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In this second episode of Hidden Levels, a podcast from 99 Percent Invisible and Endless Thread, Amory traces the history of the humble-yet-genius joystick. The journey goes from early 20th century aviation, to 1970s video game consoles like the Atari 2600, to the Nintendo 64 thumbstick in the 1990s, to what some consider the joystick's greatest implementation: the dual-thumbstick controller.This optimal interface has changed the game, and not just the video game. The modern dual-stick controller is now considered an MVP in the military, and in medicine. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Iconic horror writer Stephen King has reimagined a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale: “Hansel and Gretel.” A major inspiration behind his iteration of the tale came from illustrations of the story by the late Maurice Sendak, best known for his work on “Where the Wild Things Are.” King said he’s been writing about brave kids like Hansel and Gretel his entire career, and joins us to talk more about his version of “Hansel and Gretel” and the future of his writing career. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The early childhood program Head Start is facing a cutoff of federal funding at the end of the month because of the government shutdown. Some Head Start educators are already working without pay, other programs are preparing to close. We speak with a teacher and her director based in Tallahassee, Florida. Then, President Trump is putting new sanctions on Russia's oil industry in an effort to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Georgetown University professor Jill Marie Dougherty joins us. And, next week an independent United Nations commission will present to the UN General Assembly the findings of a recent investigation that found Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel denies the allegations and refutes the report. We speak with one of the report's authors, Chris Sidoti. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

North Carolina Republicans on Wednesday approved new congressional maps in an effort to boost their chances of holding onto Congress in next year's midterm elections. It's the latest redistricting battle since President Trump pushed Texas to redraw its maps. Political scientist Chris Cooper explains the implications. And, a new study by the independent health research organization KFF found that health insurance premiums are up 6% from last year. That’s more than double the inflation rate. Matthew Rae explains the price hike. Then, parts of the East Wing of the White House are being demolished as construction starts on President Trump’s ballroom. The East Wing has historically been the home of the First Lady's offices. Author Kate Andersen Brower talks about the history of the space. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Premiums for people who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are set to jump by thousands of dollars when open enrollment begins in a couple of weeks. Cynthia Cox, vice president at independent health policy organization KFF, joins us. Then, the Israeli-occupied West Bank has seen an increase in violence against Palestinians by both Israeli settlers and the military in the two years since Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza began. Journalist Dalia Hatuqa talks about how the past couple of years of violence in Gaza have impacted Palestinians living in the West Bank. And, have you heard of the grue jay? Study author Brian R. Stokes talks about the rare hybrid offspring of a blue jay and green jay, seen for likely the first time in the wild. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director John Sandweg weighs in on the agency’s policing tactics and surveillance technology being used to conduct mass deportations and monitor those who are protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies. And, as the government shutdown enters its third week, confusion abounds around national parks like Joshua Tree. Kenji Haroutunian, executive director of Friends of Joshua Tree, explains more about the safety and environmental concerns the park is facing. Then, President Trump campaigned on a promise to make in vitro fertilization free to all Americans who want to build their families. But that hasn’t happened. Danielle Melfi, CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, weighs in on a recent White House announcement to lower the cost of IVF. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

“NBA Jam” was beloved by players and served as an introduction to basketball for many of them. The game didn’t mirror the sport, though, allowing users to do crazy moves and trick shots. But what really helped capture audiences was the game’s sound design. Commentator Tim Kitzrow became iconic with catch phrases like “He’s on Fire!” and “Boom Shakalaka.” This episode of “Hidden Levels,” a podcast from 99 Percent Invisible and Endless Thread, explores the importance of game sound design and how Kitzrow helped define the sports game subgenre. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Starting in 1978, the Boston-based band The Cars had a series of hit songs and videos before breaking up 10 years later. Now, musician and author Bill Janovitz tells their story in the new book "The Cars: Let the Stories be Told." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Chicago resident and environmental activist Gina Ramirez explains what's happening in the city’s Southeast Side as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents try to take more people into custody. And, analysis by ProPublica found that immigration agents have detained at least 170 U.S. citizens in recent months, though that’s predicted to be an undercount. ProPublica's Nicole Foy shares more details about the cases. Then, 16-year-old American Mohammed Ibrahim has been detained in Israel for eight months. His family says he’s developed scabies, and they’re pleading for his release. Ibrahim’s uncle, Zeyad Kadur, details what the family has heard about Ibrahim’s condition in prison. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Furloughed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worker Peter Farruggia talks about how he will pay his bills if the government shutdown continues much longer. His last paycheck was last Friday. Then, the Supreme Court is hearing a case that could further erode the Voting Rights Act. George Washington University professor Spencer Overton tells us more. And, R&B singer D'Angelo died on Tuesday. He had pancreatic cancer and was just 51. Writer, producer and filmmaker Nelson George talks about D'Angelo's music and legacy. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

While a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza resulted in celebrations on both sides, the hard work required to maintain it is now getting underway. Hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin was involved in backchannel discussions over the deal. He explains more. And, 20 Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners were released as part of the ceasefire deal. Palestinian American journalist Rami Khouri joins us to unpack what’s next for the region. Then, silica dust is causing coal miners in their 30s and 40s to come down with black lung disease. Black lung clinic leader Lisa Emery joins us to discuss how coal miners are protesting a federal delay in enforcing silica dust rules. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

The story of Sacagawea that most of us know is incomplete and not entirely correct. The Hidatsa tribe and other tribes have a long oral history that tells a different story of her life, including that her name was not pronounced the way many of us were taught, she lived 50 years longer than the history books say and she had more children than the traditional written history tells. We speak with Christopher Cox, who wrote the article "What if Everything We Know About Sacagawea Is Wrong?" in the New York Times Magazine. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Here & Now’s resident romance readers Kalyani Saxena and Hafsa Quraishi discuss their love for the genre and all its tropes, from friends-to-lovers to dark, torrid love affairs. And, Quraishi attended the Romantically Yours Book Convention in Orlando, Florida, to talk with attendees and featured authors about how the genre is growing and what draws readers to it. Then, as “Grey’s Anatomy” turns 20, Deadline’s Lynette Rice and Here & Now’s Micaela Rodríguez unpack how the longest-running primetime medical drama still captivates audiences. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Avihai Brodutch's wife and three young children were kidnapped by Hamas and taken into Gaza after the Oct. 7 attacks. They were later freed. We get his perspective on the ceasefire plan that Hamas and Israel have agreed to. Then, some Palestinians have begun celebrating already. Others, however, are more skeptical about whether this agreement will last. We hear from Moureen Kaki, a Palestinian American aid worker from San Antonio, Texas. And, Medicare is not reimbursing doctors for many telehealth appointments after a COVID-era program lapsed when government funding ran out at the end of last month. San Diego dermatologist Abby Tyagi says she is concerned that some of her patients won't receive the care they need during the shutdown. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

When can a president invoke the Insurrection Act? The Brennan Center for Justice's Elizabeth Goitein explains. Then, we talk with Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona about the government shutdown and why health care is the dividing line between Democrats and Republicans in shutdown negotiations. And, this year’s Nobel Prize-winning chemists designed porous materials that can pull water from the desert air, capture carbon dioxide from factories, and scoop pollution out of water. President of the American Chemical Society Dorothy Phillips joins us. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Two of those hostages were Daniel Lifshitz's grandparents. They were kidnapped from their kibbutz. His grandmother was released in 2023, but his grandfather was killed in captivity. Lifshitz shares more, two years after the attack. In response to the attack, Israeli forces launched a war in Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians. We check in with Mohammed Hatem, who lives in Gaza and uses fitness to cope with the violence around him. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

A federal judge in Oregon issued a second order blocking President Trump from deploying any National Guard troops to Oregon. We get the latest on Trump's plan to send federal forces to various American cities from Reuters' Phil Stewart. Then, we get the latest on the power struggle between the Trump administration and Chicago as the administration promises to send the National Guard to the city, following a week of clashes between protesters and immigration officials. The Chicago Sun-Times' Violet Miller joins us. And, the Supreme Court begins its new term on Monday, with a number of major cases testing executive power on its emergency docket. Stephen Vladeck, law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, tells us what to expect. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Statistics show about 60% of inmates have a substance abuse disorder, yet drugs are commonly smuggled inside U.S. jail facilities, contributing to overdose deaths in custody. And when jails have treatment options like methadone and Suboxone, there often aren't enough to go around. Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd reports from a jail in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And, Richard Graham died of an overdose in a Louisville, Kentucky, jail. As his family mourns the loss, they’re looking for answers. And so is the city; In 2022, Louisville Metro Council launched an investigation after a spike in overdose and suicide deaths. O’Dowd talks with Richard Graham’s family and Louisville jail officials about why overdoses are so common and what can be done to curb them. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Mario Mason died by suicide in the Oklahoma County jail soon after he was convicted of murder in a dispute over a stolen car. His death wasn’t an outlier — data from the Marshall Project found that suicide is a leading cause of death in U.S. jails. Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd reports from Oklahoma City. And, some U.S. jails are taking measures to reduce suicide risk factors. O’Dowd talks with Jason Knutti, a formerly incarcerated man who experienced thoughts of suicide in jail, and Brown University's Lauren Weinstock, who studies suicide risk for people who have been incarcerated. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Over a four-year period between 2019 and 2023, about 1,000 people died annually in U.S. jails. Nearly one-third of those deaths don't have a cause of death, according to an analysis of federal data by The Marshall Project. To kick off our series "Undercounted: The hidden deaths in America’s jail," Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Jay Aronson, co-author of the book "Death in Custody: How America Ignores the Truth and What We Can Do About It." And, this year, jail officials in Philadelphia started putting digital wristbands on inmates that measure vital signs. They can alert staff when a medical emergency is happening. O’Dowd goes inside the city's jail complex with the Marshall Project’s Ilica Majahan to learn more. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy