Crosscurrents

Traditionally, many U.S. counties have relied on “scared straight” tactics to keep youth from getting back in trouble. In Florida, for example, one juvenile detention center sits down young offenders in front of a “wall of shame,” a collection of photos of teens who have been shot and killed post-release. But one city is trading in these scare methods for a yoga mat and a couple of hours of meditation.

A few months ago, Kim Nguyen realized she had a problem on her hands — except maybe it wasn't a problem, or at least it was the kind of problem every business owner dreams of having: Saigon Market, the narrow, cluttered convenience store that she runs along with her husband just north of the corner of Telegraph Avenue and 23rd Street, was absolutely overrun with customers. Or rather, it was overrun exactly one night a month: the first Friday, when the art walk and street fair of the same name descends on Uptown Oakland, its center right in front of her little store.

This is Audiograph--the Bay Area’s sonic signature. 

Each week, we’ll play you a sound recorded somewhere in the Bay Area. Your job? Listen to the sound (in the player above), figure out where it was recorded, and what exactly it is, then call us to let us know.

If you think you can identify this Audiograph sound of the week, call 415-264-7106. Also, tell us where to record next. We’ll give away a KALW t-shirt every week to one lucky caller. 

(420 Magazine) // “Bridging the Gap Between Public & Policy” is the theme of this weekend’s four-day conference in Washington, DC, organized by advocacy group Americans for Safe Access. Today’s events focused on scientific research, featuring a talk by physicist John Schwarz, often called “the father of Superstring Theory.”

All week long we've been playing you this sound, and asking you to guess what exactly it is and where exactly in the Bay Area we recorded it.