Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, Jan. 1, 2024:
What’s in store in the political sphere this year
As we head into what appears to be another potentially wrenching presidential election year, there are serious questions for a Texas that’s seeing divisions within the GOP majority, as well as Democrats increasingly frustrated with the agenda of Republican lawmakers from Gov. Greg Abbott on down. What does it all add up to for the coming year in politics in Texas?
For more, we’re joined by Rebecca Deen, a professor of political science and associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Arlington, and Álvaro Corral, a professor of political science at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.
What factors could have the biggest impact on the energy market in 2024
Predicting what’s in store in a market as volatile as the energy sector isn’t an exact science. But Matt Smith, energy analyst for Kpler, has some things he’s keeping an eye on for 2024.
AI is everywhere, and the era of social media is over
AI everywhere, chaos on the platform once known as Twitter, and ongoing criticism for the Silicon Valley companies often referred to derisively as Big Tech – 2023 was a turbulent year for the tech industry. But what’s in store in the coming year?
We’re talking with two folks who spend a lot of time thinking about tech trends: our go-to tech expert, Omar Gallaga, and Texas Standard producer/reporter Shelly Brisbin.
Want to read more books in 2024? We’ve got some suggestions for you.
The new year means lots of folks have made resolutions. And if yours is to read more books, we’ve got you covered.
To give us a look at some of the big releases readers can look forward to in 2024, we turned to Steph Opitz, the director of Strategic partnerships at Bookshop.org, an online retailer that supports local independent bookstores.
Movies to watch out for this year
And what about the big screen? From super heroes to the super serious – and we’re always looking for those movies with Texas ties.
We’re joined by Eric Webb, an Austin-based freelance pop culture journalist and film programmer, for a look at some of the most anticipated releases of 2024.