Selling Your Soul to Sell Your House

Ok, maybe it hasn't gotten quite that bad, but now is not a great time to put your home on the market. Sure, it may be tempting, with prices dropping, to upgrade to something larger or with a better location, but beware... unloading your current digs may be more trouble than it's worth. Those houses just sitting on the market with the great low-low prices are just like the one you'll be trying to sell, and if you can even get an offer, you're not likely to get a great price. Are you selling your home? Are you offering crazy incentives? I remember a local couple offered a free car if you'd buy their home last year... and now there's a couple offering a free house... buy it now, and get your money back when they die!

Sarah Handel

1:59 PM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | comments (25) | e-mail post

Elections, in 2007?

In just a few short days, we'll be able to say that the 2008 election is only a year away. "Only a year away," you say? Indeed. We have twelve more months of debates and primaries and caucuses. Are you thrilled? (Over this transom, I can sense your excitement). Could the campaign be any longer?! Next week, for a few precious minutes at least, voters in some cities, in a handful of states, will get to focus on other elections. They'll go to the polls to vote for governors and congressmen and mayors and council members. At the very least, they'll get to try out new voting machines. Our "Political Junkie," Ken Rudin, will be here to talk about the 2007 elections. Is there an election in your neck of the woods next week? What's at stake? For whom are you planning to vote? And have you even had time to think about these upcoming elections?

David Gura

1:58 PM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

The Dead Travel Fast

Piata Fintinele, Romania

Source: Eric Nuzum

Vampires are a peculiar bunch. They only come out at night. They sleep in coffins. And, oh yea, they suck the life out of you. Literally. I always thought vamps were just fodder for scary stories. But, turns out, there's actually a solid number of people in real life who identify as vampires, only they refer to themselves as the "undead." Now, I don't know if they bite into the necks of virgins, but they have been know to drink their own blood. Yum. Read about this and more in Eric Nuzum's new book The Dead Travel Fast. And tell us, what excites (or disgusts) you about vampires? And to all the undead out there, what's it like to be a vampire?

PS -- Check out that sexy picture... it's the first one I've posted all by myself! This is a big step for me. I feel like I'm growing.

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

Jordan Jumps Ship in NOLA

New Orleans has seen it's share of problems since Katrina paid a visit two years ago... including the near collapse of it's criminal justice system. And plenty of people pointed a finger at District Attorney Eddie Jordan. Under the weight of the criticism, a $3.7 million discrimination verdict against his office, and accusations that he let a wanted robbery suspect stay in his home... he's decided to call it quits. Nobody's saying his leaving will fix the office overnight, but they're hoping it's a start. We'll talk with a reporter in NOLA about his tenure, and what his resignation means for the city.

Scott Cameron

1:56 PM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Mid-Season Superbowl

It's the battle of undefeateds that everyone's talking about: this weekend, the New England Patriots head to Indianapolis to try their tricks and treats against the Colts. It's the battle of young quarterbacks Manning and Brady, the matchup of Reggie vs. Randy, and I really hope it lives up to the hype. There are so many factors to bandy about (Colts coming off a bye week, Patriots outscoring everyone into oblivion), but when it comes down to it, I just hope it's a good game. Something few seem to be talking about, though, is the other two teams with perfect records... perfectly awful records, that is: the Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams, both winless. Here's a pretty hilarious send-up of those two standouts... imagine that matchup!

Sarah Handel

1:55 PM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

October 31st Show

Hello, All. Here's what's happening today:

In our first hour, we'll talk about homeowners who are going to great (extreme) lengths to sell their house, in what is clearly a buyer's market. Granite top kitchen counters, fully remodeled bathrooms, and curb appeal just ain't cutting it anymore. Nowadays, sellers are offering up fancy cars, free trips, and if you buy from one couple in Pittsburgh you'll receive a full refund when they die. (Nope, not kidding.) We'll talk to Washington Post real estate columnist and author Elizabeth Razzi, Sell this House co-host Tanya Memme, and My House is Worth What? host Kendra Todd about the challenges facing homeowners to move that house! Following that, Ken Rudin will be here. In this week's Political Junkie, we'll focus primarily on the upcoming November 6th elections, the candidates who are running, and the issues voters are talking about.

Eric Nuzum is a pop culture critic and a director of programming here at NPR. Turns out, he also knows a thing or two about vampires, and has written a book about them entitled, "The Dead Travel Fast: Stalking Vampires from Nosferatu to Count Chocula." Nuzum immersed himself (literally) in the unconventional underworld of the "undead" and gives an often hilarious recount of traveling across Transylvania, spending hours in a coffin and drinking his own blood. Is he afraid of garlic, I wonder? As I type, our producers are hard at work for a second hour ender topic. You gotta admit, it's hard to top Dracula! Stay tuned, folks.

Enjoy the Show! And Happy Halloween!!!

Gwen Outen

11:53 AM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Metaphor.

Source: BarrieJH

I'm a Generation Nexter, part of the group born between 1981 and 1988 ('84 to be exact). Our rentals,* the Boomers, raised us with one clear message: do what makes you happy. Previous generations were largely told to find a stable job in order to make money and support a family. But now there's a new requirement thrown into the mix: pursue a career that you enjoy, nay, that you love. Easy, right? So naturally, it's taking us Nexters a little longer to figure things out. And social scientists, cultural analysts, or whatever you want to call 'em, have even come up with a term for this period of discovery: The Odyssey Years. They are years marked by uncertainty and fluctuation. Many of us bounce around from job to job, trying to figure out what "fits." Some may go back to school for a second (or third) degree. And the lucky ones travel in search of some larger life purpose, or just for a good time. But it's not laziness or even procrastination. We're sifting through life's possibilities. We're trying to discover who we are and who we want to be. It's a genuine effort to be happy, rentals' orders. And anytime I'm hit with the "slacker!" insult, I just come right back with J.R.R.Tolkien's "Not all who wander are lost." So, humph.

What do you say TOTN bloggers? Is there a shred of truth to this, or am I just romanticizing?

* That's my new term for "parents," derived from "parental units." It'll catch on. Trust.

Ashley Grashaw

9:51 AM ET | 10-31-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Who's the Fire Starter?

Sometimes, this is how the fire starts.

Source: 96dotsperinch

Whenever I hear news of a wildfire breaking out, my first assumption is that it was some sort of accident, an unfortunate and unpredictable combination of an innocent spark flying off of a piece of machinery and a particularly dry season. As authorities in California consider to search for a white Ford truck in connection with one of the largest fires, though, it seems I should know better. Most fires may not be set deliberately, but there are enough that are to inject a degree of skepticism into my assumption. So what motivates an arsonist? Control freak that I am, the thought of setting things in motion that I'll never be able to manage makes fire-starting sound darn scary to me... but that's clearly not true for everyone.

Sarah Handel

1:59 PM ET | 10-30-2007 | permalink | comments (9) | e-mail post

What Drumbeat?

Last week, Flynt Leverett joined us to talk about the potential for an attack on Iran. Simply put, he believes that strikes are imminent. We'll get another view today, from David Frum. He is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and a senior policy adviser to Rudy Giuliani. During President Bush's first term, Frum worked in the White House as a speech writer. He does not believe that the Bush administration plans to strike Iran soon. "No, alas," he writes on his blog today. In March, in the National Post, he suggested some alternatives to war.

Our hope is to continue these conversations, about Iran, with experts from across the political spectrum, in the future. If you heard Leverett last week, did your opinion change? What questions do you have from Frum? And feel free to suggest other experts with whom we could talk!

David Gura

1:58 PM ET | 10-30-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Anatomy of Your Nightmare

I've always been fascinated by dreams. Partly because I like to psychoanalyze myself to death, and partly because I'm secretly convinced that my dreams are premonitions.* Nightmares, though, are a particularly interesting subset. They represent our greatest, albeit subconscious, fears; and are often characterized by panting, sweating, and, in some cases, a loud shriek. Ever wonder why you jolt upright in bed at the pinnacle of the chase, or what that furry man dressed like a peacock carrying a pitchfork is supposed to represent? Today, we'll talk to The New York Times science columnist Natalie Angier about why we have nightmares in the first place and the evolutionary function they serve; and to Kelly Buckeley, dream interpreter extraordinaire. So tell us: what was your worst nightmare? Do you have any recurring dreams? And who secretly thinks their dreams are premonitions? Be honest.

* Two of them have, in fact, come true. Sort of.

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 10-30-2007 | permalink | comments (38) | e-mail post

Sexy Marine Biologist

This is how they roll in Kansas. (No fishnets.)

Source: Steve Lickteig

Halloween has never really been close to my heart. I was "Fairy Barrie" for more years then I care to count, and Raggedy Ann for the rest. It always bugged me that I had to wear a coat over my costume, especially as a fairy, for gosh sakes. (Fairies don't get cold!) But I will say, I had a few outstanding years in my early twenties when I definitely did not care about the weather. In fact, there were Halloweens when my costume was just a well-placed assortment of sparkles and chiffon. Of course, I was gainfully employed and far from the watchful eyes of my folks. Lately, I've been shocked by the twelve year olds showing up as "sexy Girl Scout," "sexy Doctor," or "sexy Founding Father." And I'm not the only one. And I'm trying not to be a prudish thirty-something. I think you should get to eat candy, and never hand out apples.* But my goodness... should a nine year old be wearing fishnets? What are your challenges this Halloween?

*But I'm flexible on toys vs. candy.

Barrie Hardymon

12:55 PM ET | 10-30-2007 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

October 30th Show

Authorities investigating the cause of the wildfires that swept through California suspect arson in at least one of them. In our first hour, we'll speak with an arson specialist who will profile the personality and motive of an arsonist, and a fire investigator talks about how he determines whether or not a fire has been deliberately set. Following that conversation, David Frum will join us. He is a former speechwriter for President Bush and the author of The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush. Last week, we discussed the United States' relationship with Iran with Flynt Leverett, a former Bush administration official who worries that President Bush will order attacks on Iran before he leaves office. This week, David Frum gives an opposing view and will explain why he does not think the Bush administration is heading towards war with Iran.

Normally, on any given night, I don't dream. Or rather I don't remember my dreams. But I have occasionally suffered through a vivid nightmare or two. Usually they are of the "live in the studio" variety. I point to Neal and he can't speak. I yell to the engineer to push the button and the engineer screams back "We don't have that button!!!!!" The nightmare ends when I pop up in my bed dripping with sweat, pointer finger in mid-air ready to cue ANYBODY. I need no Freddie Krugers or Jasons chasing me in my dreams. Fudging a live radio program in front of millions of people is horrifying enough, thank you. But what do our nightmares actually mean? And why do we dream in the first place? New York Times science reporter Natalie Angier is among our guests who can provide insight about what our dreams, and nightmares, are trying to tell us. Blog us about your worst nightmare (was your boss watching?). Then we jump start Halloween with syndicated columnist Amy Dickinson. We'll talk about everything from skimpy Halloween costumes to giving out real apples instead of candied ones. Are we slowly taking the fun out of trick or treating?

Gwen Outen

11:38 AM ET | 10-30-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Striking on Halloween

The old way of doing things in DC.

Source: Daquella manera

Tomorrow's Halloween, but it sort of feels like an afterthought to me. For the past two weekends I've attended spooky bashes, and I have to say, the costumes have been great (I was a pretty standard cowgirl, so present company excluded). One friend came as the Washington Monument (Winston thought it was a perfect kitty house), and another was the ubiquitous gyro girl whose vacant smile and '80s style greet you from the window of every Greek restaurant I've ever been to. That said, tomorrow's the proper big day, and in DC the holiday takes on two forms... there's the traditional trick-or-treating and jack-o-lanterns from about 6pm till 9pm, and after that, things get decidedly more adult as college kids and young professionals pack the bars in costume and carry on till the wee hours (I mean, I think that's what they do). In years past, DC cabbies have offered free rides on Halloween and similarly saucy holidays in an effort to keep drunks out of the drivers' seat. This year? Nope, not only no free rides, but they may even strike. There's a pretty contentious taxi system in DC known as the zone system, whereby your fare is calculated based on how many zones you pass through, not how long you're in the car. If you've been here, you know, it's incomprehensible to even the most veteran Washingtonians. New Mayor Adrian Fenty has decided it's time to switch to meters, and cabbies are not happy. That's fine -- while I'll be happy to have a fare I can watch climb, as opposed to one that's a complete mystery -- strikes are a time-honored way to express displeasure, and the drivers have a right to demonstrate. But on Halloween? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Sarah Handel

10:18 AM ET | 10-30-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

When Catastrophe Creeps Up On You

Some disasters move quickly, like the floods of Katrina, and the leaping wildfires in California. But I'll wager you haven't seen much coverage of the "epic" drought in Georgia. It may not play as "Breaking News" on CNN, but there's only about a three month water supply left in the greater Atlanta area. It's a slow-motion disaster, and it's really affecting the day-to-day lives of Georgians. Are you eating off paper plates? Not showering? How are you conserving, and what's next?

Barrie Hardymon

1:59 PM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

The USA, AKP, and the PKK.* Oh, And Iraq.

Lurking in this acronym soup is a looming crisis in what used to be the most stable part of post-invasion Iraq. In a nutshell, the problem is this: insurgents from the PKK -- deemed a terrorist organization by the USA -- killed 12 Turkish soldiers Sunday, and have been conducting attacks on Turkey from Northern Iraq for a while now. Naturally, Turkey wants to respond. And given that the US is ostensibly involved in a war on terror, it is, to say the least, awkward. On the Talk of the Nation Opinion Page, Henri Barkey mourns a missed opportunity to create a new agreement between the two sides. He'll explain why today.

*United States of America, Turkey's Justice and Reconciliation Department, and the Kurdistan Worker's Party.

Barrie Hardymon

1:58 PM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Knife Skills

I am a klutz in the kitchen (other places, too unfortunately.) Just last night, while attempting to play sous chef to the person actually making the tuna casserole (with artichokes, delish), I knocked over several things, and I could tell that I was in danger of being yelled at Gordon Ramsay* style (except I bought the groceries, which I think gave me some credibility). Yet, here is my honest-to-goodness secret dream I have cherished since before I fell in love with Sabrina, even. I wish, wish, wish, I could go to cooking school. I want to make meringues, souffles, cassoulet -- I want to sear foie gras and braise rabbit. I want to chop onions so fast you might mistake the sound for percussion, and I want to peel an apple in one long lovely loop of skin. Sigh. I'm afraid that loop of skin would be mine. Enter Kathleen Flinn. Upon finding herself downsized (while she was on vacation, no less), after some encouragement from her boyfriend she indulged her secret dream of attending Le Cordon Bleu. (Yes, the same place that Audrey's souffle fell, and she was rescued by the Baron and La Vie En Rose.) On top of that, she wrote a book about the experience, The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry (In my case, I seem to cry no matter what). I spoke to Kat about her book, and asked her what I could do to make myself more comfortable in the kitchen. She told me that knife skills were the answer, which I actually had suspected. So -- I'm indulging my secret dream, partway, and signing up for a class. Soon, that apple skin will be sitting in a spiral on the cutting board. What have you always secretly wanted to learn?

*The British version of Kitchen Nightmares is much better then the American, FYI. You will fall in love with him, even when he is screaming obscenities.

Barrie Hardymon

1:57 PM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Free At Last

Every once in a while, a sad story we've been following ends up happy: Genarlow Wilson is free. A quick review: Genarlow was a high school senior when a video tape depicting him receiving oral sex from a girl two years younger surfaced. By all accounts, the sex was consensual, but because of the difference in their ages, Genarlow was tried and convicted of aggravated sexual molestation... and sentenced to ten years in prison. Through the tireless work of his attorney, B.J. Bernstein, his story gained interest and attention, and with it, the outrage over his extreme sentence reached a fever pitch. Georgia's Supreme Court heard it loud and clear (calling the sentence, in a 4-3 split vote, "cruel and unusual punishment"), and now Genarlow's out.

Sarah Handel

1:56 PM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

October 29th Show

It's the start of a brand new work week, and here's what's happening on today's show:

In our first hour, we'll talk about the continuing drought that plagues parts of the Southeast. Unlike some natural disasters, such as floods or wildfires, droughts don't happen suddenly... but the effects can be just as damaging. After months of drought, water resources are dangerously low and Georgia's governor has declared a water supply emergency in the northern part of the state. We'll talk about the measures that are being implemented in an effort to manage the crisis and the critical impact a drought can have on a region. Our topic for our weekly "opinion page" at end of the hour is still in green (the color of hope). We'll have something in black (the color of certainty) in a matter of moments. Stay tuned.

Have you ever asked yourself "What do I REALLY want?" Usually we ask the question, may even have an answer, and proceed to immerse ourselves in the hum-drum of daily living until the question gnaws at us again. Now, imagine actually diving into that answer and completely re-inventing your life... and yourself. That's what Kathleen Flinn did. After bearing the brunt of a company lay-off, she chucked it all, ran off to Paris and enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. She chronicles her journey, her experiences earning her culinary degree at the famed school, and yes, falling in love (ah, Paris) in her new book The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry. Following that conversation, we'll speak with the lawyer who represented Genarlow Wilson, the former high school student who was sentenced to ten years in prison for engaging in consensual oral sex with a girl two years his junior. Genarlow was released from prison last Friday after serving two years of his term. We'll talk to Wilson's lawyer about his release, and the ten year sentence that the Georgia Supreme Court ruled "cruel and unusual punishment."

Gwen Outen

10:48 AM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Thoughts On Coasts, etc.

Fro-yo, yoga, and sun. Ad nauseum, really.

Source: BarrieJH

I have a couple of thoughts this morning. No matter how much I loved my week and a half on the West Coast, I am essentially a person that really loves this side of the country. It is brisk and chilly and slightly faster paced and a place where the Red Sox swept the World Series. I am content.

This morning I overheard someone talking about "the minority leader" on my way to work. Under normal circumstances, that would irritate me, but it felt comfortable this morning. The last exchange I overheard in L.A. was a woman at a sushi bar talking to another about yoga instruction. The exchange went something like this.
"Go ahead."
"Okay, so I'd say, 'reach your arms, up over your head..."
"No, no... just 'reach your arms'. Let people find their OWN depth."
This went on longer then I would have thought possible. Like valet parking in a mini-mall, it seemed to be uniquely West Coast in style and substance.

My significant other -- Kansan, as he is -- would complain there is something between the East and West Coast, and of course, there is (corn, for example). But the differences seem so dramatic between New York and LA, San Francisco and DC, etc. It's the climate, it's the manner of the Starbucks' baristas, it's the sheer amount of frozen yogurt places in California, it's the conversation at sushi bars. I like both, but I belong here. Though, I'll be honest, I'll miss the sun and fro-yo.

Barrie Hardymon

10:27 AM ET | 10-29-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

The Katrina Comparison

That didn't take long... the Katrina-California wildfire comparisons are all over the blogs, and a lot of people are angry.

Some compare the populations of California and New Orleans:

Leadership plays a roll... but I think attitude, particularly as regards the residents plays a bigger role.

Others argue that views like those are offensive, and untrue:

It's all race and class-based, and it's also pathetically narrow and simple-minded.

And there are plenty who say any comparison is just wrong, that it's apples and oranges. It goes back and forth like that. And fair or not, the comparisons and critiques of those comparisons continue to come up. On the show today, we'll talk with a blogger about what people are saying, and ask you: is there any comparison, are the comparisons fair?

Scott Cameron

1:59 PM ET | 10-25-2007 | permalink | comments (42) | e-mail post

'All Sticks and No Carrots'

Many foreign policy experts and investigative journalists have said that they hear a drumbeat, getting louder and louder, signaling the Bush administration's eagerness to attack Iran. Flynt Leverett and his wife, Hillary Mann, are among them. For several years, they worked as advisers to Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell. Shortly after the United States attacked Iraq, they resigned. Since then, they've sounded a clarion call, to the chagrin of an administration that has tried to silence them. Last year, when Leverett and Mann wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times, the Central Intelligence Agency's Publications Review Board forced them to redact 168 words. (They wrote a complement to that article, with public sources for the redacted material).

In a new piece, published in Esquire magazine, John H. Richardson chronicles the couple's disillusionment and growing desperation. They argue that the administration was not, and is not, interested in diplomacy. According to Richardson, Leverett and Mann believe that "America's approach to rogue nations was all sticks and no carrots, all economic sanctions and threats of war without any dialogue." Leverett joins us today, in the first hour, to talk about Iran. Can you hear that drumbeat? Should Iran be allowed to pursue a nuclear program? Are strikes inevitable?

David Gura

1:58 PM ET | 10-25-2007 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Mystery Twins

Image courtesy of Random House.

 

It's a story too rich to really condense here: the babies above are identical twins. Separated as infants and adopted to families in different parts of the country. Who grew up with no knowledge of one another's existence. They knew they were adopted, but they had no idea they were twins, 'til one day, 30-something years later, Elyse Schein decided to try to find her birth mother. When she called the adoption agency for information, she learned something far more shocking than she could've imagined: she had an identical twin. Her twin Paula Bernstein, meanwhile, had no desire to learn about her adoption... so imagine her surprise when she received a call from the agency, informing her of her twin's existence. Now, five years later, the sisters are on our show with their story of discovering their similarities, digging into their pasts, and the twin study that they never consented to participate in. Normally I'd try to find the common ground in their experience, something we can all relate to and comment on... but I'm at a loss with this one. I just want to absorb their story. Enjoy, and definitely leave questions and comments for Paula and Elyse here... I'm sure you've got them!

Sarah Handel

1:57 PM ET | 10-25-2007 | permalink | comments (25) | e-mail post

Living in a World of Porn

I hail from the Porn Capital of the World. That's right, porn. SoCal's San Fernando Valley (see: Magnolia) is the mecca of all that is porn-y -- buying, selling, producing, you name it. And Chatsworth, my little hamlet wedged against the Santa Ana mountains, is the central hub of activity . That's our claim to fame: porn and raining frogs. Of course, growing up, I was always oblivious to this. It wasn't until high school that I became faintly aware of the undercurrent of the town. And it wasn't until college that I realized the peach house down the street was really a "production studio" for porno films. Fun times. Today we talk to Claire Hoffman about why the porn industry is suffering at the hands of its would-be savior: the Internet.

Ashley Grashaw

1:56 PM ET | 10-25-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

October 25th Show

Last show of the week. Here's what's happening:

Weaker winds have offered some hope to the firefighters who continue to battle fires that have engulfed much of Southern California. With at least half a million displaced residents and millions of dollars in damages, the White House has declared the region a federal disaster zone. The effects of this natural disaster have prompted comparisons to the destruction and subsequent response brought on by Hurricane Katrina that struck the gulf region two years ago. Guests in this first hour segment will talk about the parallel comparisons to the California fires and Hurricane Katrina and what is different this time around. Following that, we'll talk to Flynt Leverett, former senior director for Middle East policy at the National Security Council with the Bush administration. We'll ask him to detail his fear that the United States is gearing up to wage an attack on Iran, a concern that was the focus of an interview he gave with his National Security Council colleague Hillary Mann that appears in this month's Esquire magazine.

In our second hour, we're joined by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein, twin sisters who were separated as infants and grew into adulthood completely unaware of each other's existence. They will share their story, talk about why they were separated and how reuniting prompted surprising questions about their own self-identity. Their fascinating story is detailed in a new memoir entitled Identical Strangers. At the end of the hour, Claire Hoffman, contributing editor for Portfolio magazine, talks about her article entitled Obscene Losses where she explains how the internet is killing porn.

Gwen Outen

11:13 AM ET | 10-25-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Adult Theaters (get your mind out of the gutter)

I hate to play the grouchy old man here (again), but I was thrilled to see this story in USA Today today (maybe we won't need those theater snitching devices after all). It's no secret that adults aren't going to the movies as much as theaters and movie makers would like. And you don't need a PhD in film studies to realize that a big part of the reason is the obnoxious audiences you tend to find on weekends (and no I'm not forgetting the complete lack of any decent movies most weeks). So theaters are fighting back... with adult-only showings (adult as in grown-up, not XXX), and nice perks like seat-served food and full bars (some even have babysitting services). My favorite attempt to brainwash improve the behavior of teens might be this one:

Two theaters in suburban Chicago require patrons 17 and younger to attend a short "code of conduct" class on decorum before they can see movies at 8:30 p.m. or later without parents.

A veteran of traffic school myself, I don't have high hopes for any "code of conduct" courses. But, short of arming theater staff with cattle prods or duct tape, this may be the best we'll get for now.

Won't it be a bummer, though, when we realize it wasn't just the teens and tweens doing all the yapping and tapping during the show.

Scott Cameron

10:35 AM ET | 10-25-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Iraqi Journalists

When I was in graduate school, I went to a talk by Anne Garrels, one of NPR's foreign correspondents. (For the last four years, she has reported from Iraq, mostly). Garrels talked about embeds, the political situation in Baghdad, and the nuts and bolts of practicing journalism there. She was in New York only briefly, to accept an Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia University Award for NPR's coverage of Iraq. Hours after the awards ceremony, Garrels was Baghdad-bound again.

She shared that award with several reporters, editors, and producers, based in Washington. But she made an important point during her acceptance speech. It would be hard, if not impossible, for NPR to report from Baghdad, without the help of the network's staff of Iraqi translators and journalists, including Isra Rubaie, Abdulla Mizead, Kais Jalele, Saleem Amer, Sa'ad Qasm, Vahram Epikan, Ahmed Hashim, Ahmed Qusay, Abu Ali Salman Daoud, Abu Hider Abdul Qatar Ahmed, who were also recognized by the DuPont jury. Garrels said she would carry that "Silver Baton" in her luggage, for them.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 121 journalists have been killed in Iraq since hostilities began there, in 2003; 99 of them were Iraqi. On today's program, we'll talk to two Iraq journalists, and to Anne Garrels. Do you have questions about what they do? Or do you wonder why, and how, they continue to work?

David Gura

1:59 PM ET | 10-24-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Junkie for President! (just imagine the campaign button)

Now that Stephen Colbert is a "candidate" for president in both parties (and polling in the single digits, by the way), the news media needs to figure out how to cover this (not to mention what will happen to his show if he actually turns up on a ballot somewhere, a la Fred Thompson and Law & Order). You know these are strange days when Colbert plays it straight on Meet the Press while Tim Russert waves a Bert doll and demands to know why "Ernie & Bert" aren't pronounced "Ernie" and "bear." Ana Marie Cox had the right take on this one at Time's Swampland blog:

His interview yesterday was painfully so-ironic-it-was-unironic, and induced the kind of cringes you usually associate with Larry Craig. Russert tried way too hard, Colbert maybe not hard enough, or maybe there's something about "fake newsers" actively participating in "real" news that forces you to realize there's no hope for either genre.

We'll drag her into the Political Junkie fray, to talk a bit about the fake "news" man's candidacy, and the dangers of real newsmen taking the funny-bait.

And there's plenty more to talk about with Ken Rudin: Mitt Romney's Osama/Obama mixup, Sam Brownback's graceful exit, and the most recent Republican debate, among other things.

Scott Cameron

1:58 PM ET | 10-24-2007 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

The Things We Carry

Watching the evening news last night, I was struck by one thing in particular about the fires in California: if they're lucky, evacuating residents have about 4 to 7 minutes to gather the things they'll take with them and leave their homes. 4 to 7 minutes. If you're lucky, you might get to return for 5 minutes, with an escort, when your neighborhood's still too dangerous to inhabit. It's mind-scrambling, to me anyway, to think about what I'd take. This happens with some regularity around the country, as floods, hurricanes, fires, and tornadoes pound, burn, and change the landscape. Really, it could happen to any of us. Have you had to leave your home in a hurry, without knowing when, or if, you'd return? Or if you'd even have a home to return to? If you haven't, it's an interesting exercise... Prescriptions and pets are essentials, but what else would you grab? My meds and my Winston would certainly make the cut, but if I had time for just one more thing, I'm really not sure what I'd choose. A treasured necklace? The teddy bear I've had my whole life? For me, it's more about sentimentality than material worth, but maybe that's because I own so little. What would you try to save?

Sarah Handel

1:57 PM ET | 10-24-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

'Law & Order' Love

Have you ever heard of a little show called Law & Order? With the proper cable TV lineup, you could probably watch it for at least 12 hours straight every day, so I'd be surprised if you haven't. I've always been a casual watcher -- there's nothing like Jerry Orbach on a sick day -- and when Law & Order: Criminal Intent debuted, I stuck with it for a couple of seasons, thanks to Goren and Eames*, the crimesolving duo I like best (and I still delight in the reruns). And let's not forget Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the third star of the franchise. The shows always seem to be up on, or even ahead of, the news, so how do they do it? There are only so many headlines from which to rip. Have you seen a story that seems ripe for the Law & Order treatment? And which is your favorite, and why?

*I want to say especially Goren, because I'm a serious member of the Vincent D'Onofrio fanclub... but then again, Eames -- played by Kathryn Erbe -- is the best straight man (er, woman) ever. I love them both!

Sarah Handel

1:56 PM ET | 10-24-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

October 24th Show

In our first hour we will talk about the grave risks Iraqi journalists face while reporting in one of the most dangerous places in the world for reporters. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 121 journalists have been killed in Iraq since hostilities began there four years ago. Many western news organizations depend on Iraqi reporters to go where they can't... to conduct interviews, take photos, and write articles about what is taking place in the region. Today we will talk to two Iraqi journalists about the enormous risks of reporting in the line of fire, and also to an NPR foreign correspondent who hired many of the Iraqi reporters this organization relies on. Following that conversation, Ken Rudin stops in for his weekly Political Junkie visit and talks about what's happening in the political arena, including the history-making win in the Louisiana governor race, and Mitt Romney's repeated "Obama-Osama" faux pas. And Ana Marie Cox, Washington Editor of Time.com, will also join us to talk about Comedy Central political satirist Stephen Colbert and his recent appearance on Meet the Press. Colbert has announced he is "running" for president.

The wildfires that continue to sweep across Southern California have destroyed countless homes and prompted the biggest evacuation in the state's history. Hundreds of thousands of Californians have had to abandon their homes and, in the space of only a few minutes, are forced to decide what valuables to take with them and what to leave behind. In our second hour we'll hear from people who have lost their home in a disaster. Following that, we will talk to Emmy award winning writer and producer Rene Balcer, the executive producer of NBC's Law and Order. We'll talk about the series and the writer's strike that looms in Hollywood.

Gwen Outen

11:10 AM ET | 10-24-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Love From (and To!) L.A.

Watching the fire from the Getty Museum.

Source: BarrieJH

Picture this (or... er... just look at the photo). It's Sunday afternoon, and I've just gone up to the Getty Museum in that darling little tram. The view, as anyone who's been to the Getty knows, is just spectacular. I am a dedicated East Coaster (Red Sox -- not just post-curse, shellfish, Norman Rockwell, etc.), but I'm learning -- I've been tossing off terms like "freeway," "namaste," and "Santa Anas," like I hope a native would. (It's possible that my legs, which are indistinguishable from a really gleaming piece of sushi-style red snapper -- i.e., seriously white -- might give me away.) I've already heard that the Santa Ana winds are coming in, hence the slightly warmer then average temperatures (that's still only slightly warmer then paradise). Here's where I give myself away. Upon looking out over the Getty's pristine whiteness, I point to a cloud of smoke, and ask a nice man standing next to me whether it's sand from the Santa Anas. He smiles sadly at me and says, "Malibu's on fire."

That was Sunday. Now it's Wednesday, and the fires have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. I'm out here working on another great NPR show for a week (though my heart belongs to TOTN), and it's been sad, but fascinating to watch the fires burn from a sort of eye in the hurricane -- between Malibu and San Diego. I had expected a week in which the toughest thing would be getting stuck in line behind Britney at a Taco Bell. Not so. It's overwhelming to see the disaster on television, and then again from the Santa Monica marina. As we wend our way into day four of the raging fires, it's clear that the price that people on the West Coast pay for the gaspingly beautiful scenery -- from beaches to canyons to mountains -- is high. But even the smoky skies can't obliterate the sunsets from the PCH on my way home from work. Here's hoping everybody gets home safely.

Barrie Hardymon

7:50 AM ET | 10-24-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Ignoring Hatred

In a commentary for NPR's All Things Considered, which aired last week, and in his column for The New York Sun, John McWhorter, of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, made a "modest proposal," which generated a huge response: "The next time somebody plants a noose, let's just ignore it. Perhaps paying less attention to these acts will take away their racist power."

The modesty of his proposal is debatable, to say the least, as more and more nooses are found, hanging on trees, at high schools and the Coast Guard Academy, and in the ivory tower. Can we really ignore something so malicious, with such a painful and haunting history?

No, it seems. Since protesters converged on Jena, La., last month, many media outlets, including NPR, have filled pages and programs with reports on, and conversations about, race and racism. DiversityInc magazine has chronicled each incident on a web page, called "Noose Watch." And the Rev. Al Sharpton has called for a march on Washington, D.C., to demand that the government prosecute hate crimes with more zeal. What do you think of McWhorter's suggestion? Is the noose's symbolism indelible?

David Gura

1:59 PM ET | 10-23-2007 | permalink | comments (83) | e-mail post

The Onion's A-peel

You're probably well aware of The Onion online, which features snarky stories (that often lampoon our fair NPR). But did you know it's also a newspaper... and a reasonably successful one at that? That may sound like faint praise, but in a day and age when newspaper circulations are dropping and news organizations grasp at straws to draw eyes (and ears), it's pretty remarkable. Personally, The Onion's newspaper boxes are the first new ones I've seen pop up around D.C. in ages, and they're always emptied as soon as a new edition comes out. Then again, commuters provide quite the captive audience for all sorts of print media, so maybe we're an exception. At any rate, The Onion's managed to do what it does quite well. It isn't really news, even less so than Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's shows, and that seems to be just what we want. Why do you pick up (or bookmark) The Onion?

Sarah Handel

1:58 PM ET | 10-23-2007 | permalink | comments (9) | e-mail post

The Hitch Is Back (For Real This Time)

Christopher Hitchens was unable to make it to the studio last week because of an unfortunate incident involving a paperweight and a letter opener.* Today is the day we finally get to talk to him about Thomas Paine's Rights of Man, as part of the Atlantic Monthly Press series Books That Changed the World. All you literary aficionados out there, tell us: what book changed your world?

* This is not true at all. I actually have no idea why he was MIA.

UPDATE, at 2:49 p.m. EDT: We just got word from our director.... "Hitch is in the building."

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 10-23-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Not-So-Holy Land?

For many years, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, formerly the Occupied Land Fund, was the largest American Muslim charity. From its offices in Richardson, Texas, just outside of Dallas, the group raised millions of dollars, ostensibly for Palestinian families. In 1993, Israeli agents alleged that the Foundation's motives weren't so innocent. They argued that it funneled money to the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas. In 2001, the federal government froze the organization's assets and prosecuted its leadership. A judge declared a mistrial in that case yesterday. Jason Trahan, a reporter for The Dallas Morning News, will join us in the second hour, to shed light on why jurors couldn't reach a verdict.

David Gura

1:56 PM ET | 10-23-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

October 23rd Show

Neal Conan is back and here is what Team TOTN is working on today:

There seems to be a growing number of incidents of nooses on display lately. We've had discussions on this show about the cultural symbolism of the noose and whether displaying it should be considered a hate crime... so in our first hour today, we will talk about how we should respond to hate. Our guests will share their perspectives from different sides of the issue. Author John McWhorter will explain why he feels that attention given to incidents of hate breeds "copy cats" and the hype surrounding the noose incidents should largely be ignored. Anne Reese Carswell, the associate director of the Nyumburu Cultural Center on the campus of the University of Maryland, will share her first-hand experience of finding a noose hanging from a tree close to the center. And Luke Visconti, co-founder of the publication DiversityInc will talk about why he feels ignoring incidences of hate only perpetuates the problem. Please share you thoughts as well. How should we respond to hate? At the end of the hour, we will talk to Greg Beato, contributing editor and columnist at Reason magazine, about his article entitled, "Amusing Ourselves to Depth." In it, Beato talks about how The Onion has gone from a twelve page, coupon-filled publication to a successful newspaper whose print circulation has achieved a 60 percent increase in the last three years and attracts more than two million online readers per week. All that, and it's fun to read!!!

Last week, author Christopher Hitchens was not able to join our program as scheduled, so we are happy to have a second chance to talk with him today in our second hour. Hitchens will discuss his latest book entitled, Thomas Paine's Rights of Man, and Paine's influence on the concept of human rights and the French and American revolution. Thomas Paine's The Rights of Man is the latest in a series from the Atlantic Monthly Press on Books that Changed the World. Following that, Dallas Morning News reporter Jason Trahan will talk about his coveriage of the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial where five Holy Land defendants are accused of wiring over $12 million to Palestinian charity committees said to be controlled by the terrorist group, Hamas. At the end of the hour we will read from listener blogs and emails about genetic testing, Al Gore's Nobel Peace Prize, and the art of swearing.

Gwen Outen

11:34 AM ET | 10-23-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

What's the Talk of YOUR Nation?

Every morning at 9 o'clock, the TOTN staff gathers 'round to take stock of the day's news. Heaven help the producer who overslept and failed to even catch the headlines... on rare occasion when this happens to me, I feel behind all day. Once we get the major stories covered, we like to dig a little deeper to see what's going on that people are truly talking about at the dinner table, in the morning carpool, and queued up at the grocery store. We have various strategies for it -- our executive producer seems to host and/or attend an immeasurable number of dinner parties stocked with interesting people, which always get the gears in her brain grinding on new topics, whereas I like to go online to check out the local papers in places I used to live, and places where my friends and family still reside. We can't cover the entire country every day, however, which is where you come in. You, our loyal TOTN listeners, literally DO span the country and the globe. So we want to know: What's going on in your town? What is everyone talking about? Maybe you live in Dubuque, Iowa, where the noise levels in the city's only dog park grate on residents' nerves. Or maybe you live in Memphis, where the death of famed photographer and local legend Ernest Withers is the talk of the coffeehouse or barbershop. We want to know about these stories, and even if they seem of limited interest -- geographically, demographically, whatever -- if people are talking about it, there's generally a nugget in there that speaks to a broader human discussion or truth. So tell us: what's the buzz where you live? We want to turn your stories into on-air content, so if you've got links, please send them along...

Sarah Handel

10:06 AM ET | 10-23-2007 | permalink | comments (132) | e-mail post

Birth Control in Middle School

This is one of those issues that makes me feel old. I'm only 23, but sex was definitely not on the menu when I was in middle school. We were more worried about how our braces made us look in pictures or whether or not we got to sit next to the "cool girl" at lunch, and the height of flirtation entailed passing a note that read, "Do you like me? Check one: Yes or No." But now, apparently, sex is something middle schools have to take seriously. Not that all 11- and 12-year-olds are having sex or getting pregnant -- far from it. But enough are dabbling that some middle schools across the country have decided to make prescription birth control available to their students, the most recent of which is King Middle School in Portland, Maine. Not surprisingly, the decision has garnered heated reaction from both sides of the debate: opponents say it's a band-aid tha