Are you interested in the intersection of technology, society, and politics? You’ve come to the right place. Join me, Joel Rion Staves—public servant, social scientist, and learning technologist—for a center-left audit of the systems shaping our world.
On Technically Socially Aware, one can expect sensible commentary, interviews, and completely free-flowing conversations about real systems impacting us all. I’m from the South, so sometimes the language can get a bit raw. Scrub the digital noise with this audio shower. Episodes are typically recorded in a bedroom or dining room.
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/technically-socially-aware-5508540
Episode 102-Data, Policy, and Social Security with John Schwabisch
In this episode of Technically Socially Aware, I'm joined by economist, data analyst, and academic John Schwabisch. Drawing on his extensive background—including his work at the Congressional Budget Office and the Urban Institute—John breaks down the intersections of economic research, public policy, and effective data communication.
In this episode, we cover:
The Social Security Landscape: Parallels between historical policy debates and today’s solvency metrics, debunking common myths around funding and benefit reductions.
Communicating Complex Policy: Why meeting audiences where they are (using accessible tools like Excel and Google Sheets) often trumps complex software.
Modern Workflows: How John combines analog sketching, magic markers, and generative AI tools like Claude to build innovative data visualizations.
Human Impact of Policy: Real-world perspectives on SNAP, administrative burdens, and social safety net programs.
7 Oct 2026
Episode 101-BREAKING NEWS-Former American Idol Contestant sentenced to LWOP, Firing Squad Execution approved by Donald Trump
Death row inmate to be executed by firing squad for first time in six decades (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/death-row-inmate-to-be-executed-by-firing-squad-for-first-time-in-six-decades/ss-AA2dFNeP?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=6ac5237e041a44f3ae30d8f9b9e382ee&ei=11#image=4)Ex-American Idol contestant will die in prison (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/ex-american-idol-contestant-will-die-in-prison/ar-AA2dDV5T?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=6ac51dfdc5354064b5ddaa7baf2f9722&ei=16)'American Idol' alum Caleb Flynn's ex-mistress sobs as she reads her text about wanting to kill his wife at murder trial (https://nypost.com/2026/09/24/us-news/american-idol-alum-caleb-flynns-ex-misstress-sobs-as-she-reads-her-text-about-wanting-to-kill-his-wife-at-murder-trial/)
5 Oct 2026
Episode 100-Beyond Novels: Finding Hope in the Literacy Crisis w/ Jeff Rasley
In this episode, I sit down with writer, former professor, and lawyer-turned-STEAM advocate Jeff Rasley to discuss the literacy crisis, the evolution of news consumption, reasons for optimism among STEAM students, and what makes this work so deeply rewarding.http://www.jeffreyrasley.com/ (http://www.jeffreyrasley.com/)
Why Cursive is Back in the Classroom (https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/why-cursive-back-classroom)Back to books - Sweden's schools cutting back on digital learning (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly0vk77vdko)ABOUT US | bvfusa - Basa Village Foundation (https://www.bvfusa.org/about-us)
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