Helping the Homeless

What's the best way to help the homeless?

Source: SamPac

A couple months ago, my Senior Producer, Carline, sent me a note about an intriguing press release: Pras, of Fugees fame, spent over a week on L.A.'s notorious Skid Row... with a hidden film crew. Interesting. Any time a celebrity or political figure vows to spend a week in someone else's (worn out, downtrodden) shoes, it seems like a stunt. But I loved the Fugees, and we've had Wyclef on the show before, so Pras had a bit more credibility in my eyes. So we decided to give the documentary a look. At first, yeah... I didn't feel terribly sorry for Pras, nor feel like his experience the first day was authentic -- his Adidas were squeaky-clean, and he panhandled for $15, which he spent on a single meal at a reasonably fancy restaurant. However, things got real pretty quickly after that, as he began to get to know some of the locals on Skid Row... and his life became nearly as precarious as theirs. It's a a graphic, stomach-turning, and ultimately fascinating documentary, and it really did drive home for me how unimaginably horrific life on the streets really is. What it didn't do -- and Pras is very clear on this -- is offer solutions. Fortunately, there are some folks who see some, and they join us today. Have you seen the documentary? Have you ever been homeless?

Sarah Handel

1:59 PM ET | 11-29-2007 | permalink | comments (12) | e-mail post

Diplomacy by Chavez

He's certainly energetic.

Source: Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty

It's safe to say that if Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez were a perfume ("Diplomacy: by Chavez") he would smell... strong. (Maybe woodsy too). In his latest diplomatic scuffle, Chavez's attempt at hostage mediation between the government of Colombia and FARC rebels has ended in nothing but insults, and "frozen" relations between Colombia and Venezuela. Today, the Ambassador of Venezuela will be here to explain what the spat is about, but you can do a little advanced reading on your own here.

Barrie Hardymon

1:58 PM ET | 11-29-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

Reading Has Fallen on Hard Times

Race you to the top!

Source: dcfox

My days are usually filled to the brim with "have-to's": work, errands, gym (when I'm being "good"), networking (not MySpace, the other kind), eating, and -- my all-time favorite -- sleep. If there's any time left in the day for leisure activities (a foreign concept to a lot of us), I'll either spend it watching new episodes (or reruns, as is now the case) of The Office, combing through celebrity gossip magazines, or uploading more pictures of myself on Facebook. (Hey, we all need silly ways to decompress). But I only occasionally pick up a book for fun. And when I do, I can only read in small doses -- an hour here, forty minutes there -- before I get distracted or lose interest. I am literally in the middle of seven different books right now (and let me tell you, it's a joyride trying to keep all the plot facts straight). Apparently, I'm not alone in these habits. According to a new report from the National Endowment for the Arts entitled "To Read or Not to Read," Americans are reading less and less, and less well. And, not surprisingly, the declines in reading have negative civic, social, and economic implications. The report raises interesting questions about the role reading has in our increasingly digital world; and what, if anything, can be done to get people to start reading more. So tell us, have you experienced a waning interest in books and reading? What has taken its place? How much leisure time do you spend reading, on average? And do you feel like something's lost?

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 11-29-2007 | permalink | comments (34) | e-mail post

$188 Laptop

[Almost]-a-$100 laptop.

Source: Clemens Bilan/AFP/Getty Images

In 2005, Nicholas Negroponte, who founded the groundbreaking MIT Media Lab, announced that he and several colleagues aimed to design, manufacture, and distribute laptops that would cost, at most, $100 each. The so-called "$100 Laptop," Negroponte said, would help millions of poor children cross the growing digital divide.

Now, more than two years later, Negroponte's nonprofit, One Laptop per Child, has begun to sell computers to the developing world. But they're not taking off like he'd hoped. According to reporter Steve Stecklow, of The Wall Street Journal, education ministers in several countries have decided that they won't buy the inexpensive laptops after all. (You can read his article here). Some wonder why the computers don't use ubiquitous Windows software.... Others ask why the laptops cost more than $100 (They sell for $188, plus shipping). And several companies, including Microsoft and Intel, have introduced competing products.

What do you think of Negroponte's idea, to put a laptop -- with a long battery, high-resolution screen, and open-source software -- in the hands of every poor child on the planet? And why don't you think the project has taken off? Steve Stecklow and Nicholas Negroponte will be here, to answer your questions, in the second hour.

David Gura

1:55 PM ET | 11-29-2007 | permalink | comments (14) | e-mail post

November 29th Show

Neal Conan is on his way to Iowa for next week's Republican debate. NPR's Lynn Neary is our host for the day. And here are the topics we are working on:

For most of our first hour, we will talk about the seemingly intractable problem of homelessness in America. The Census Bureau estimates that there are over half a million homeless people in the United States. A recent study from The National Alliance to End Homelessness said that one in four of homeless people are military veterans Many cities have undertaken ambitious plans to effectively end homelessness where they live. Among our guests will be Mike Rawlings, "Homeless Czar" of Dallas, Texas, about his ambitious goal to end homelessness in the city by the year 2014. At the end of our first hour, we will talk with Bernardo Alvarez, Venezuela's ambassador to the U.S.

A new report from the National Endowment for the Arts entitled "To Read or Not to Read?" reveals that Americans are reading less, and less well. Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and award-winning poet, is among the guests who will talk about the significance of the new report. And do you remember the proposed idea for the "100 laptop? It was a vision by Nicholas Negroponte who founded the MIT Media Lab. The goal? To design and build a laptop for no more than $100 to be distributed to the world's poorest children. Turns out making a computer for a hundred bucks ain't so easy. Reporter Steve Stecklow wrote about Negroponte's "One Laptop Per Child" program for The Wall Street Journal and will talk about some of the challenges and unexpected competition he faced.

Gwen Outen

11:54 AM ET | 11-29-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Beautiful CliffsNotes

When it comes to books and films, I cannot shake the feeling that books are somehow better as an art form -- harder to make, more densely layered, a greater commitment of time and energy on the part of the consumer. I know that's probably absurd -- a kind of ingrained snobbery that certainly doesn't account for my strong -- almost obsessive -- desire to see movies that are made from books I've loved. And every once in a while a director with a sure vision will make a movie that's even better then a flawed book. (Peter Jackson really nailed Tolkein -- and Anthony Minghella made something both compassionate and coherent out of Ondaatje's English Patient.) Last night I saw Atonement, Joe Wright's movie based on English novelist Ian McEwan's book. I was secretly hoping it would fail. It seemed disloyal to McEwan -- a writer who is in my desert island pantheon -- to wish that a film could come close to his cleverly crafted book. (Never mind that McEwan is one of the producers.) There were lovely bits, a few strong performances, some really beautiful camera work, and a killer silk dress. And the truth is, even though I felt the movie ultimately failed, I savored every minute of it -- it was a bit like watching a really professional karaoke singer perform one of my favorite songs. A beautifully illustrated CliffsNotes version of the book. Last night I was thinking, though, if I really believe that books are better then movies, why do I anticipate these adaptations so much? After all, you can't just listen to Rostropovich playing Bach all your life, even if he is the best -- sometimes, you've got to root for another vision. A movie is a chance to experience a novel I've loved all over again, and indulge in a little bit of schadenfreude, too (if it fails). Or maybe I actually am hoping for the film to succeed, that another interpretation will make the book even more dynamic, more conscious, then it was on my bookshelf. Whatever it is, I know I still love these movies -- and if anyone out there's got information on the movie version of The Other Boleyn Girl, please tell me. I'm dying to see it.

Barrie Hardymon

10:49 AM ET | 11-29-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Mike "Frontrunner" Huckabee

Rockin' out and rackin' up support.

Source: protectourprimary

For the first time in many months, a lot of attention is on Gov. Mike Huckabee, from Arkansas. Early on, he enjoyed little support. Now he's ahead of Sen. John McCain in Iowa polls. Hendrick Hertzberg, of The New Yorker magazine, charted Huckabee's rise in this fine piece. "His manner and appearance are reassuringly ordinary. When he smiles or laughs, which is often, his dimpled face looks interestingly like that of Wallace, of Wallace & Gromit." Ken Rudin, NPR's political editor -- and our "Political Junkie" -- will join us, as he does every Wednesday, to take your campaign questions. He's eager to talk about Huckabee, Republican members of Congress who aren't seeking reelection, and celebrity political endorsements (Oprah Winfrey announced that she will hit the campaign trail for her friend, Sen. Barack Obama, and Barbra Streisand said she's going to support Sen. Hilary Clinton). But he's open to anything, of course! What questions do you have for Ken?

David Gura

1:59 PM ET | 11-28-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

A Hostage Situation

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, or FARC, is a leftist guerrilla movement that has antagonized the Colombian state for more than four decades. Based in southeastern Colombia, FARC spearheads their operations from profits made by drug trafficking and kidnappings. Most recently, the guerrillas are using high-profile hostages to negotiate the release of some of their members from Colombian prisons. The hostages include Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Tom Howes -- U.S. citizens captured while on a surveillance mission to locate cocaine factories, as well as former presidential candidate and French-Colombian citizen Ingrid Betancourt. The American hostages -- bound in chains and surrounded by armed guardsmen around the clock -- have been held captive for the past four years; and diplomatic efforts to secure their release have stalled repeatedly. The official stance of the United States is that it does not negotiate with terrorists, meanwhile family members of the hostages cling to the hope that their loved ones will find a way to survive. For more details on this story, check out Joshua Hammer's piece in the December issue of Men's Vogue.

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 11-28-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? (To Escape the Bourgeois Middle-Class Struggle.)

Yes, this is the man that launched a thousand academics.

Source: dirklie65

There's a reason Alex P. Keaton is a fictional character -- it's virtually impossible not to be swayed at some point by Marxism, or some version of it. Even if you aren't tempted by the intellectual framework itself, there's all of the permutations of it -- Lenin, Trotsky, Mao -- the list marches on. It's almost a cliche -- Marxist loses faith, abandons the revolution, and shelves her copy of Das Kapital. You would be forgiven if you were stifling a yawn at this well-trod tale of de-radicalization. (I remember a time when the phrase "materialist feminism" regularly escaped my lips. Go ahead, roll your eyes.) Even Ayn Rand -- the consummate capitalist philosopher (educated at the University of Leningrad) -- would have had to read Marx on dialectical materialism at some point in her career. Who knows if she fell for Marx briefly -- on her way to Howard Roark?* If you still yearn for revolution, or you curse the revolutions he wrought, there's no denying that Marx changed the world. And whether or not you've read Das Kapital or merely quoted it, today we'll give you the cheat sheet -- with author, satirist, and Marx biographer Francis Wheen. We don't care whether you're bourgeoisie or proletariat: let's get radical.

*If only Marx would have had the sense to have wrapped his theory in a romance novel, it probably would have caught on even quicker. As it is, the most interesting character in Das Kapital is... um... the commodity?

Barrie Hardymon

1:57 PM ET | 11-28-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Remembering Sean Taylor

Sean Taylor poses for his final NFL headshot.

Source: Getty Images

I've been struggling quite a bit with how to talk about the death of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor on this blog. It's no secret I'm a big fan of the team, and Sean Taylor's been one of my favorites for a couple of years. Though some of his hits made me wince, I just loved to watch him play, and noticed keenly his absence on the field last Sunday (due to an unrelated injury)... little did anyone know he wouldn't be returning at all. I find myself reading everything I can about him now, and random details keep bumping through my head -- his dad is a police chief, he lived on a quiet street, he's faced gun charges in the past, his friends and family urged him to sever ties with Florida and leave bad influences behind -- it's convoluted, to say the least. We've all got skeletons, and his, to me, don't condemn him to a fate like this... but still I worry about what we'll learn next, and mourn an athlete who, whatever else he was or did, truly loved the game of football.

Sarah Handel

1:56 PM ET | 11-28-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

November 28th Show

In this week's mega-Political Junkie, Ken Rudin talks about Governor Mike Huckabee's surge in Iowa and what that means for the Republican contenders, the spotlight on tonight's CNN/youtube debate in the Sunshine State, and celebrity endorsement power in politics. Following our junkie segment, we will talk to journalist Joshua Hammer about three American hostages who, for four years, have been held captive in South America by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Diplomatic efforts to gain their release have stalled. Hammer documents this story in report entitled "Bungle in the Jungle." You can find it in the December issue of Men's Vogue. And because we didn't get a chance to read from your emails and blog comments as we planned to yesterday, we promise to do so today at the end of the first hour...AND offer up a direction correction. Last week, a guest on our program claimed that the Nile "... is one of the only rivers, or the only river that runs south to north in the world...." Well, it turns out the Nile is not the only one. In our "letters" segment, we'll talk to Allen Carroll, Chief Cartographer for National Geographic, about why people tend to think that rivers runs south.

Whether you've ever read it from cover-to-cover or only heard about its societal impact, Karl Marx's Das Kapital is considered one of the most important and influential books ever written and a ground-breaking critique of capitalism. Author Francis Wheen will join us in our second hour to talk about his new book, Marx's Das Kapital : A Biography, the latest in a series from the Atlantic Monthly Press called "Books that Changed the World." And since Wheen is also the author of the biography Karl Marx : A Life, he will also discuss Karl Marx's life and influence on the economic social structures of his time. As I type, we are working on a segment to follow that interview. Stay tuned!!!

Gwen Outen

11:30 AM ET | 11-28-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Phones Free at Last?

Freed phone?

Source: s2photo

Verizon got some good PR with their announcement yesterday that they plan to open their wireless network by the end of next year. But, what this really means for people like you and me is still up in the air. In theory, it should work something like this: You buy a CDMA-compatible phone (CDMA is the technical standard used by Verizon, Sprint, and others... as opposed to GSM which is used by AT&T, T-Mobile and most overseas carriers) from anyone or anywhere, and you can use it with Verizon service, or not. In other words, you don't have to buy that BlandPhone X4 and sign up for a dozen years of service anymore, it's more like buying a new PC and then deciding on an internet provider. If you buy a phone direct from the manufacturer, or on eBay, or even if you switch from Sprint to Verizon, your phone should work. And with a little imagination, you can see lots of devices OTHER than cell phones that you'd want to connect to a wireless network down the road...

Continue reading "Phones Free at Last?" »

Scott Cameron

11:03 AM ET | 11-28-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Educator Sex Abuse, Part Two

A couple weeks ago, we did a show on educator sexual misconduct. We focused on the prevalence of sex abuse in the classroom, and what is being done about it -- or not -- by both school administrators and state legislatures. Due to the overwhelming response we received from that segment, both in terms of your calls and emails, we've decided to do a follow-up piece. This time we're talking about the telltale signs of abuse; coping mechanisms and the emotional impact on students; and new digital trends -- like texting, instant messaging, and social networking sites -- that have enabled this problem to persist undetected. Tell us your story. Have you had to deal with this issue in a personal way? As you look back on it now, were there warning signs? How did the community respond? What kind of impact did the abuse have on you, and how did you cope? And did texting or sites like MySpace and Facebook come into play?

Ashley Grashaw

1:59 PM ET | 11-27-2007 | permalink | comments (35) | e-mail post

Internet Naming -- and Shaming

When the story of Megan Meier's suicide gained traction in the national press, we couldn't stop talking about it. Neither, apparently, could anyone else. In case you haven't followed the case, Megan Meier was the 13-year-old victim of an internet hoax that turned out to be perpetrated by an adult neighbor -- the mother of a former friend. What really got us was the rage that boiled over on the web -- first, the bad judgment of the hoaxer herself, and then from people angry about the case... cyber-vigilantes. When the newspaper declined to publish the name of the woman who created the false MySpace profile, bloggers from around the country took it upon themselves to find it out and publish it themselves, along with addresses, phone numbers, cell phones, and business information. The name calling on every side has been spectacularly vile, and at worst, included death threats. It begs the question: When gossip (true and untrue) can go viral, what principles should govern who we name -- and don't name -- on the web? Have you ever used the internet as a kind of pillory? Or been trapped in its stocks?

Barrie Hardymon

1:56 PM ET | 11-27-2007 | permalink | comments (21) | e-mail post

Gastroanomalies

Mmmmm! Gelatin.

Source: lileks.com

For years now, author James Lileks has been collecting old advertisements, photographs, comics, and magazines from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. His website, lileks.com, is an online archive of ephemera. Lileks calls it the "Institute of Official Cheer." A few years ago, he published some of his collection, complemented with his own brand of sardonic commentary, in The Gallery of Regrettable Food. Lileks is back, with a sequel: Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery. It's full of bran, ground meat, aspic, gelatin, and other goodies. What were some of the crazier -- and more memorable -- dishes you ate in the 1950s? Fish pies? What constituted a casserole back then?

David Gura

1:55 PM ET | 11-27-2007 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

November 27th Show

In our first hour today, we'll continue our conversation about sexual misconduct within the education system. In our previous broadcast on this topic (that aired on November 6th), we mentioned that from 2001 to 2005, 2,570 cases were reported in which teachers were punished or removed from the classroom for sexual misconduct of students. On today's program, we'll talk more about the effects, the red flags and prevention of educator abuse. At the end of our first hour, we'll read from your emails and blog comments...and offer up a direction correction. Last week, a guest on our program said that the Nile "... is one of the only rivers or the only river that runs south to north in the world...." Well, it turns out the Nile is not the only one. In our "letters" segment, we'll talk to Allen Carroll, Chief Cartographer for National Geographic, about why people tend to think that rivers runs south.

Last month in Missouri, a 13-year old girl named Megan Meier committed suicide after a boy she met on MySpace abruptly ended their online relationship. Several weeks after her death, Megan's parents learned that the boy never existed. He was created by the neighborhood mother of a girl who was friends with Megan. Sarah Wells is a blogger from Virginia who posted the name of the mother who corresponded with Megan Meier under a pseudonym. She is among our guests in our second hour who will talk about cyber-vigilantes and the public shaming of online harassers and cyberbullies. Following that, we'll talk with author James Lileks about foods that are meant to fill your stomach... but slightly turn it instead. His new book that highlights bizarre cookbook recipes and less than "tasteful" photographs is entitled, Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery.

Gwen Outen

11:06 AM ET | 11-27-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

All Hail Annapolis

It's in Maryland, not Indiana.

Source: edwardaggie98

Hailing from Annapolis, Maryland is both a blessing and a curse. Before I wax nostalgic about my hometown, though, let me explain that curse bit. Growing up, whenever I met gradeschool-aged kids like myself, I could never quite seem to convince them that Annapolis is, in fact, the capital of the state of Maryland. Everyone knows it's Baltimore, duh. When I went away to college, I thought things would improve, but I couldn't have been more wrong. At the University of Georgia, most of the students are from that fine state or nearby*, and when I'd tell them where I was from, I kid you not, the most frequent response was "Oh, you mean Indianapolis?" I even had to argue with someone once that Annapolis was a completely separate place, not located in Indiana... an argument that left me feeling simultaneously righteously outraged and temporarily depressed. So thank goodness for Condoleezza Rice and the Peace Conference. You'd have thought George Washington, Bill Belichick, and Travis Pastrana would be enough to put Annapolis on the map, but it took a Secretary of State and a handful of heads of state... hopefully sparing future college-bound Annapolitans the countless annoying conversations I suffered. And on to the many blessings... If you ever need tips on great coffee, the best dining with a view of the harbor, where to dig into a reuben and a Guinness or, of course, pick crabs, or how you can sit down with Alex Haley, you know where to find me.

*This is in no way a slam on Southerners. I had fellow Annapolitans, at schools all over the country, relate similar stories.

Sarah Handel

8:41 AM ET | 11-27-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

That's Rich

Is this rich? Or do you need a plane?

Source: StevenM 61

Remember that game, M.A.S.H., which was supposed to determine -- among other things -- your financial future? I always thought that it was funny that somehow the difference between mansions, houses, and apartments were enough to determine wealth. You could live in a dilapidated mansion or a Park Avenue apartment, right? Well, when Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama bickered over whether or not someone making more than $97,000 a year is middle class or... well... just plain wealthy, it got us -- and others -- thinking. What is rich? When do you feel like you've moved beyond middle class? Does it take a private plane, or just a little equity in your M, A, S, or H?

Barrie Hardymon

1:59 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink | comments (80) | e-mail post

Peace of [Crab]cake?

Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, home of the United States Naval Academy, is known for its historic buildings, waterfront, and water taxis. This week, if there is enough good luck and good will -- and it will take a lot of both -- "America's Sailing Capital" could be internationally known for a landmark peace treaty between the Israelis and Palestinians. Could be.

In the first hour, we'll talk to Aaron David Miller, a scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Institute, about a piece he wrote for the Los Angeles Times, "Annapolis is just the first step," in which he argues that "real progress in the Middle East will come through hard work and hard choices after this week's summit." Are you expecting much from the Annapolis Peace Summit? At this juncture, is a peace agreement possible?

David Gura

1:56 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

A Nickel for Your Kidney

Two weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal reported on organ sales. Last year, about 4,400 patients died waiting for a kidney transplant. Demand for kidneys far exceeds supply, and there is currently a federal ban on the selling of organs. It's a heavily debated issue in the medical community, and doctors struggle to balance ethical concerns with practical solutions to a growing problem. On the one hand, organ sales would increase the supply of kidneys and save lives. On the other hand, it runs the risk of encouraging a black market that could exploit poor individuals. Check out this story in The Wall Street Journal. And in the meantime, tell us: are you willing to give up your kidney for compensation? And if you're waiting for a kidney, or if you've had a transplant, do you think the ban on organ sales should be lifted?

Ashley Grashaw

1:55 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

Blaming the Botoxed

Kanye and Donda West, May 2007.

Source: Vince Bucci/Getty Images

I admit it. I went through a pretty serious Nip/Tuck phase, watched I Want A Famous Face, and have even tuned in to the occasional Dr. 90210. For whatever reason, I, like many, am captivated by stories of transformation through plastic surgery (though, for some reason, I absolutely cannot watch nose jobs. There's something about the chiseling that churns my stomach). And though these shows are sensational, graphic, voyeuristic, and possibly exploitative, I actually think they've taught me something: There are all kinds of plastic surgery patients. It's not just about narcissism, so don't be too quick to judge the patients. Washington Post Fashion editor Robin Givhan takes it a step further, defending the most-maligned sector, those for whom it IS about vanity. In a day when celebrities never seem to age much, we suspect they've had work done, but praise their beauty anyway. But oh, if we find out allegations of cosmetic surgery are true? They're damned. It's a double standard... so what makes it ok?

Sarah Handel

1:54 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink | comments (10) | e-mail post

So Much More Than a Sack of Rice

I opened my newspaper this morning, to read Jeff DeBlanc's obituary.

"Most people live their entire lives without knowing exactly what they're worth. I know exactly what I'm worth - a ten pound sack of rice."

That was DeBlanc's favorite story, one he never failed to tell reporters, including me, about the great adventure of his life.

It started January 31, 1943 when a 21-year old Marine aviator took off from Guadalcanal in his F4F Wildcat fighter to escort a flight of dive bombers on a mission to the northern Solomon Islands. In the course of a few desperate minutes, then-Lieutenant DeBlanc shot down five Japanese aircraft, before being shot down himself. For his courage and skill, he would later receive the Medal of Honor. But the part of the story he liked to talk about, came after he parachuted into shark infested waters and swam through the night to a Japanese occupied island called Kolombangara (if you've ever seen the original version of King Kong, you know what Kolombangara looks like. I saw it on an NPR/National Geographic Radio Expedition in 2002, when I accompanied Robert Ballard on a search for John F. Kennedy's PT-109, which sank about ten miles off shore. When I arrived, Ballard pointed to the astonishing volcano that seemed to leap out of the water and said "Skull Island, right?").

Anyway, Jeff DeBlanc found himself in the hands of a group of islanders who were well aware of his value. Rather than turn him into the Japanese, they traded him to another tribe for that ten pound sack of rice. They cared for his wounds and eventually arranged a transfer by outrigger canoe to a Navy flying boat than got him back to a hospital on Guadalcanal just in time for his 22nd birthday.

I spoke with him five years ago, for a story on the battle for Guadalcanal that I did on that trip to the Solomons. Along with the ten pound sack of rice, the part that's stayed with me, was his vivid memory of his diet and its effects. Marines ate beans for just about every meal on Guadalcanal in those days, and he asked me to imagine what that felt like in an unpressurized cockpit at fifteen thousand feet.

DeBlanc eventually retired with the rank of Colonel, and spent most of the rest of his life teaching math and science to high school students in his native Louisiana.

Neal Conan

12:00 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

November 26th Show

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving holiday and a restful weekend. Here's what we are working on for your ears today:

Wall Street Journal columnist Robert Frank will help us answer the question, What is Rich? Where exactly is the dividing line between the middle class and the Richie Rich's of the world? I have an idea I am nowhere near that line, but you never know! Frank will breakdown what defines wealth at the beginning of our first hour. After that, we will be joined by Aaron David Miller, a scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington and former U.S. Middle East negotiator. We will talk to him about tomorrow's Middle East meeting scheduled in Annapolis, Maryland with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In his op-ed that appears in today's Los Angeles Times, Miller believes tomorrow's meeting "is shaping up to be a case study of what happens when you call a peace conference with high expectations and then reality intrudes." He'll explain why at the end of our first hour.

Currently, the United States has a ban on all organ sales. In our second hour, we'll hear from two surgeons with opposing views on the buying and selling of kidneys. Dr. Arthur Matas says that allowing the sale of kidneys could save lives and money. However, his opponent, Dr. Francis Delmonico, argues that lifting the ban will open a black market to kidney sales and "undermine the fundamental values in our society." What do you think? Should the ban on organ sales be lifted? At the end of the hour, we'll talk to Washington Post fashion editor Robin Givhan about the double standards found in America's obsession with beauty. After the death of Donda West, the mother of rap star Kanye West who died two weeks ago after undergoing cosmetic surgery, the blogosphere was chock full of comments that essentially blamed Ms. West for undergoing the operations in the first place. The negative backlash prompted Washington Post fashion editor Robin Givhan to note in her article that appeared in the November 18th 'Style Section,' "popular culture pushes and pushes and pushes people toward an ideal. And then tut-tuts when they take the bait." Do you agree? And have you undergone a cosmetic procedure that you received criticism for? Please share your stories on our blog.

Enjoy!

Gwen Outen

12:00 PM ET | 11-26-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Thanksgiving Survival Manual

I want to preface this by saying that I adore my family -- I'm very close to them, I think they're marvelous in almost all ways, and I would probably wither and expire if I were forced to spend a Thanksgiving away from them. In fact, that's why I'm far from the offices of TOTN as I write this -- I'm away in Massachusetts, setting the table and watching my father haze my boyfriend. Again. However, there are a few things I've learned over the years, that make all the inevitable vicissitudes of family easier to bear when you're spending several days with them.

1) Have a means of escape. Rent that car. It's worth it. And always volunteer when you run out of milk or eggnog to get more. Those little breaks are essential.

2) Don't mention politics until you've finished the first course. It's only polite, and by that time, there's likely been enough wine imbibed that you can be forgiven for any passion in that arena.

3) Bring a friend. The presence of a pal acts like social cartilage -- chances are you'll get less uncomfortable questions about grandchildren (or lack thereof), job prospects, or your choice of hosiery.

4) Be willing to let some things go. If you simply can't explain a "podcast" to your grandfather -- ask him to explain the "wireless."

5) Be thankful. You're lucky to have them, foibles and all.

I have to run -- the table still needs setting. You finish the manual. How do you survive family over the holidays?

Barrie Hardymon

1:59 PM ET | 11-22-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

Not Here

Happy Thanksgiving!

Source: David Gura

Families around the country are sitting down to dinner. But at many tables, there are people missing. Maybe a son's train or a daughter's flight is delayed... Or a close friend has to work... Or a relative decided she didn't want to make a long trek home... Or a father or mother is overseas. I won't attempt to top Sarah's post, "A Traditional Turkey Day," about her family and Thanksgiving. It's a good read. In the first hour of today's show, we want to hear who won't be at your Thanksgiving dinner this year. Where will they be instead? What are you doing to remember them?

David Gura

1:58 PM ET | 11-22-2007 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

A Hi-Tech Holiday

Dear Santa:
This year, I'd like world peace, an end to hunger and poverty, pollution-free energy... Oh, who am I kidding...

Dear Santa:
This year, I'd like an iPhone, 50" plasma TV, Wii, Blackberry Pearl, 8-Megapixel digital SLR camera with at least 10x optical zoom, GPS...

Yes, tomorrow is Black Friday... the day when we all head to the mall, frothy-at-the-mouth and looking for good deals (and good parking spaces). And for more and more of us, we want gadgets... TVs, video games, digital cameras, computers, the works). And it doesn't matter if you're 5 years old or 95 years old. The problem, though, is digging through the piles of lingo... HD, 3G, wi-fi, LCD, PC, GB, MB, pixel, 1080i (or p), SD, blah, blah, blah. So, before you head to the mall (or online) to shop, we've called in David Pogue from The New York Times, and Victor Godinez, from the Dallas Morning News, to help you out. What's the must-have gizmo on your wish list this year? Got any advice for what to buy, and what to avoid?

Scott Cameron

1:57 PM ET | 11-22-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Lighting Up Christmas

Home (not mine), lit for the holidays.

Source: CaptPiper

There's just something about Christmas lights. So pretty, so twinkly. They may be my favorite sign of the holidays. But how early is too early to put them up, and how late is too late to take them down?

I noticed the first ones in my neighborhood last week... which I think is a little early, but certainly not as early as the mall lights went up (I think that started in October). My boss thinks the Friday following Thanksgiving (or even Thanksgiving night itself!) is the perfect time, but I like to wait until the Sunday after. (I like my Thanksgiving to breathe a bit). And we've all got that neighbor -- is it you? -- who never really takes them down after the holidays, or waits so long that it seems silly, since they would just have to put them right back up again. And oh MAN I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet, but who can forget the epitome of Christmas light frustration, then triumph: Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Well, just in case you've got some Clark-like issues with lighting up your home and yard, we've got an expert light hanger ready to offer tips and take your questions. Leave 'em here....

Sarah Handel

1:56 PM ET | 11-22-2007 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

November 22nd Show

It's Thanksgiving again, folks. A time to gather together with loved ones, give thanks-- and do your best to ignore that one uncle who never ceases to drink too much at each and every family gathering. Or muster up a pleasant smile when you meet your daughter's punked-out boyfriend for the first time. And that long lost cousin just showed up. Remember her? The one who doesn't eat meat or dairy or sweets or non-organic or anything orange. Ah, family. But even in the best case scenarios, SOMEONE is bound to pluck your nerves. Chicago Tribune syndicated columnist Amy Dickinson will join us to offer the "dos" and "don'ts" of surviving your family. At the end of the first hour, YOU will be the guests of honor. We want to hear from you about the loved ones who are missing from your family gathering. Whether they are overseas on active duty, stuck in highway traffic or in some random airport, or at work writing a blog about an upcoming broadcast, email or call us and make a toast to the loved ones who are missing from your table this year.

So, following the elastic, stretch waist bands of Thanksgiving Day, we don the helmet, shoulder and knee pads of Black Friday. Tomorrow marks one of the busiest shopping days of the year... some stores are actually scheduled to open at 4:00 in the morning!! But before you put on your game face and stand in that impossibly long line, it may help to know exactly which gadgets are worth (literally) fighting for. David Pogue, personal technology columnist for The New York Times and Victor Godinez, technology reporter for The Dallas Morning News will give advice on the latest gizmos and gadgets on your "must-have" list. And if becoming the star decked-out home on your block is on your "must-do" list, Brad Finkle will give us some tips on how to creatively (and safely) hang your Christmas lights and decorations. Finkle is a professional holiday light installer and author of Holiday Hero: A Man's Manual for Holiday Lighting. He will join the program from his shop in Omaha, Nebraska where he is hard at work gearing up for this wonderland of lights holiday season.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!! Don't forget the cranberry sauce!

Gwen Outen

12:20 PM ET | 11-22-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

Holiday Travel

Flying standby.

Source: ma1974

Holiday travel.... One word usually comes to mind: nightmare. Yesterday I flew home from Washington to Los Angeles, to be with my family for Thanksgiving. It was an alarmingly smooth and painless journey. I had a direct flight. There were no crying, colicky babies. And -- icing on the cake -- there was an open seat next to me, so I didn't have elbow wrestle with anyone for the armrest. You think I'd be trilled by this no-headache, disaster-free travel experience. But I gotta tell ya, folks, it was mind-numbingly dull. I got no funny stories out of it, which, truth be told, I was counting on as an icebreaker for the smalltalk portion of Thanksgiving dinner. Now I've got nothin'. But that hasn't always been the case. Enter the time that guy sitting diagonally across from me snored like a grizzly bear for our entire red-eye flight. I thought he was going to swallow his tongue. Or the time I had to sit in three hours of traffic because a moving van dropped a baby crib in the middle of the 405. Or the every-person-for-himself, Donner family mentality when it comes to fighting for overhead cabin space. Or my personal all-time favorite:
the paranoid fliers, with their rosary beads and looks of extreme horror during pockets of turbulence, who absolutely refuse to pop a Valium.* So what's your worst holiday travel nightmare? Come on, TOTN bloggers, I need some good icebreakers!

* aka, my mom.

Editor's note, from David Gura: Ashley, none of us here, working, have any sympathy for you.... Sorry.

Ashley Grashaw

12:04 PM ET | 11-22-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Polls, Debates, and Biden

The last time we heard from Hillary Clinton, she was saying that her Democratic rivals were attacking her not because she was a woman but because she was the front runner, and adding that the attacks were "right out of the Republican play book." Yesterday she went after Barack Obama on the issue of experience, saying, "Voters will have to judge if living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face." Maybe her attack on Obama is based on the fact that he is the front runner? At least in Iowa. The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll has Obama leading in the crucial first caucus state with 30% of likely Democratic caucus-goers, compared to 26% for Clinton and 22% for John Edwards, who finished a close second in Iowa in 2004. Obama, responding to Clinton's jab about experience, said, "I was wondering which world leader told her that we needed to invade Iraq."

Speaking of Iowa, we're going to hear from Sen. Joe Biden, who is trailing in the polls there, but who seems to be quoted approvingly by his Democratic rivals in many of the debates. Also joining us is Paul Kirk, the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, which released its 2008 general election debate schedule this week.

Also on the super-sized Junkie show (as opposed to the Junkie column): the Virginia Senate race gets a new candidate ... Scott McClellan spills the beans on the Administration's role in the Valerie Plame outing ... and a new political trivia question.

Ken Rudin

1:59 PM ET | 11-21-2007 | permalink | comments (15) | e-mail post

Crisis on the Big Screen

Issue documentaries -- think An Inconvenient Truth, Jimmy Carter, Man from Plains -- are all the rage right now, so it's no surprise that one of the most horrific topics of our time, the crisis in Darfur, is receiving the treatment. Enter Darfur Now. Filmmakers hope their project will highlight some of the folks trying to find a resolution, as well as serve as call to action everyone who sees it. One of the resolution-seekers they feature is Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, who investigates the atrocities in Darfur. He'll talk about seeking justice in the Sudan. Do you go to films like this? Have you ever donated money, changed your lifestyle, or joined an advocacy organization as a result? Or is it simply enough to leave a documentary with heightened awareness?

Sarah Handel

1:58 PM ET | 11-21-2007 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

A Terrible Secret

Wartime is harrowing -- and people survive however they can. Imagine, though, that you're a 5-year-old child, the Nazis have just massacred your village, and you're hiding in the woods. What are your chances of survival -- of even knowing what survival might mean? That's just what happened to Alex Kurzem. But his story took a dramatic twist when he was rescued by the Latvian SS. They fed him and clothed him -- and adopted him as their own. They never knew he was Jewish. He became their "mascot," and for years kept the secret -- even from his own family. When he finally told his son, Mark Kurzem, it took them ten years to piece together his fragmented family history -- and Mark wrote a book about his father's experiences, called The Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood. Today we'll talk to both father and son about the long road they took together.

Barrie Hardymon

1:57 PM ET | 11-21-2007 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Got Stem Cell Questions? Ask Joe

I read the news of a breakthrough in stem cell research yesterday, and couldn't help but wonder if we're one step away from a cure for Alzheimer's, or M.S., or Parkinson's. No, we're not quite there yet.... Scientists did find a way to make ordinary skin cells act just like stem cells, though. And that means no embryos are harmed in the making of those stem cells. With an intense ongoing debate over ethics and harvesting human embryos for stem cells, the more immediate effect of this breakthrough might be political. New embryonic stem cell lines don't get federal funding. If these new skin cell-derived stem cells live up to expectations, scientists who study them would likely qualify for federal money. Still, this is more of a breakthrough for research than practical applications. And my question still stands: How does this find advance stem cell research into diseases and cures? Science correspondent Joe Palca will take time out before the holiday to help us understand what all this means in scientific, political, and practical terms.

Scott Cameron

1:55 PM ET | 11-21-2007 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

November 21st Show

On today's mega-sized Political Junkie, NPR's Ken Rudin will count us down to the Iowa Caucuses, talk about a new poll that shows Barack Obama leading the pack, and the upcoming tell-all book authored by former White House press secretary Scott McClellan. Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) will also join us later in the hour to talk about his campaign in Iowa. After that, we'll talk about Darfur with Luis Moreno-Ocampo. He is the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court and is featured in a documentary called "Darfur Now." Moreno-Ocampo will explain how he gathers evidence to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In our second hour, we will talk to Alex Kurzem about his incredible story of survival. He was a child when he witnessed the murder of his mother and siblings by Nazi death squads who raided his Russian village. He escaped and hid in the woods for months until he was rescued by a group of Latvian Nazis. The group adopted him as their own and made him their mascot, completely unaware that Kurzem was a Jew. He kept the secret of his childhood from his family for most of his life. His determination to retrace his Jewish history and reclaim his identity led him to reach out to his son, Mark, for help. Mark Kurzem tells his father's extraordinary story in a new book entitled,The Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood. Both father and son will join our program today. At the end of the hour, NPR science correspondent Joe Palca will answer your questions about the recent scientific breakthroughs in stem cell research.

Gwen Outen

11:36 AM ET | 11-21-2007 | permalink | e-mail post

One Across

A week ago - I was on vacation last Wednesday - I opened my email account, to be inundated with messages from colleagues, family, long lost friends and complete strangers, all of them saying that I REALLY needed to check out the crossword puzzle in that morning's New York Times. It took me awhile to actually locate a copy, but when I opened to the puzzle page, the very first clue - One Across - read "NPR Broadcaster _____ Conan."

Wow.

It's a good thing no one was there to see me blush. I remember many years ago, when Red Holtzman, the great coach of the New York Knicks, found his name as a clue in the Times crossword (if memory serves, the clue was "Holtzman and Trotsky" and the answer of course - "reds") and said, "Now I can die happy." And I have to say, I'm almost there. Everybody knows that yesterday's paper isn't used for anything but fishwrap, but compared to the ephemeral nature of radio, this amounts to immortality. And it suggests that the Times puzzle editor regards my name as general knowledge.

That'll make your head spin.

Some of you know that I know Will Shortz, the Times' Puzzle Editor (and Puzzlemaster on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday with Liane Hansen) as I do play-by-play at the finals of his annual crossword puzzle tournament, captured on film in the documentary Word Play. After I emailed him to say thanks, he replied that he had played no favorites - the clue was provided by the constructor.

A week later, the euphoria has subsided a bit, but it's nice to think that I'm up there with "Cuban refugee boy," "Xavier Cugat singer" and "Cheers regular."

I'd change my name to "One Across," but that would screw up my chances of making the Sunday puzzle.

Neal Conan

9:17 AM ET | 11-21-2007 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

The GI Bill Gap

Dang, it sure is expensive to go to college today. Sure, soaring tuition affects college-bound kids (and their parents!) around the country, and it's such a big deal that lawmakers are trying to do something about it. But do you know who else is affected -- significantly so? Men and women who signed up to join the military, hoping to benefit from the GI Bill at the end of their service. The GI Bill still exists, but these days it doesn't cover more than about 60 or 70 percent of costs at a state school, which leaves veterans with a serious gap to cover. Did you sign on the dotted line and don a military uniform, hoping to end up, eventually, debt free with a bachelor's degree? Is it still possible for you? What are you doing to make up the difference?

Sarah Handel

1:59 PM ET | 11-20-2007 | permalink | comments (45) | e-mail post

Comics, Hookahs, and Cairo

Neal talks with the author of a new graphic novel, Cairo, on the show today. It's the first comic written by G. Willow Wilson, and she'll fill us in on the story, and what it was like to write a comic book. She was also nice enough to do a little guest blogging for us...

For the first time in my adult life, I'm living in my own country. I've discovered that adulthood doesn't mean the same thing in the US as it does in Egypt, and the skills I learned in the marketplaces of Cairo don't translate into the skills I need in the supermarkets of Seattle. I can bargain over the price of a live chicken with the best of them, but buying hea