Meaning & Pronunciation of Luxipolis:

Luxipolis is a compound from the Latin word lux, lucis, which means 'light', and an ancient Greek word for 'town', 'city', or 'nation', polis. Together, they are meant to suggest the idea of a 'city of light', a place where wisdom is fostered and celebrated.

A quick way to figure out how Luxipolis is pronounced is to recognize that the 'x' was a product of an original 'cs' spelling, and that the Romans pronounced the letter c like our k, so 'Luck sip -ol -is' or 'Luck zip -ol -is' gets you started. The '-pol-' part is pronounced like the word 'pole', and the final '-is' rhymes with 'hiss'. As for accent, stress is put on the 2nd syllable: "luck zip -olis" or "luck sip -olis."

Description:

The Luxipolis Radio Hour explores the broader spectrum of the life of the mind, with discussion, insights, creative moments, challenges, and commentary on the Arts, Humanities, Science, Medicine, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and more.

Focus:

The programs avoid discussions on sports, politics, and religion, and focus instead on a wide spectrum of intellectual and creative topics. Philosophically, the program tends towards a traditional outlook, and treats some trends in modern scholarship and education with critical skepticism.

Program Contents:

• Segment 1: Humanities – In depth commentary or field reports on one or two items related to the humanities per show. This segment tends to follow a historical development, so early segments focus on the ancient Greeks.
• Segment 2: Interview – In depth interviews with artists, intellectuals, or professionals focusing on areas other than sports, politics, religion, or the economy.
• Segment 3: Vita Mentis Challenge – An intellectual challenge to the listening audience on the order of translating a few lines of Latin, composing a short poem, solving a math problem, or the like. The best entry from a previous challenge is highlighted, and others are posted on the luxipolis.com web site.
• Segment 4: STEMM – In depth commentary or field reports on one or two items related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics or Medicine per show. The segments mainly examine a current topic but with an eye on its historic development and any larger philosophical questions it may raise.

Appeal:

Aristotle maintained that all humans, by nature, desire to learn. The aim of this program is to foster and cater to that natural desire. In addition, studies show that the mind, like the muscles, must be exercised in order to be maintained in a healthy state—it truly is a ‘use it or lose it’ proposition. Just as a gym offers exercise for the body, then, The Luxipolis Radio Hour provides exercise for the mind, selecting items from our highest and greatest intellectual achievements as food for thought and challenging exercises.

Target Audience:

Honors Students (High School & College), Retirees, Graduate Students, College Professors, Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists, Connoisseurs of the Arts, other intellectuals, and, if you've read this far, YOU.

Audience Participation:

Since the programs are prerecorded, there is not an opportunity for listeners to call in, however, the Vita Mentis segment features contests, and interactive projects, and listeners are invited to submit field reports which are then carefully edited for content and audio quality. Partnerships with local high schools, universities, churches, and retirement communities sustain the generation of content. Discussion groups, book signings, and networking meetings are held on occasion at one of the program’s underwriters, Khalil’s Restaurant or a similar venue.

About the Host:

John F. Newell has a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in the areas of Classics, Philosophy, History of Science and Philosophy of Science. He also has a masters in Classics from Pitt, and a BA from the Great Books Program at St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD.

Dr. Newell has taught a variety of courses for the Classics Department at the University of Pittsburgh since 1989.

Sito's:

For legal purposes (paying our taxes, etc.) The Luxipolis Radio Hour is a brand of Sito's LLC. Sito's is also the manufacturer of Sito's Mediterranean Dressing, a delicious blend of natural and easy to pronounce ingredients (non-GMO canola oil, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and spices). Available at Khalil's Restaurant, WholeFoods (Shadyside, Upper St. Clair, Wexford), East End Food Co-op, Salonika Imports, Harvest Valley Farm Market & Bakery, Soergel Orchards, and other fine grocers in western PA. The Sito's office for The Luxipolis Radio Hour is located at:

Sito's
4757 Baum Blvd
Pittsburgh PA 15213

About WKHB:

WKHB has one of the best daytime AM signals in western Pennsylvania (second only to the local class A station). It reaches into Ohio, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, and, of course, covers western PA—a population of nearly 2.5 million people. The signal is simulcast on two FM stations as well, 94.1 and 92.3, and, via Internet streaming, the stations also have global reach.