Its special collections department has unveiled an exhibit featuring manuscripts from the Middle Ages, some dating back to 13th century Europe. While rare now in the 21st century, the items on display were

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19:02

Immigration agents used banned chokeholds in more...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/02/02

After the murder of George Floyd, federal law enforcement agencies banned the use of chokeholds during arrests. But new reporting from ProPublica found more than 40 cases where immigration agents used these banned practices, including in Portland. Nicole Foy reported on this story and joins us to share more.

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18:32

University of Oregon center studies the business,...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/30

The 2026 Winter Olympics kick off next Friday in northern Italy, with nearly 3,000 athletes from more than 90 countries vying for a medal in events ranging from figure skating to curling. Twelve athletes from Oregon and Washington have qualified for Team USA’s roster competing in Milan, Cortina D’Ampezzo and a handful of other sites where skiing and snowboarding events will be held.Yoav Dubinsky, an associate teaching professor of marketing at University of Oregon,

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14:02

The challenges of keeping Oregon seafood local

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/30

A 2022 study from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association found that 90% of seafood sold on the Oregon coast wasn’t locally caught. In fact, much of the seafood caught in Oregon is exported to other countries. The OCVA estimates that Oregon's coastal communities lose roughly $252 million a year because of seafood exportation. There are many challenges with trying to keep Oregon seafood in Oregon, including a lack of workforce and existing infrastructure. The OCVA and the

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19:34

Portland-based child advocacy group says state must...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/30

Education research shows a strong connection between spending time in school and academic achievement. Oregon has the third highest rate of chronic absenteeism in the nation, and it has fewer days of instruction than most other states. Student achievement in reading and math have dropped dramatically in the last decade. We talk with Sarah Pope, the executive director of Stand for Children, which commissioned a new report that points to paths for improvement.

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14:18

Washington lawmakers introduce bill to document and...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/29

Of the thousands of apple varieties grown in the U.S., only a small handful are actually bought and sold on a large scale. They have familiar names, like Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and Red Delicious. But these hugely commercially, successful apple varieties tend to overshadow older, more unique varieties known as heirloom, or heritage, apples. Some of these apples are almost literally hidden, found in small orchards and sometimes growing in backyards or on roadsides

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12:12

Centralia, WA coal-burning power plant remains shut...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/29

In 2010, environmental advocates, elected officials and executives from TransAlta, a Canada-based electricity supplier, assembled a plan to close down Washington’s last remaining coal-burning power plant by the end of 2025. The 15-year long project was a sort of benchmark for transitions of this kind – it included comprehensive financial support and educational opportunities for employees and their families. It eventually lent itself to Washington’s clean

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26:03

Democratic House Speaker and Republican House...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/29

On Monday, Oregon state lawmakers will convene in Salem to start the 2026 short legislative session. They’ll have just 35 days to tackle their legislative priorities, including the future of transportation funding, housing and rebalancing the state budget, which is facing a nearly $900 million shortfall due to an estimated loss in state revenue from tax changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have also seized on growing

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16:20

Southern Oregon artist explores hair as beauty...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/28

Southern Oregon artist Crystal Proffitt has always had a connection to hair. As a dancer, she grew comfortable styling her own hair for performances, and later worked as a professional hairstylist. But she’s also had strangers approach her to touch or tug her curls unsolicited, an experience she says isn’t uncommon for people of color.Proffitt channeled those experiences and others into the art installation “Don’t Touch My Hair: An Interactive Crowned

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20:44

Jefferson High School to end opt-out policy, new...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/28

Hand-in-hand with Jefferson High School’s planned expansion comes a change in boundaries for Portland’s school districts. Portland Public Schools voted earlier this month to end the dual-assignment policy, which for the last 15 years has allowed families to let their student opt-out of attending Jefferson High School and instead choose to attend one of three other high schools in the area. This dual-assignment policy has led to steadily declining enrollment rates

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15:06

Exploring the meaning of “time immemorial

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/28

Many Native American tribes use the phrase “time immemorial” to describe how long they’ve been living in North America. But how long is “time immemorial”? What does it really mean? Indigenous affairs reporter Toastie Oaster dug into the history and significance of the phrase for High Country News. It was part of the magazine’s larger issue on “deep time” in the West. Oaster joins us to share what they learned.

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53:23

Historian Jill Lepore on the difficulty of amending...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/27

The U.S. Constitution likely would not have been ratified in 1788 without Article 5, which allowed for amendment. Many of the original founders championed the idea that the document would need to change as the country changed. As historian Jill Lepore points out in her newest book most of the 27 amendments to the constitution have happened just after times of war or conflict, and after 33 years without an amendment, we may be headed that way again. OPB’s Geoff Norcross

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23:09

Volcano Listening Project turns explosive data into song

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/26

Music and science don’t often overlap, but University of Oregon professor Leif Karlstrom is making it happen with the Volcano Listening Project. Karlstrom turns datasets from the volcanoes he studies every day into sound, then uses those soundtracks to make music with a wide array of musicians. The project will be on display at a pair of upcoming shows in Portland and Hood River on Jan. 28 and 29.Karlstrom joins us to share music from the Volcano Listening Project and

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15:53

OSU facility aids in return of tribal cultural items...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/26

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, requires museums, universities and other institutions that receive federal funding to return Native American ancestral remains and cultural items to their original tribes. Though the law passed nearly 35 years ago, many institutions have failed to fulfill its requirements. Oregon State University recently opened a new facility designed to advance its NAGPRA obligations. The two buildings house a records

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13:57

This Clark County private museum holds (literally)...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/26

Clark County resident Wayne Sutton was only 7 or 8 years old, he says, when his father, who worked in the logging industry, helped him buy his first chainsaw. That was 60 years ago. Today, Sutton is the founder and curator of Wayne’s Chainsaw Museum, a private museum located a few miles outside of Amboy in Clark County that is free and open to visitors by appointment. The Columbian recently profiled Sutton and his museum which is big enough to display only about half of

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35:24

Portland band Sunset Valley reunites for 30-year...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/26

If you were around Portland in the '90s, you probably heard the infectious, upbeat pop tunes of the band Sunset Valley. They toured up and down the West Coast, played in front of big audiences and eventually signed with a big record label. But breakout fame wasn’t in the cards for this group, and the members have since moved on to other things. Now the band is reissuing their record "Boyscout Superhero," and playing a concert to celebrate their 30-year anniversary. We talk

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18:47

Meet the Oregon-group pushing for body liberation

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/23

Morgan Stanley has projected the weight loss medication market to reach $150 billion globally by 2035. The use of GLP-1s, such as Ozempic, have increased drastically since 2019. At the same time, new research shows that the use of these drugs still comes with the risk of judgement and social pressures that all relate to weight stigma. An Oregon-based group, Body Liberation for Public Health, wants to help end these stigmas. The group is advocating for body liberation, which is a

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20:12

Celebrated Portland cartoonist launches kids’ podcast...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/22

If you’ve been in Portland for a while, you’ve probably seen Mike Bennett’s artwork: It’s on the facade of the Wonderwood Restaurant & Indoor Mini Golf course. It’s on Trailblazer hats and Portland Timbers banners. It’s on road signs and beer cans. Now, the famous cartoonist and immersive space designer has launched a new video-podcast series that explores the animal kingdom for a youth audience. Every episode of “The Zooquarium

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18:16

University of Oregon professor wins prestigious arts...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/01/22

Earlier this month, the Oregon Community Foundation and Oregon Humanities announced the names of four recipients of Fields Artist Fellowships. Each of the winners will be awarded $150,000 during the two-year fellowship to work on artistic projects inspired by the communities and cultural traditions they hail from.Ernesto Javier Martínez is a 2026-2028 Fields Artist Fellow based in Eugene. He is also an associate professor and head of the indigenous, race and ethnic

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Think Out Loud

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