Big stick energy: Leftover vengeance from the Bay of Pigs to Caracas.

Heather Exner-Pirot explains how a melting Arctic and international politics threaten indigenous land and political autonomy.

Heather wrote the chapter Whose Arctic Is it? in the Worldwatch Institute's report State of the World 2015: Confronting Hidden Threats to Sustainability.

9:10AM - Historian Joyce Mao explores China's role in shaping modern American conservatism.

Joyce is author of Asia First: China and the Making of Modern American Conservatism from University of Chicago Press.

10:05AM - Lawpagandist Brian Foley explains the importance of narrative and storytelling in the courtroom.

Brian will be talking about the Legal Writing Institute.

10:35AM - Writer Eve Ewing remembers the ghosts of closed public schools in Bronzeville and beyond.

Eve wrote the letter Phantoms Playing Double-Dutch: Why the Fight for Dyett is Bigger than One Chicago School Closing at Seven Scribes.

11:05AM - Author William Deresiewicz surveys the cost of a neoliberal university education.

William is author of the September Harper's cover story The Neoliberal Arts: How college sold its soul to the market.

12:05PM - Activist Alberto Roque Guerra contrasts LGBT life in Cuba and the United States.

Dr. Roque Guerra will be speaking at the LGBTs in Cuba event on September 1st.

12:45PM - Jeff Dorchen pokes the turd of nationalist paranoia.

Don't worry, Jeff will be using a stick in this metaphorical situation.

Here's what Chuck is reading this week to prepare for Saturday's show:

Joyce Mao - Asia First: China and the Making of Modern American Conservatism

Eve Ewing - Phantoms Playing Double-Dutch: Why the Fight for Dyett is Bigger than One Chicago School Closing

William Deresiewicz - The Neoliberal Arts: How college sold its soul to the market [subscription required]

9:10AM - Journalist Gary Rivlin revisits the first days and bad decisions of the Katrina disaster.

Gary is author of the new book Katrina: After the Flood from Simon & Schuster.

10:05AM - Live from Kabul, Matthieu Aikins profiles the gangster-politicians of Karachi.

Matthieu's latest writing is The Gangs of Karachi for Harper's and Yemen's Hidden War for Rolling Stone.

10:35AM - The Radical Pessimist, Kevan Harris examines China's influence in South Africa.

Kevan just returned from South Africa and will be in-studio tomorrow.

11:05AM - Writer Alyssa Katz explores the US Chamber of Commerce's influence on American politics.

Alyssa is author of the Spiegel & Grau book The Influence Machine: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Capture of American Life.

12:05PM - Psychology researcher Rael Dawtry points out the blind spots in the minds of wealthy people.

Rael is co-author of the study Why wealthier people think people are wealthier, and why it matters.

12:35PM - The Hopleaf's Michael Roper looks ahead to the inevitable craft brew bubble pop.

Michael will be in-studio with a couple beer choices and the chance to support a local public school by getting day drunk.

Here's what Chuck is reading this week to prepare for Saturday's show:

Gary Rivlin - Katrina: After the Flood

Matthieu Aikins - The Gangs of Karachi [subscription required] / Yemen's Hidden War

Kevan Harris - The Spectre of Global China by Ching Kwan Lee

Alyssa Katz - The Influence Machine

Rael Dawtry - Why wealthier people think people are wealthier, and why it matters.

Chuck is on vacation in Michigan's poorest county and we're trying to switch podcast URLs. See you soon!