This episode is presented by eBay.

Rob, everyone loves a deal and a bargain from time to time, don't they? Absolutely, mate. And you know where you can grab a great deal? Talk to me. Where? The eBay app. Yes, you are correct. You didn't need to talk to me. I already knew it. I love eBay. When you're buying, you can discover loads of hidden gems. there's so many items where you think I would have never found that anywhere else.

Then when you're buying, you can discover loads of hidden gems. There's so many items where you think I would have never found that anywhere else. Then when you're selling, it's so simple and most

importantly, free. It's free, Rob. When it's this easy to sell for free and there's great deals

on things you love. You can't help but say when it's eBay. It excludes vehicles and business

sellers.

Welcome to Science Talk, the more or less weekly podcast of Scientific American posted on December 20th, 2010.

I'm Steve Murski.

This week on the podcast.

So my overall earth, as it may be called, has been really since the late 70s, early 80s, going around America

with a tape recorder, interviewing people with the idea that I could absorb the country

by absorbing the words of its citizens.

That's Anna Devere Smith.

You know her as the hospital administrator on Nurse Jackie and the National Security Advisor

on the West Wing,

but she's best known for portraying numerous real people, sometimes a couple of dozen,

in a single evening of theater, and she's been investigating the health care crisis in her unique way.

The theatrical production she developed, Let Me Down Easy, came to New York last year and will be staged again starting soon in Washington, D.C.

More on that later.

Right now, Anna DeVier Smith.

We spoke at her office at New York University where she's on faculty.

Can you tell me about the origins of the health care work?

...