The Economy, Ctd.

In his column this morning, David Brooks, of The New York Times took a provocative stance: "What we need in this situation is authority," he wrote. "Not heavy-handed government regulation, but the steady and powerful hand of some public institutions that can guard against the corrupting influences of sloppy money and then prevent destructive contagions when the credit dries up." That statement won't carry favor with many Republicans, no doubt. What about the free market? It's the beau ideal of the conservative movement, isn't it?

Or is it?

Peter Goodman, who covers the national economy for The New York Times will join us, to talk about the free market. What is it? Has it existed? Could it? Does anyone want it to?

Forget that last question. Of course there are people who want an economy devoid of regulation. Devin Foley, who works at the Center of the American Experiment, is one of them. He'll tell us how Americans would benefit from a free market, and why regulation isn't the solution to this crisis.

Dean Baker, who was supposed to be on our program yesterday (we ran out of time!), runs the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a think tank here, in Washington, and he is no fan of free-market economics.

What do you think? In this financial crisis -- or, if you're more optimistic, economic turmoil --, do you think more regulation would help us? Or hurt us?

The Congressional plan was nobody's darling, but it was an effort to assert some authority. It was an effort to alter the psychology of the markets.

David Gura

1:59 PM ET | 09-30-2008 | permalink

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Gustav And Ike Come To Party And Don't Bring Keg

Some places are out of grades... too bad for your fancy rides.

Source: xampl9

Remember when "pain at the pump" was a reference to how much gasoline cost? If you're in the Southeast, it might be more about how long it takes to get it. After a stormy couple of weeks, a gas shortage is its toll -- the worst lines are in Atlanta, Georgia, parts of the Carolinas, and Alabama. It's particularly frustrating when gas prices are slightly down in most parts of the country. We've heard tales of two hour lines -- our own David Gura heard that his dad was stuck in a gas line in Chapel Hill yesterday. Well, now it's your turn; tell us your tales from the shortage. What are you doing while you're in line? Catching up on a good book? Commiserating with other drivers?

Barrie Hardymon

1:58 PM ET | 09-30-2008 | permalink

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Predicting Cancer

Faced with a family history of ovarian cancer and breast cancer, Joanna Rudnick got tested for a mutation in the BRCA genes, the so-called breast cancer genes. She tested positive, a diagnosis indicative of an incredibly increased risk of developing breast cancer (85-90% chance over her lifetime) and ovarian cancer (50-60% lifetime chance). She was only 27 when she got this result, and it changed her life. She decided to make a documentary about women like her, called In the Family.

Right now, the best chance for women with the mutation to avoid breast and ovarian cancers is to have their breasts and ovaries removed, and soon, as the risk increases with age. It's an almost unimaginable decision -- radical mastectomy of currently healthy breasts, and oophorectomy, forever prohibiting the woman from becoming pregnant -- but when? If you're not ready to have kids yet, do you push the surgeries back and hope for the right time to get pregnant, and soon? If you're ready for kids, do you have them... And risk passing on the mutation? And if you already have kids, and you're through, how will the loss of such critical elements of womanhood affect your relationships? Staggering. If you've been through the testing, like the women in her film, tell us your story. Whether you carry the mutation or not, what was it like to get tested, and how are you dealing with your results?

Sarah Handel

1:57 PM ET | 09-30-2008 | permalink

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Political Smackdown: What's Said vs. What's Heard

Lalala! I can't hear you...

Source: striatic

Governor Palin did not ban books from the public library as mayor of Wasilla, and Senator Obama was not sworn into the Senate with his hand placed on the Koran. And yet, such misinformation persists, and plenty of voters believe one myth or the other, but not both. Why? The answer's simple, and once again Psych 101 rears its (ugly?) head: confirmation bias. Today, we'll talk to Bill Bishop, author of The Big Sort, about how, in politics, voters seek to confirm their beliefs by hearing what they want to hear, and ignoring what they don't.

Yes or no: Have you ever gone out of your way not to hear facts that might upset your existing political beliefs? All the liberals, say, "Haaay!" Did you skip George Bush's State of the Union? All the conservatives, say, "Haaay!" Did you skip Bill Clinton's State of the Union? Come on, be honest.

Ashley Grashaw

1:56 PM ET | 09-30-2008 | permalink

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September 30th Show

You've probably heard by now that the $700 billion bailout bill was rejected in the House yesterday. While politicians blame each other over the failure of the bailout, some are saying if the bill had passed, it would have signaled the end of the "free market" structure in the United States. In our first hour, we'll talk with an economist, a supporter of free markets and a critic about what the bailout failure could mean for government regulation and free market economics. Then, we'll talk about the hurricane-induced gasoline shortage that has affected the southeastern region of the United States. And we'll read some of your comments on our past show topics.

When filmmaker Joanna Rudnick tested positive for the breast cancer gene, she faced an excruciating decision: either remove her breasts and ovaries, ending the chance of her ever becoming pregnant, or risk developing cancer. Rudnick documents her deeply emotional journey through treatments and life-and-death decision-making in her new film In The Family. In our second hour, Rudnick will join us, along with a doctor who will explain the mutations of the BRCA (breast cancer) gene. Following that, we'll go back inside the political sphere with author and blogger Bill Bishop. He will explain why, when it comes to politics, voters only hear what they want to hear, and seem to ignore the rest.

Gwen Outen

11:30 AM ET | 09-30-2008 | permalink

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BOTN Commenters, Get Plucked!

Okay, so remember all those times that you left a comment on our blog, and then became instantly sore about the length of time it took for said comment to be posted? We totally heard your pleas -- and now, thanks to the magic of new commenting software -- you will no longer be instantly inflamed, you will be instantly posted. What new internet enchantment has taken hold of NPR.org, you might ask? It's Pluck -- and it's filled with delicious new features that will enable y'all to know each other better (within reason -- nobody wants to know your social security number).

You will notice at the top of THIS VERY PAGE a tempting little button marked Login. Go to it BOTN'ers, and get thee a profile -- a special NPR profile that can include as much or as little about yourself as you like. You must have a profile to comment on the site -- but once you have one, it's a key that can unlock your opinion all over NPR. You can comment on blogs and stories now, you can recommend stuff you like, and best of all, if you have something super clever to say that other NPRophiles appreciate, you can recommend it as a featured comment, and others can recommend you as well. Who knows, your comment might even be featured on the home page. And let's say you want to know a little more about your favorite NPR personalities -- go ahead and friend them -- you can see what stories they've done recently, and whether or not they're fans of Mad Men or Buffy, too!

But, with great power -- yes, that's right -- y'all have to take some responsibility here. Keep it civil, keep it smart, keep it going. If someone is being abusive or creepy -- it's up to you guys to report it. This is a self-moderated community; so let's keep it provocative, but not painful, okay? (If you need a primer about what we consider civil, here's a refresher.)

I bet you have questions! Cool. We've got answers. Our fearless online leader Dick Meyer has posted a far more eloquent explainer on all these changes, and you can also go right ahead to the NPR community explainers.

Best part? Coming soon -- the Blog of the Nation is going to become enlarged with delicious extra content. We think you'll like it. And people, please, please, please let us know what you'd dearly like to see on the BOTN. We want you to love it -- and most of all, we want you to be a part of it. So go forth and register! And stay tuned for even more BOTN changes...

Barrie Hardymon

10:49 AM ET | 09-30-2008 | permalink

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Bailout Mania

After much wrangling, and loads of headache, the House of Representatives will finally vote on the Bush/Paulson bailout bill today. The Senate votes on the $700 million bill on Wednesday. So today, we present to you, for your listening pleasure, an op-ed roundup on the bailout. We'll hear differing opinions, from the right and left, about what's wrong and right with this bill. Leave us your comments. And in the meantime, check out our four guests, and what they have to say:

Robert Kuttner, co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect magazine, and author of the book, Obama's Challenge: America's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency. Wrote an op-ed called, "Should Congress Pass the Paulson-Pelosi Package?"

Dean Baker, economist and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, who wrote an op-ed for the Huffington Post called, "Why Bail? The Banks Have a Gun Pointed at Their Head and Are Threatening to Pull the Trigger."

Nicole Gelinus from the Manhattan Institute, who wrote a piece for City Journal called, "Five Questions about the Bailout."

Lawrence Summers, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government who served as Treasury Secretary from 1999 to 2001. He wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post called, "A Bailout Is Just a Start."

Ashley Grashaw

1:59 PM ET | 09-29-2008 | permalink

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The Opinion Page: Palin Must Go

When Kathleen Parker began her latest column, she assumed it would be received like any other. She was wrong. When many of her conservative fans read her argument that Sarah Palin is not ready to be Vice President, and should step aside for the good of her party, they openly rebelled. She's under siege, she says, and feels like she hit a raw nerve; putting voice to an opinion many have, but won't dare say out loud. Weeks ago, Parker was among Palin's biggest fans:

When Palin first emerged as John McCain's running mate, I confess I was delighted. She was the antithesis and nemesis of the hirsute, Birkenstock-wearing sisterhood - a refreshing feminist of a different order who personified the modern successful working mother.

"It was fun while it lasted," she wrote:

Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

If you are or were a fan of Sarah Palin's pick to be VP, what do you think now?

Scott Cameron

1:58 PM ET | 09-29-2008 | permalink

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Pulpit Politics

Ever heard of something called the "Pulpit Initiative?" If you spent part of your Sunday with your buns glued to a pew, you just might have. Let's back up. A group of ministers have come together to challenge the IRS regulation that prohibits pastors from making political endorsements from the pulpit* (it's actually a much broader rule the bans tax-exempt organizations, like churches but including a variety of others, from involvement in political campaigns). So yesterday, more than 30 ministers took partisan messages to their congregants in a flagrant violation of -- and challenge to -- the IRS rule, in the hopes of generating a legal battle. So, did politics seep into the sermon you heard yesterday -- or at any point during the course of this campaign season? Do you look to your spiritual head -- of whatever faith, on whatever day you worship -- for that sort of guidance, or do you see religion as a necessary respite from politics?

*This blog post brought to you by the letter P.

Sarah Handel

1:57 PM ET | 09-29-2008 | permalink

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Ted Time: Debate No. 1

Originally, the presidential debate last Friday was supposed to center on foreign policy issues. To be sure, there were some questions about Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and other international hot spots, but a significant portion of the 90-minute debate was devoted to the economy. (Over the weekend, if you picked up a newspaper, turned on the television, or listened to the radio, you were probably inundated with news about the bailout.)

Ted Koppel will join us, as he does most Mondays, to give us his insights into the news. We'll use the debate as a springboard to talk about the markets and foreign affairs. What questions do you have for him?

David Gura

1:45 PM ET | 09-29-2008 | permalink

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September 29th Show

If you've been following the news, you know all about the 700-billion dollar bailout plan for Wall Street. You may even understand what got us into this financial crisis. If not, in our first hour, we'll bring you up to speed a little bit, talk to economists about the Bush-Paulson bailout bill and what could happen once this or any bill gets signed. Then, we'll talk to syndiated columnist Kathleen Parker about why she thinks Sarah Palin should throw in the towel before this Thursday's vice-presidential debate.

Dozens of pastors brought politics to the pulpits yesterday by endorsing a presidential candidate and urging their congregants to vote the same way. Their endorsements deliberately challenge the Internal Revenue Service, which prohibits tax-exempt organizations from engaging in partisan politics. In our second hour, we'll talk with pastors on both sides of the issue. And we'd like to hear what you think. Is it the role of your spiritual leader to endorse a candidate and urge you vote for him, too? Following that, Ted Koppel will talk about what the candidates said (and didn't say) in the foreign policy portion of last week's presidential debate.

Gwen Outen

11:19 AM ET | 09-29-2008 | permalink

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Clicking The Economy

Bailouts, investments, securities, oh my. There's so much drama in the economic story these days that it's hard to keep up. One way that people are working on the econo-drama is through the help of the interweb -- I posted a few of my personal faves the other day -- and while we're in Phoenix, a town famous for it's tech, we've invited author Bill Tancer to our show, to explain how the economy relates to his book, Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why it Matters. Here's a primer. What are you searching for when it comes to the economy? Sympathy? Explanations? A ticket out?

Barrie Hardymon

1:59 PM ET | 09-25-2008 | permalink

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This American Moment: Raul Yzaguirre

This has been a whirlwind election season. It's a unique moment in history, peppered with firsts, and it means different things to different people. Ever since the Democratic and Republican conventions, we've been asking politicians, artists, writers, scientists, thinkers, and theologians to take a step back and put this election, and campaign season, in context. It's part of our on-going series, "This American Moment."

Today, Raul Yzaguirre joins us. He is a civil rights leader, and the former president of the National Council of La Raza. We'll ask him what's at stake in this election, and whether he thinks the candidates have done enough to get the attention of Latino voters.

And, as always, we want to hear from you, too. What does this American moment mean to you?

Ashley Grashaw

1:58 PM ET | 09-25-2008 | permalink

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Just Play Ball!

Joe Garagiola waves to the fans.

Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

People ask him what it was like to play with Babe Ruth. Are you kidding? Without taking offense, Joe Garagiola reminds his young fans that the Babe was long before his time. Garagiola broke into baseball as a catcher for the St.Louis Cardinals in 1946. He was 20. (Babe Ruth retired in the mid-1930s -- do the math.) The problem is that thousands of baseball fans feel as if Garagiola has been with us for a loooong time. In his book, Just Play Ball, he doesn't want to sound like some old fogey, recalling "the good old days" -- and he doesn't. Passengers on a certain flight to Phoenix on Wednesday might have heard me laughing out loud at his memories. He seems to have known every player in baseball. Groin injuries, demigod players and victims of "gotcha" pranks. Example: a trainer advising a young pitcher named Tommy Lasorda on his sore arm: "Go find a toilet bowl, put your arm in it, then flush it three times and pretend it's a whirlpool." Highly nuanced with sharp wit, the over-30 crowd might remember him announcing games on NBC Sports, but the Hall of Famer also made several appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and the Today Show. Today, Garagiola gives us the play-by-play on baseball memories and how the game's changed.

Dalia Martinez

1:57 PM ET | 09-25-2008 | permalink

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Foreclosures

In Phoenix, foreclosures are a big problem. (In the last year, more than 25,000 houses have been foreclosed.) As we'll hear at the end of the second hour today, Arizona has implemented several initiatives to help struggling homeowners and homeless families. We'll use Phoenix as a microcosm, to find out more about the problem nation-wide. If you live in a place where the real estate market is crumbling, where homeowners have become former homeowners, we want to hear from you. How has it affected your community? Have your lawmakers, at the local or state levels, tried to help?

David Gura

1:55 PM ET | 09-25-2008 | permalink

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I Love Kathy Griffin

Comedienne Kathy Griffin, at the Emmy Awards.

Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In case you missed it, D-Lister Kathy Griffin has done it again: Last weekend, she took home her second Emmy for her Bravo TV show, My Life on the D-List.

I have a couple of questions. One, how many shiny little statues is it going to take to get her off the D-List? And two, BOTNers, it's time to come clean. Who among you will step up and admit to being a fan of hers? I'll go first. I flipping love Kathy. I thought I couldn't stand her, till I surreptitiously, and somewhat guiltily, started watching her show. What started out as a way to learn more about a woman I found incredibly annoying quickly morphed into total fandom. She's an absolute stitch with a heart as golden as the Emmys she's accumulating, and tonight I get to go see her here in Washington. So, come on: Who's a closet Kathy fan?

Sarah Handel

11:18 AM ET | 09-25-2008 | permalink

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The Political Junkie

Politics and economics go hand-in-hand this week, as lawmakers continue to debate the government's $700 billion bailout plan. Leaders from around the world are in New York, for the United Nations General Assembly. And the first presidential debate, between Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Barack Obama (D-IL), is this week.

Ken Rudin, NPR's political editor -- and our Political Junkie, will join us, as he does every Wednesday, to take us through the latest news. (Because Neal is in transit to Phoenix, from where we'll broadcast tomorrow, Lynn Neary, a correspondent in NPR's Arts and Information Unit, will host.) "Will Ken still have a trivia question, even though there is a substitute host?" Yes.

If you have questions about the debates, leave 'em here. How do you think it will go?

David Gura

1:59 PM ET | 09-24-2008 | permalink

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Mr. President, What Do You Do All Day?

A couple months ago, the Washington Post's Joel Achenbach asked a question that's been swirling around our brains ever since: What does a president really do all day? We know elements of his job description -- Commander in Chief, for instance -- and nicknames that get tossed around, like "Leader of the free world." But what does that really mean, day-to-day? What does his schedule look like? I imagine something like, "9AM: Economy. 10AM: Iraq. 11AM: Domestic Policy" etc, but of course, it's probably a lot more detailed, a lot more varied from day to day, and a LOT more complicated. Achenbach dug in, and found quick decision-making, an early bedtime, exercise, and a lot of help keep the President on track. He joins us, and we'll also have John S. Gardner, former deputy Staff Secretary during both Bush presidencies (H.W. and W., that is), for an insider's point of view.

Sarah Handel

1:58 PM ET | 09-24-2008 | permalink

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"The Forrest Gump of Photojournalism"

Muhammad Ali triumphs over Sonny Liston.

Source: Howard Bingham

That's what professional photographer Howard Bingham calls himself, because, in his words, he keeps "popping up as history is being made." Bingham, who is self-taught and learned his craft on the job, is most famous for his photos of Muhammad Ali, aka Cassius Clay. He even wrote a book about him called, Muhammad Ali: A 30-Year Journey. Over the course of his long career, Bingham has created lasting images of everyone from Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X to Sydney Poitier and Bill Cosby. He is in Washington, D.C., to be honored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 12th Annual Celebration of Leadership in the Fine Arts. And he joins us today to answer your questions about his photographs and his relationship with Muhammad Ali.

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 09-24-2008 | permalink

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Cornell, Swarthmore or Berkeley? What's a High Schooler to Do?

Northwestern University. Check out that ivy!

Source: rendomthoughts

Every year, deciding what colleges to apply to, and which one to finally attend, causes headaches (ulcers) for high school students, and their parents, across the country. The pressure (competition) is staggering these days -- SAT scores (merit scholar), GPA (valedictorian), athletic achievements (Olympian), community service (rescue worker). And we don't get the benefit of a gap year like our European counterparts. It's a decision we're forced to make at 17, and it affects the rest of our lives.

When I was in high school, I was fortunate enough to go on a college road trip with my dad. We visited 18 campuses in 4 days. In the end, my decision on where to apply boiled down to aesthetics: whichever ones had Gothic architecture and the most ivy. No joke, that was it. My future literally hinged on a few slabs of concrete and pretty vines. Since then, I'd like to say that my decision-making abilities have improved, but the verdict's still out.

So to better aid this year's crop of high school seniors, here are two unique college guides that may prove helpful:

Radar's worsts list, which includes categories for the ugliest campus, most degenerate student body, and most ironically-named Christian college.

Unigo, a "place for high school students to find out what life is really like at America's colleges, and to make friends to help them find the school that's right for them."

What colleges will you apply to? How did you make your decision? And if you're looking for distraction from your applications, check out what's going on with Title IX, the SATs, college tuition, and pets in dorms.

Ashley Grashaw

10:10 AM ET | 09-24-2008 | permalink

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Bailout Roundup

Wall Street's architecture has changed.

Source: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

This hour, we're looking at the third of the deadly sins -- greed -- and what role it has played in the financial meltdown currently leaking all over the news and our pocketbooks. However, we know that you guys have burning questions (not to mention fear), and don't just want to confess your house flipping sins. So, for your learning, calming, reading pleasure -- here is a collection of the best explanations out and around the web:

Why a $700 billion dollar bailout? Where does the money come from?

How does the bailout affect the role of the Treasury Secretary?

What are all those weird financial instruments? Credit default swaps? Collateralized Debt Obligations?

What is short selling anyway, and why is it "naked?"

What's the difference between an investment bank and a holding company?

How bad is the subprime crisis in my neck of the woods (sorry, Willard)?

Wait, what just happened?

As I troll the web, it occurs to me how much information is out there. Not all of it's perfect-- and of course, I'm partial to the Econonaut's coverage most of all -- but the Internet is a wealth of explainers. (At least there's wealth somewhere.)

Continue reading "Bailout Roundup" »

Barrie Hardymon

1:59 PM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink

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Not Your Daddy's Nato

After the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Cold War ended, we heard questions about the mission of Nato... What's the point of a military alliance against an enemy that no longer exists? After Russian troops crossed into Georgia last month, many of those questions disappeared. Instead, some were asking what it means to be a member of NATO, how far would member countries go to protect each other. Georgia, of course, is not a member of NATO, but the Bush administrations has stressed repeatedly in recent weeks that they'd like the country to be admitted soon. For it's part, Russia blames NATO for provoking the fighting, and has cut military ties with the alliance. At the same time, the war in Afghanistan is growing more violent, and the US general in charge of forces there says he doesn't have enough troops. All of this falls on the plate of Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO's Secretary General in Brussels. He joins us on the show today to talk about the plans to deal with these problems, and others that face his organization. This is your chance to ask the head of NATO a question... What do you want to know?

Scott Cameron

1:58 PM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink

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It's a Hacker's World Out There

Are you susceptible to hacking?

Source: kmevans

 

These days, most of us live our lives online: we pay our bills, juggle our checking and savings, email incessantly, shop for knickknacks on eBay, blog about our daily activities, and offer up personal information -- hometown, email address, pet's name, favorite author, etc. -- on social networking sites. These conveniences save us time, and make it easier to connect with others, but sometimes at a cost -- email hacking has become a real threat (ahem, Sarah Palin), and it can lead to credit card theft, or even worst, identity theft.

Most of us don't think twice about how much of our personal information is out there. We're not scrupulous about protecting ourselves because maybe we think, "Why would a hacker want to hack me?" But hackers can be crafty -- they mine for personal data in all sorts of places -- online public records, your daughter's blog, your MySpace profile page. You can never be too careful.

Today, we'll talk to Herbert Thompson, chief security strategist for People Security, who recently wrote an article for Scientific American magazine called, "How I Stole Someone's Identity." He'll walk us through the anatomy of an email hack, and give us helpful tips on how to maintain our Internet hygiene and reduce our vulnerability to attack online. We'll also get the latest on how Sarah Palin's hackers got into her personal email account from Wired News reporter Kim Zetter.

If you've ever hacked someone's email, or been hacked, tell us your story.

Ashley Grashaw

1:57 PM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink

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Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story

In the end, his enemies respected him -- and his friends loved him. With his Machiavellian approach to politics, Lee Atwater, the former head of the Republican National Committee, reshaped the party unlike any other figure in modern politics.

Director Stefan Forbes captures the life of Atwater in the Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story. Forbes interviews a long list of insiders who either worked with Atwater or became his prey, including former Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis. During the 1988 presidential election, Atwater was accused of using dirty, negative campaign tactics. This ad became infamous:

The ad propelled a media storm in which Atwater vehemently denied involvement. Boogie Man presents Atwater as a complex character. Although he was mischievous and cut-throat, in the end, even some his staunchest enemies mourned his passing, when he died of cancer in 1991.

Dalia Martinez

1:56 PM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink

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September 23rd Show

Greed. It's one of the deadly sins, and, to some, it's also one of the reasons we're neck-deep in a financial crisis. It is safe to say lenders, investment banks and corporations were major players in blowing -- and bursting -- the economic bubble. But could they have done it without us? When we reached out and took what seemed like free money, were we being greedy? Or simply grabbing an opportunity while it was there? Tell us what you think. Is the financial crisis a result of greed? At the end of the hour, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will join us to explain how the United States and NATO should respond to Russia's decision to invade Georgia.

For as many times as we enter our personal information online, there are probably as many hackers ready to steal it and take our identity along with it. In our second hour, a security strategist tells us how hackers break into online accounts, and we'll get tips on how we can reduce our vulnerability to an online attack. At the end of the hour, we'll talk about the checkered reputation of Lee Atwater with Stefan Forbes, the director of a new documentary called Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story.

Gwen Outen

11:43 AM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink

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Unintentional Hilarity: Please Explain This To Me

"What are we looking at?"

Source: Getty Images

I probably shouldn't even file this under Unintentional Hilarity; I'm sure there are those of you who are like, "So what? It's golf." No matter. To me, this pic encompasses all that makes golf utterly incomprehensible to me as a sport. First of all, this is a snapshot of the Gulf Air International Pro Captains Challenge Irish Regional Qualifier at Knightsbrook Golf Club. Seriously. Doesn't run off the tongue, does it? Secondly, doesn't it seem odd that you can literally sit down and think during this sport?

Barrie Hardymon

11:00 AM ET | 09-23-2008 | permalink

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As Promised: Foreclosure Links

John Taylor of the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America mentioned these links on today's program:

Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America: www.naca.com

To find a local housing counselor:
www.hud.gov
www.homefreeusa.org

Scott Cameron

2:54 PM ET | 09-22-2008 | permalink

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Seeking (Fore)closure...

Even since the beginning of the housing crisis (back when it was referred to as "the housing slump") we have been bombarded by foreclosure statistics (405,000 households lost their home in 2007, the year before it was 268,532)

Over the weekend Senator Chris Dodd, among others, claimed that the current crisis on Wall Street can be traced all the way back to the housing crisis.

But beyond the numbers, the big picture pronouncements and the endless B roll of for sale signs, what do we really know about what happens when you are foreclosed on?
Today we are going to address just that subject: Life after foreclosure.

We'll speak to someone on the front lines of foreclosure: John Taylor is the President and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, an NGO that works to prevent foreclosures.
Paul Reyes also joins us. He wrote "Bleak Houses: Digging through the Ruins of the Mortgage Crisis" which you can check out in the October Issue of Harper's magazine.

But really this show is more about our listeners than it is about the guests. If you have lived through a foreclosure tell us what it was like, what were the repercussions, how long did it take for life to get back to normal?

Susannah George

1:59 PM ET | 09-22-2008 | permalink

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A Better Way To Save A Bank?

In the last few days I've seen more than a dozen opinions on the planned federal bailout of Wall Street banks. Most come in against the plan, but few offer alternatives. In an op-ed that ran in Sunday's Washington Post, Sebastian Mallaby says that, just a week ago, nobody was talking about spending up to $700 billion of taxpayer money on bad debt, and suddenly it seems inevitable. He argues that this is dangerous, and that there is a cheaper way:

Within hours of the Treasury announcement Friday, economists had proposed preferable alternatives. Their core insight is that it is better to boost the banking system by increasing its capital than by reducing its loans. Given a fatter capital cushion, banks would have time to dispose of the bad loans in an orderly fashion. Taxpayers would be spared the experience of wandering into a bad-loan bazaar and being ripped off by every merchant.

Basically, Mallaby argues for buying equity stakes in banks as an investment, rather than spot-picking bad loans to buy.

Keeping in mind that this $700 billion is YOUR taxpayer money, what do you think the government should get in return for this investment?

Scott Cameron

1:58 PM ET | 09-22-2008 | permalink

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Home of the Hemingses

The house the Hemingses built.

Source: afagen

 

Annette Gordon-Reed's book, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family, would be remarkable even if it weren't so incredibly readable. It's a weighty tome -- but every word makes Virginia, Monticello, and the Hemings family leap off the page. What is so fascinating -- albeit bizarrely horrible -- is the incredible complexity of the lies that slaveowners had to buy into in order to perpetuate the institution. Just one example: Sally Hemings, the slave with whom Thomas Jefferson conceived seven children, came to Monticello by way of his wife Martha. Sally's mother, Elizabeth, had a longstanding sexual relationship with Martha's father -- who fathered six of her children, the youngest of whom, was Sally. Sally became the property of her half-sister, Martha, upon the death of their father, and went with Martha to her new home, with Jefferson. So -- consider the insanity of an institution that allowed Sally to be owned by Martha, and then father children with Martha's husband after her death. That's just one of the revelations that Gordon-Reed uncovers in her book -- it's a portrait of the Hemings family, but it's also a portrait of slavery in Virginia before, during, and after the revolution. She'll be talking with us today -- about the web of relationships that bound the Jeffersons and the Hemingses together, and the shameful institution that made it so.

Barrie Hardymon

1:57 PM ET | 09-22-2008 | permalink

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Randall Kennedy on This American Moment

Every so often TOTN will talk to "big gets" -- artists, writers, politicians, philosophers, theologians, and thinkers who have packed schedules and are hard to book -- about what this election means to them, the country, the world, and history. It's part of our ongoing series called, "This American Moment." Today, Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy will give us his perspective. An expert on race and a Rhodes scholar, Kennedy served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He's penned several books including, Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word, and most recently, Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal. And he recently wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post called, "The Big 'What If'," about the potential fallout if Senator Obama loses in November. Should make for a spicy discussion.

So tell us, BOTNers, what does this American moment mean to you? And has your opinion changed since the primaries?

Ashley Grashaw

1:56 PM ET | 09-22-2008 | permalink

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Rachmaninoff

On Saturday, I traveled to New York City, to see -- and hear -- pianist Yefim Bronfman perform Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30, with the New York Philharmonic. (In the video above, Bronfman plays the concerto with the Vienna Philharmonic, in Suntory Hall.)

Although I'd listened to the piece many times, I'd never seen it performed live. In my humble estimation, Bronfman did a masterful job. (During the intermission, an officious old man in front of me, waiting for the bathroom, announced that the pianist had made two mistakes.) Less humbly, I'll point out that Anthony Tommasini, the chief music critic for The New York Times, agreed with me:

[...] this score has seldom sounded as wildly episodic as it did in this impetuous, fearless performance. Mr. Bronfman, with the complicity of Mr. Maazel, who followed the pianist with a masterly touch, made the most of each episode. He played the opening theme with elegiac restraint, then tore into the rippling passagework that begins the piano's elaboration of the music as the orchestra takes up that theme, and so on. Each outburst, episode and shifting turn was milked for its character and quirkiness.

Technically, he conquered the piano part's daunting challenges. Arm-blurring repeated chords? Nothing to it. Double-octave outbursts? A snap. His piano tone was often steely; his tempos were sometimes breathless. In places he played with wondrous delicacy, and I wish he had done that more. Though impressive, his performance was not exactly to my taste. Still, I was on my feet along with the rest of the audience during the frenzied ovation.

The concerto is a workout. At the end of the performance, Bronfman looked like a man who had just finished a marathon. His hair: tussled. His shirt: sweaty. (If you want a contrast, watch this video, of the great Vladimir Horowitz, playing the same piece. He looks cool as a cucumber.) As the Times critic said, at the end of Bronfman's performance, most members of the audience stood immediately. (I'll assume that the officious old man stayed seated.) Bronfman walked from the piano to the wings no fewer than five times.

David Gura

11:29 AM ET | 09-22-2008 | permalink

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Parents of Teenage Parents

I imagine it's up there on the list of every parent's worst nightmares: you come home from work one day, only to hear your teenager say, "Mom, Dad, I'm pregnant." You've always looked forward to grandchildren, but not necessarily while your child is still in high school. On earlier shows, we've spoken with teenage mothers about how their babies changed their lives. And, by now, we're all familiar with Bristol Palin's story, and the movie Juno. So, today, we'd like to take a different approach. We want to hear from the parents of teenage parents: How has your child's child changed your life? Syndicated columnist Amy Dickinson, who writes the "Ask Amy" column for the Chicago Tribune, joins us help navigate this familial minefield.

Ashley Grashaw

1:59 PM ET | 09-18-2008 | permalink

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This American Moment: Ralph Reed

"This American Moment," our series of interviews with influential politicians, artists, writers, scientists, thinkers, and theologians, continues today. Ralph Reed, the first executive director of the Christian Coalition, now a Republican political strategist -- who has taken some heat over his involvement with lobbyist Jack Abramoff -- joins us, to talk about what the election and campaign mean to him, and about what influenced his political beliefs.

We want to know what this American moment means to you, too. Looking at this race, and at these two candidates, what matters most to you?

David Gura

1:58 PM ET | 09-18-2008 | permalink

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