Oklahoma tornado recovery May 23
Hour 1 Guests: Rachel Hubbard, William Coulbourne, David Martin The search for victims is over and recovery work has begun in Moore and parts of Oklahoma City after Monday’s tornado that killed at least 24 people including 10 [...]

State of the Beaches in New Jersey and Delaware May 22
Guests: Matthew Doherty, Thomas Herrington, Collin O'Mara Seven months after Superstorm Sandy ravaged the region, several beach towns in New Jersey are still picking up the pieces. Many communities are in the process of restoring boardwalks and other [...]

Climate change milestone May 21
Guests: Gavin Schmidt, Anthony Leiserowitz Last week carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached record levels — 400 parts per million, according to a monitoring station in Hawaii.  Never in human history have carbon dioxide concentrations been that high.  [...]

Investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill on Dirty Wars May 21
GUEST: JEREMY SCAHILL Much of the Obama Administration’s national security policy relies on the work of  the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and the CIA’s Special Activities Division. According to our guest JEREMY SCAHILL, National Security Correspondent for [...]

Analysis of President Obama's trip to Mexico May 6
GUESTS: TIM JOHNSON and CHRISTOPHER WILSON Is a new Mexico emerging? That’s what President Obama said in a speech Friday during his two-day trip to Mexico, his fourth as President. He met with Mexico’s president, Enrique Pena Nieto [...]

Good TV worth watching May 1
GUEST: DAVID BIANCULLI With all the changes in styles of viewing, following TV shows is still an American pastime. We can become distracted by all the options of when and how we watch – traditional TV, streaming online, [...]

Electric Cars: Present and Future Developments April 29
Guests: John Voelcker, Tom Turrentine, Willett Kempton With about 100,000 electric cars on the roads in the United States, they are a small but growing sector of the auto industry. Improvements in battery technology and several new models [...]

Digital Etiquette April 18
Guest: Daniel Post Senning It’s probably happened to you – a friend answers a text at dinner or checks their email in the middle of a conversation.  Maybe you’re the guilty one.  Sometimes it seems like good manners [...]

Douglas Rushkoff's Present Shock March 27
Guest: DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF Do you often feel you aren’t on your game because you’re not hip to the new trend and are behind in your tweets? Our guest, author DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF, has been observing our culture’s need to [...]

Online Comments March 25
Guests: Dietram Scheufele, Meghan Daum, Bob Cohn Do you read the comments at the end of an article or blog?  Do you post responses yourself?  A recent study examined the effect of online comments on readers and found [...]

Fishermen’s Energy & the future of wind energy in New Jersey March 14
GUESTS: CHRIS WISSEMANN, JEFF TITTEL and STEFANIE BRAND We examine the future of wind energy in New Jersey from three different perspectives. Should wind farms come to the Garden State? First, we get an inside look from Fishermen’s [...]

The pros and cons of working from home March 13
Guests:  Raymond Fisman and Jennifer Glass Like many technology companies, Yahoo had a corporate culture that encouraged employees to work remotely providing them with flexible work hours and less time spent commuting.  All that will come to an [...]

The debate over the use of unmanned drones over U.S. skies March 12
GUESTS:  BEN GIELOW and JAY STANLEY In five years the Federal Aviation Administration estimates that there will be 7,500 commercially operated drones flying in the United States, and even more if you include public institutions. The idea of [...]

Cell phone video & public-police relationship March 7
GUESTS: DAVID RUDOVSKY, JERRY RATCLIFFE, TIMOTHY B. LEE Cell phone video footage captured then-Philadelphia Police Lt. Jonathan Josey striking a woman in the face at the street celebrations in North Philadelphia following September’s Puerto Rican Day Parade. When [...]

Auto update: Self-driving vehicles and new car trends March 5
Guests: BRYANT WALKER SMITH and DAN NEIL If you haven’t bought a new car in the last few years, you may be surprised by all the advanced systems now available to assist you driving. There are infrared sensors, [...]

The Past and Future of USPS February 26
Hour 2 GUESTS: RICHARD R. JOHN Will the mail continue to be important as Americans are more engaged in the digital age? The financially strapped United States Postal Service (USPS) will be ceasing their Saturday delivery service, with [...]

Nuclear weapons and nonproliferation February 21
GUEST:  WARD WILSON North Korea conducted its third underground nuclear test last week, the same day President Obama addressed the country in his State of the Union speech.  Obama has made reducing the nation’s nuclear arsenal a priority [...]

Cybersecurity and the growing threats February 14
Guests: SIOBHAN GORMAN, ALAN PALLER and JAMES LEWIS On Tuesday, President Obama signed an Executive Order to protect the country’s critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.  As he announced Tuesday night in his State of the Union address, the [...]

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom on 'Citizenville' February 13
GUEST: GAVIN NEWSOM You may recognize the name GAVIN NEWSOM from his historic 2004 decision as San Francisco Mayor to allow same-sex marriages. He is now the lieutenant governor of the State of California, following his two terms [...]

Obama's drone strike policy February 8
The Obama administration’s use of drones for targeted killings has been drawing increasing attention and criticism from some.  In his confirmation hearings yesterday, John Brennan, Obama’s nominee for CIA director and current top counterterrorism adviser, faced questions and [...]

Will Obama's second term change prospects for climate? January 24
In his inaugural speech, President Obama made climate change a central priority of his second term: “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future [...]

NPR's Andy Carvin, a 'Distant Witness' via social media January 22
The Arab Spring changed history, and changed the way breaking news is reported around the world and who controls the news. NPR social media chief ANDY CARVIN – “the man who tweets revolutions” – offers a unique first-person [...]

#innovateRT: Sustainable Philadelphia January 18
In the fifth and final hour in our series on Philadelphia Innovators, we look at sustainability in the city and the effort to make Philly the greenest city in America.  We’ll find out how close we are to [...]

#innovateRT, pt. 4: Open Data Philly & bridging the digital divide January 17
In the fourth part of our #innovateRT series exploring PHILADELPHIA INNOVATORS, we investigate: What is Philadelphia doing to use the Web, apps and digital technology to change its relationship with its citizens? What could open data and the [...]

The pros and cons of privatizing the lottery January 15
Late Friday afternoon, the Corbett administration announced it had issued a "notice of award" to the UK's Camelot Group to run the Commonwealth's lottery. Camelot, the only bidder on the contract, promised that over its 20-year contract it [...]

#innovateRT: A conversation with local tech innovators January 15
Talk to local government officials, entrepreneurs and investors and they will tell you that things are happening in Philadelphia's technology sector.   New tax incentives that benefit start-ups and venture capitalists who are committed to developing and nurturing them [...]

Journalist Mark Bowden on "The Finish" of Osama bin Laden January 11
[REBROADCAST] Journalist MARK BOWDEN returns to Radio Times to take us inside the rooms where the decisions were made to take down Osama bin Laden. Having access to President Obama, his national security advisors, and high ranking members [...]

Garbology: a look at America's trash habit December 26
[REBROADCAST] Americans make a lot of trash, more than any other country in the world. In fact, each of us produces around 7.1 pounds of garbage a day, or roughly 102 tons in a lifetime. And trash turns [...]

How the Internet has changed the music industry December 14
In the old days when you loved a band you would head to your local record store and buy their album and the artists and record label would each get a cut of the profits.  But today more [...]

Genetic testing and medicine December 4
Doctors are increasingly turning to genetic testing to track down diseases, uncover a patient’s risk and better target treatments. Every cell in our body contains our complete DNA and from a swab of saliva or a little blood, [...]

DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara December 3
COLLIN O’MARA serves as Secretary of the Environment and Energy for Delaware Governor Jack Markell. He’s the chief steward of Delaware’s natural resources, including its coastal programs and shoreline efforts, and leads the state’s efforts to ensure access to [...]

The Jersey Shore, after Sandy: To rebuild or not to rebuild November 21
When Superstorm Sandy slammed into and through the southern Jersey Shore near Ocean City in the evening of Oct. 29, the full-moon high tide and storm surge laid waste to structures, streets and stretches of shoreline up and [...]

The Search for Earth-like planets November 12
Hour 2 Last week, astronomers announced they had found a planet seven times the size of Earth and with a habitable climate.  This Super-Earth orbits dwarf star HD 40307 and is just 43 million light years away (one [...]

Journalist Mark Bowden on "The Finish" of Osama bin Laden October 25
Hour 2 Journalist MARK BOWDEN returns to Radio Times to take us inside the rooms where the decisions were made to take down Osama bin Laden. Having access to President Obama, his national security advisors, and high ranking [...]

Sandusky sentenced; then, the civilian toll of drone strikes October 10
Hour 1 Yesterday, former Penn State football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years for the sexual abuse of nine young men, a scandal that rocked Happy Valley and forced the ouster of [...]

Wearable computers September 26
Hour 2 Smart phones may be migrating from our hands to our heads. Google has a product coming out next year that puts all the capabilities of a smartphone into a pair of high-tech, wraparound glasses.  Project Glass [...]

Sasha Issenberg on 'The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns' September 12
Hour 1 What convinces a voter this way or that? It’s an age-old question that’s driven one of the surest, fastest-growing sectors of the American economy for the last several decades. But increasingly, that seemingly simple question is [...]

Moving forward on high speed rail September 6
Hour 2 President Obama had big plans for high-speed rail in the United States when he came into office in 2008 — it included rail projects in 31 states.  But a number of governors rejected the federal funding [...]

NASA's Mission to Mars and Curiosity August 27
Hour 1 NASA’s Curiosity rover has been on the Martian surface for three weeks now and so far, except for a broken wind sensor, everything has gone according to plan. After an eight and a half month journey [...]

Pennsylvania's complicated voting system July 31
Hour 1 How much control do Pennsylvania voters have over their state's election process? Registration deadlines are restrictive compared to other states; early and mail-in voting guidelines are incompatible with on-site voting; and those living in the Keystone [...]

Extreme weather and climate change July 30
Hour 1 We’re in the midst of the worst drought in 50 years. The last 12 months have been the hottest on record.  Heat waves, storms, floods and wildfires have been wreaking havoc this spring and summer in [...]

Working at home July 27
Hour 1 Ten percent of U.S. workers telecommute to work each day – they log-in at home and avoid traffic and a dress code.  But a recent survey confirms what many people suspect, that when people work at [...]

The Ivy League for all: Free online courses July 26
Hour 2 A number of major universities are now offering online courses for free – they’re called MOOCs, for Massive Open Online Courses – and many people believe they’ll change higher education. The online education venture Coursera, which [...]

Pennsylvania's gas & energy politics July 9
Hour 1 Energy issues continue to connect Pennsylvania politics to the global economy, and on today’s Radio Times, we’re going to catch up on several important recent developments and what they mean for our region, our wallets, and [...]

Obama's Shadow War July 5
Hour 1 The Obama administration is facing mounting criticism for its use of armed drones to kill suspected terrorists in foreign countries.  A recent op-ed by former President Jimmy Carter in The New York Times pointed to a [...]

The worldwide struggle for internet freedom June 12
Hour 1 Is the internet compatible with democracy? How much of Google and Facebook can be regulated by the government? The struggle for internet control continues to grow as we rely more on our digitally networked platforms, devices [...]

Peter Cappelli on 'Why Good People Can't Get Jobs' June 11
Hour 1 Unemployment in the U.S. ticked back up to 8.2 percent in May, one reflection of the lingering effects of the Great Recession and a statistic that includes 12.7 million unemployed Americans. And even now, employers bemoan [...]

Weighing the new prostate cancer screening recommendations June 8
Hour 1 Millions of men over the age of 50 get screened for prostate cancer with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.  Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in American men and for years, [...]

Transit of Venus: its history & transit methods today June 1
Hour 1 Each century Venus passes directly between the sun and the Earth twice, eight years apart. On June 5th or 6th 2012, depending on where on Earth you are, you may be able to see the last [...]

Are hate-crime laws necessary? May 22
Hour 1 Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was sentenced yesterday to 30 days in prison for committing a bias crime in connection with the suicide death of his roommate Tyler Clementi.  Bias intimidation laws, also known as [...]

Natural gas fracking: an update May 14
Hour 1 The EPA has set the first air pollution rules for natural gas drilling, requiring gas drillers to capture toxic gases, like benzene, that are released during the drilling process. The new rules go into effect in [...]

What's in our food? Michael Pollan & Keeve Nachman May 9
Hour 2 What is in your chicken?  A new study found that chickens were eating feed containing a banned antibiotic and the active ingredients for pain relievers, antihistamines, and antidepressants. There’s been growing concern over the use antibiotics [...]

Garbology: a look at America's trash habit April 26
Hour 1 Americans make a lot of trash, more than any other country in the world. In fact, each of us produces around 7.1 pounds of garbage a day, or roughly 102 tons in a lifetime. And trash [...]

The social media battleground of today's politics April 19
Hour 1 Days before Pennsylvania’s primary, we step back and check our cell phones for the latest update on how political campaigns are using social media, technology and the “four screens” many of us see every day to [...]

Medical specialists warn of overtesting April 12
Hour 1 Nine physician specialty societies are banning together with leading consumer groups to draw attention to the over-use of certain medical tests and procedures.  The “Choosing Wisely” initiative, launched by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation [...]

Mapping the Mind: Sebastian Seung on the Connectome March 30
Hour 2 [REBROADCAST] Many people think that our genes tell the story of who we are. But a group of researchers believe that the wiring in our brain may be even more revealing and they’ve set out to [...]

Encyclopedias, Wikipedia, and how we get information in the 21st century March 28
Hour 2 The publishers of the Encyclopedia Britannica announced earlier this month that after 244 years, they will no longer make available print editions of the reference book.  It will however make available its resources online for an [...]

Problem-solving as education: Philadelphia's Sustainability Workshop March 15
Hour 2 Twenty-eight Philadelphia public high school seniors, who have proven their strengths in math, science and engineering, have been participating in a new alternative project on the edge of the Navy Yard. This pilot program, the Sustainability [...]

Lori Andrews on social networks & privacy March 9
Hour 2 Social networking sites have the ability to put us in touch with old friends, help us meet our soul-mates and even topple governments, but they are also blurring the lines between our public and private selves [...]

Apple: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly March 6
Hour 1 On the eve of Apple’s next press event announcing another one of its legendary gadgets, we’ll take a look at the human cost of making iPad and iPhones.  Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that produces components for [...]

The Delaware Valley's fiber heritage & future of fabrics February 24
Hour 1 The Delaware Valley has a deep influence in the history and in the future of synthetic fiber and design. Our guest, REGINA LEE BLASZCZYK, has researched the Philadelphia region’s heritage in developing the chemicals that created [...]

Updating America's voting registration & a history of voting rights February 22
Hour 1 When you’ve moved from one state to another and re-registered to vote, do you assume your former state knows you’re no longer showing up at the polls? If you don’t notify your former state, you’re one [...]

Adventuring in the Modern Age February 20
Hour 2 [REBROADCAST] What does it take to summit a mountain, traverse the poles or dive into the deepest cave?  In the past it took physical prowess, good logistical skills and an intrepid spirit.  Today though, technology plays [...]

Problem-solving as education: Philadelphia's Sustainability Workshop February 17
Hour 1 Twenty-eight Philadelphia public high school seniors, who have proven their strengths in math, science and engineering, have been participating in a new alternative project on the edge of the Navy Yard. This pilot program, the Sustainability [...]

College cuts: Pennsylvania's higher ed on the chopping block February 16
Hour 1 Last week, for the second year in a row, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced that his budget for 2012-2013 would include steep cuts in higher education funding.  The state-related universities Penn State, Temple and Pitt would [...]

Internet piracy & how to stop it February 16
Hour 2 From the download of that song stuck in your head to the episode of that TV show viewed on a foreign website, it's easier than ever to get your favorite media for free on the internet. [...]

The perils of Farmville: A look into the social gaming phenomenon February 15
Hour 2 Zynga, a social games company that has created hits like Farmville and Words With Friends, made headlines recently after Facebook released data indicating that Zynga is responsible for about 12 percent of its annual revenue. Social [...]

A fee with impact: Pennsylvania's shale gas tax February 13
Hour 2 The Pennsylvania legislature has passed a bill that allows a tax on natural gas drilling.  It enables municipalities to levy an impact fee on the gas industry and Governor Corbett is expected to sign it. Proponents [...]

Mapping the Mind: Sebastian Seung on the Connectome February 9
Hour 2 Many people think that our genes tell the story of who we are. But a group of researchers believe that the wiring in our brain may be even more revealing and they’ve set out to make [...]

Are the Big 3 really making a comeback? Plus hits & misses of the Philadelphia Auto Show February 3
Just three years after the near-collapse of the U.S. auto industry, Detroit's Big Three automakers are in the middle of a resurgence.  They are regaining some of the market share they lost to Japanese manufacturers and GM has [...]

The Supreme Court's blockbuster term February 2
Hour 1 By all accounts, the Supreme Court's current term has been filled with decisions on important and historic cases, influencing criminal procedure, privacy, and decency on the airwaves, with decisions still to come that will influence politics [...]

The Keystone XL Pipeline Debate January 31
Hour 1 The Obama administration recently rejected the hotly contested proposal to build a 1,700-mile pipeline from Western Canada to Texas. The Keystone XL pipeline would carry 800,000 barrels of oil from the tar sands in Alberta across [...]

Role of Technology in Education January 19
Hour 1 Laptops, tablets, electronic white boards and PowerPoint are increasingly at home in K through 12 classrooms. Some education reformers see technology as the central to improving learning, personalizing education, and saving money for cash-strapped schools. But [...]

States look for jackpot in online gambling January 19
Hour 2 With the squeeze on state budgets, many are betting on gambling to put cash in their coffers. States around the country are pushing to legalize in-state Internet gambling. In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie has said [...]

Ezekiel Emanuel on the Health Care Law and Health Care Costs January 18
Hour 1 [REBROADCAST] This March the Supreme Court will review the constitutional challenge to the 2010 health care bill over the provision that requires most Americans to buy health care coverage. EZEKIEL EMANUEL worked on the Patient Protection [...]

Data mining & online tracking: Joseph Turow on 'The Daily You' January 13
Hour 1 Have you ever Googled a specific topic only to find that advertisements associated with that topic suddenly appear in your email or on your internet browser? The process by which all that happens is called "data [...]

Lori Andrews on social networks & privacy January 12
Hour 2 Social networking sites have the ability to put us in touch with old friends, help us meet our soul-mates and even topple governments, but they are also blurring the lines between our public and private selves [...]

A Cultural History of Shoplifting December 16
Hour 2 [REBROADCAST] It’s called the “five finger discount” and it’s been around for centuries – Plato, Zeno and St. Augustine all had thoughts on shoplifting.  In her fascinating book, The Steal: A Cultural History of Shoplifting, writer [...]

DIY invention, 'maker' culture & building a toaster from scratch December 15
Hour 2 THOMAS THWAITES was a graduate art student in London when he hatched upon a slightly crazy idea: He decided he wanted to see if it was possible to build, from scratch, an everyday household object. He [...]

Going Cashless November 28
Hour 1 This holiday shopping season some people may be leaving their wallets at home but still spending plenty. The new mobile payment apps like Google Wallet and Square allow people to pay with their phones. For now [...]

Aging in Place November 22
Hour 2 While retirement communities may appeal to some people, in surveys most Americans say they want to grow old in their homes. The “aging in place” movement, as it’s been called, works to enable people to stay [...]

Ezekiel Emanuel on the Health Care Law and Health Care Costs November 21
Hour 1 Last week the Supreme Court agreed to review the constitutional challenge to the 2010 health care bill over the provision that requires most Americans to buy health care coverage. EZEKIEL EMANUEL worked on the Patient Protection [...]

The New Grief November 7
Hour 2 'Just like we plan for birth, we need to plan for death. After all, it’s a part of life,” says our guest, BARBARA OKUN Ph.D., professor of counseling psychology at Northeastern University. Medical advances have extended [...]

Groupon's IPO & the swelling sector of daily deal discounters November 4
Hour 2 On the heels of its much anticipated, and hotly debated, Initial Public Offering, the world has learned much about the value of the retail discounter Groupon. The innovative business model, which pulled in new customers by [...]

This test saved my life: Rethinking the value & risks of cancer screening November 3
HOUR 2 Recently, several expert groups have issued recommendations for less screening for prostate, breast and cervical cancer.  Earlier this month, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel charged with evaluating medical evidence and issuing guidelines, [...]

Adventuring in the Modern Age October 12
Hour 2 What does it take to summit a mountain, traverse the poles or dive into the deepest cave?  In the past it took physical prowess, good logistical skills and an intrepid spirit.  Today though, technology plays an [...]

Cutting-edge community design, with Teddy Cruz, Mami Hara & Beth Miller October 10
Hour 2 The cutting edge in architecture and community design: For this hour of Radio Times, we invite three designers into the studio to discuss how they are incorporating new ideas and visions into civic and private spaces, [...]

Mark Bowden – Worm: The First Digital World War October 5
Hour Two Journalist MARK BOWDEN returns to the Radio Times studio to discuss his investigative reporting on a computer virus that infected about 1.5 million computers world-wide in November 2008. This ‘Conficker’ worm inspired a volunteer group of [...]

Dana Priest on 'Top Secret America: The Rise of the New American Security State' September 12
Hour 1 In the 10 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks commemorated yesterday, the world has been utterly transformed. But so much of what has changed has been done in secret, classified and covered up by officials in [...]

The New Car and Truck Fuel Efficiency Standards August 11
Hour 1 The Obama administration has announced new fuel efficiency standards for the automobile industry and truck makers.  Cars and light trucks will have to get 54.5 mph by 2025.  Big rig trucks will have to improve fuel [...]

What to do about violent flash mobs in Philadelphia? August 9
Hour 1 We’ll discuss the “flash-mob” youth violence crime wave plaguing the city of Philadelphia, what’s causing it and the city’s official response, which was announced by Mayor Michael Nutter yesterday [Monday Aug. 8]. In it, Mayor Nutter [...]

Philadelphia Cold War Spy Harry Gold July 26
Hour 2 REBROADCAST: Harry Gold, a low-key South Philadelphia industrial chemist, son of Russian Jewish immigrants, hand-delivered U.S. atomic bomb classified information to the Soviets between 1935 – 1950. He was so under the radar, his obituary wasn’t [...]

Marcellus shale update: Pooling & local impacts July 22
Hour 1 Today, Pennsylvania Governor’s Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley, is expected to publish their recommendations for moving forward with the burgeoning industry. Joining us to report on the Commission’s process, politics and [...]

Facial Recognition Technology July 21
Hour 1 Police and sheriff departments around the country are testing facial recognition technology. They are building databases of suspects using photos, iris scans and fingerprints that will allow law enforcement officials to identify people remotely using handheld [...]

A Cultural History of Shoplifting July 11
Hour 2 It’s called the “five finger discount” and it’s been around for centuries – Plato, Zeno and St. Augustine all had thoughts on shoplifting.  In her fascinating new book, The Steal: A Cultural History of Shoplifting, writer [...]

The space shuttle's legacy & the Apollo spacesuit July 7
Hour 1 Tomorrow the space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to lift off on its final mission (if weather doesn't interfere) to carry critical supplies to the International Space Station. This last launch marks the end of NASA’s three-decade-long [...]

How Technology is Changing the Role of the Doctor June 28
Hour 2 Does your doctor use a computer at your appointment?  Or maybe a smart phone?  Technology has always been an important part of medicine, giving doctors better tools to detect, treat and mend their patients but today’s [...]

Cyberwarfare and Cybersecurity June 7
Hour 1 The Pentagon will soon release its new cyberwarfare strategy  that will classify a cyberattack from another nation as an act of war, possibly leading to a military response.  This news comes on the heels of two [...]

Secretaries 'Swimming in the Steno Pool' May 27
Hour 2 How did women enter the white-collar workplace? As secretaries and receptionists, mostly and at first. LYNN PERIL’s new book, Swimming in the Steno Pool: A Retro Guide to Making It in the Office, explores the history [...]

Is High Speed Rail on Track? May 17
Hour 1 The Northeast Rail Corridor was just awarded $795 million to improve train speeds between Boston and Washington.  The money was given out after Florida’s governor rejected federal funds to build high speed rail in the state.  [...]