Spelling bees are almost always awkward. Even if you're good at spelling, there's little good that come of a kid in their gangly pre-teen years standing alone in front of a full classroom trying to be smart and look cool. Add live national television to the mix, and Stefan Fatsis wonders if it crosses the line from education to exploitation:

Kids stammer, tug at their hair, and display preadolescent tics that are hard enough to manage in front of malicious middle-school classmates let alone a nation of living-room critics, sportswriters, and live bloggers. In 2004, a 13-year-old named Akshay Buddiga famously fainted during a turn. The YouTube video is shocking -- not because Akshay gets up and spells "alopecoid" correctly but because not a single person rushes to his side. "Stop the clock," one judge says in an unalarmed, schoolmarmy voice. When Akshay rises, the judge says -- without any way of possibly knowing -- "He's all right." As if.

The rest of his piece is in the Daily Beast today.

Toshiba today unveiled the new Dynapocket smartphone, available only in Japan. YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images

What Can Your Cell Phone Do?
Talk of the Nation becomes Talk of the World, and today we'll talk to our listeners overseas about the savvy and creative ways they use their mobile phones... from writing a novel to fighting poverty to paying bills. We'll look at the advancements in cell phone technology that are happening internationally.

Confessions Of A Pot Smuggler
For Brian O'Dea, it began with marijuana, which lead to dealing and consuming LSD, methamphetamines, and cocaine. By the early 1980s, he had built a $100 million a year smuggling operation, and a cocaine addiction. Brian O'Dea will talk about giving up drugs, counseling addicts, serving ten years in prison and emerging sober... and changed. His book about his experience is entitled High.

Why Do We Need The Navy?
In an article published in the June issue of Proceedings Magazine, historian Barrett Tillman questions why we pay a high cost for funding the Navy when we hardly ever use it. Tillman will examine the question "Why do we need the Navy?" at the end of the second hour. His article is entitled, "Fear and Loathing in the Post-Naval Era."

If Zach Galifianakis hasn't popped onto your radar yet, he will soon. He's in The Hangover, a movie for which I've seen the preview about 40 times, and this morning on my commute, I ran across an interview with him in the new Esquire. I didn't think much of it*, but then TOTN producer Susan Lund pitched him as someone we should think about chasing. She'd been watching his "talk show," Between Two Ferns, and could hardly stop laughing long enough to make her pitch. I just watched them, and there's a whole lotta funny there. Check out his interview with Jimmy Kimmel above -- I picked it because it was the one with the smallest amount of questionable content, but the John Hamm ("Have you ever thought about, for show business, changing your name from John Hamm to, like, something like John Sausage... Or... Stuart Turkeylink?") episode is my favorite, and Bradley Cooper is Susan's pick ("Is f***ing Carrot Top behind me?").

*I spent most of my time thinking "this is the guy who had that weird comedy show on MTV?" Then, in this morning's meeting, a bolt of lightning hit my brain -- I was confusing him with Andy Milonakis. It was a major relief to finally grab hold of that name and stop confusing the two.

Interesting read from Sunday's New York Times Magazine about misjudging people who work with their hands for a living (read it here):

The trades suffer from low prestige, and I believe this is based on a simple mistake. Because the work is dirty, many people assume it is also stupid. This is not my experience. I have a small business as a motorcycle mechanic in Richmond, Va., which I started in 2002. I work on Japanese and European motorcycles, mostly older bikes with some "vintage" cachet that makes people willing to spend money on them. I have found the satisfactions of the work to be very much bound up with the intellectual challenges it presents. And yet my decision to go into this line of work is a choice that seems to perplex many people.

Yup, it's a real place, too.

Source: Jeff Sandquist

So, there's a new Jewish American Girl Doll. In a fit of internet search-o-philia, I spent a bunch of time on the American Girl website trying to find a picture I could post to this blog (more on that as soon as the AG folks get back to me). No such luck, but I did stumble upon the American Girl Doll Hospital page, which fascinated me. Steps for admission, as follows.

-- Complete the Doll Hospital admittance form.
-- Prepare your American Girl doll for her visit to the hospital--detailed instructions are listed on the form.
-- You can also choose to have her ears pierced during her stay (learn more at right). Please complete the doll ear-piercing form in addition to the admittance form.

That's right. Your doll can go to the hospital and GET HER EARS PIERCED. One wishes there were, say, manicures, in grown-up hospitals. By the way, if you want to buy a wheelchair for your doll, you can. (For $30.) And if your doll is seriously accident prone, the hospital can handle it.

Thirteen-year-old Daniel Hauser arrives for a hearing in New Ulm, Minn., to clarify custody arrangements and determine the next steps in his medical care for treatment of cancer. (In our second hour we'll talk about why many people refuse treatment.) AP Photo/Jim Mone

Political Junkie: Burris' Promises To Blago And A Supreme Battle Ahead
In this week's political junkie, NPR's Ken Rudin talks about the week in political news, including the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, and Senator Roland Burris' newly released caught-on-tape promise to Rod Blagojevich. We'll also talk with Ken Duberstein, former chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan, about his advice to Sotomayor on how to get confirmed by the senate.

Nukes And Missiles, What Is North Korea Thinking?
North Korea has conducted underground nuclear tests, defying China and the U.N. to detonate an atomic bomb and test fire a number of missiles. At the end of the first hour, we'll talk about what might be behind North Korea's provocative moves, and what the U.S. can do about them.

Why People Refuse Medical Treatment
Daniel Hauser is a 13-year old boy who has been making headlines over the past few weeks. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, but his mother has refused further chemotherapy for her son. People sometimes refuse medical treatment because of compromised quality of life, distrust of doctors, and in the case of Daniel Hauser, religious grounds. In our second hour, we'll talk to people who have refused life-saving medical care.

Difficulties Of Buying Black
At the end of the hour, we'll talk to Maggie Anderson, a wife and mother who vowed that for one year, her family would patronize only black-owned businesses. As Anderson puts it: "My people have been here 400 years and we don't even have a Walgreens to show for it."

Image taken from listing

Frye... Frye... Frye... See that, over there? Cameron's sweet house from Ferris Bueller's Day Off? It's for sale. That picture's taken straight from the listing. The house is a lot bigger than I realized -- "Approximately 5300 sq. ft." -- and has four bedrooms. For $2.3 million, it's yours. Come on people, it's a piece of American cinematic history!

I can't pretend to be unbiased on this one, a guy's got to make a living after all. Robert Picard argues in The Christian Science Monitor that journalists deserve low pay.

Wages are compensation for value creation. And journalists simply aren't creating much value these days.

Until they come to grips with that issue, no amount of blogging, twittering, or micropayments is going to solve their failing business models.

Georgia Bulldogs mascot Uga VII.Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Bored waiting around for football season to start? Me too. Here's a fun distraction: Life used the Facebook Lexicon tool "to find the states where you'll have the best chance of bumping into a fellow football fan." And who's that, there, at #4, ranked by the percentage of posts concerning "football" in a state over a given period of time? My beloved Georgia, of course. I'll take any chance I get to put another picture of my Bulldogs up. Click through the gallery to see if your state made the list!

People rally in front of the California Supreme Court building after arguments in March. The decision is expected today. Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images

Gay Marriage Decided In California
In California, gay couples are awaiting today's ruling by the state's Supreme Court on Proposition 8, a voter initiative that banned same-sex marriages. In our first hour, we'll talk about today's decision, and what happens to the 18,000 gay couples who were married before Prop 8 passed. And we want to hear from you, particularly if you live in California. If the initiative is passed, how will it affect you?

Obama Picks First Hispanic For Supreme Court
At the end of the hour, we'll hear from Ruben Navarette, nationally syndicated columnist for the San Diego Union Tribune, and Richard Viguerie, conservative activist and chairman of American Target Advertising, about President Obama's nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the United States Supreme Court.

Who's Responsible For Birth Control?
Fertility experts in Beijing have developed a testosterone-based injection that has an effectiveness that is equilvalent to "The Pill." In our second hour, we'll look at who is responsible for birth control and how that question could affect couples. Is the use of a contraceptive too important to be left to guys? Men, would you use a contraceptive if it were deemed safe and effective? Women, would you trust men to use it?

One Young Doctor's Six Months In War-Torn Sudan
At the end of the hour, Dr. James Maskalyk will talk about making the transition from E.R. doctor in a Toronto hospital to field doctor working in war-torn Sudan.

I like the Nancy Drew books any which way, but I love 'em vintage.

Source: hownowdesign

 

President Obama nominated, not more than twenty minutes ago, federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be his nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. There were many bursts of applause throughout the announcement, and one that Sarah noted, was for a shout-out to that girl detective that nosed her way through many childhoods, including Judge Sotomayor: Nancy Drew. From the New York Times: "She loved Nancy Drew mysteries, she once said, and yearned to be a police detective." I was a Nancy Drew lover myself, and though a love of the mystery series shouldn't be a "litmus test" for any person, Nancy's fine spirit, bravery, powers of logic, and slight rebelliousness, are certainly qualities for anyone to emulate. For a great piece on Nancy, check out this recent NPR tribute.

Vintage beer cans (Natty Boh!) from a future art project.

Source: defekto

For those of you (us) who love beer, who treasure your koozie collection, and love the slight tinny taste of beer from the can, here's an excellent history of beer cans from Weburbanist. Just in time for Memorial Day picnics! And for those of you who really love your PBR, here's one more reason: Pabst was the first manufacturer to offer their beer in a can.

Can anyone convince teens not to drink alcohol? freya.gefn

Caring For The Caregivers
As Lee Woodruff cared for her husband Bob after he suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq, one of the worst things, was the uncertainty. If you're a caregiver, today's show is about you. We want to hear your story about caring for a sick, injured or disabled loved one.

Making Assumptions About Vets
Often, the stories we come across about vets, whatever war they fought in, are stories of difficult transition back to civilian life. Former Navy pilot Ken Harbaugh says actually, most soldiers return just fine, and challenges some of the assumptions people make about veterans.

Keeping Teens Away From Alcohol
Proms, graduation parties, and beach weeks are on the horizon, and along with that, a lot of parents and principals worrying about teen keggers. Each year, thousands of teenagers end up in emergency rooms after binge drinking. Parents and kids, how do you about drinking? What works and what doesn't?

President Calls Members Of Armed Services "Best Of America" On Memorial Day
We'll play the full audio of President Obama's Memorial Day speech, and read your remembrances of loved ones you lost to war.

Summer time is often furlough time. Many manufacturers slow down, and employees are more likely to accept unpaid leave during the summer months when they might want some time off anyway. Long plant shut downs and months-long furloughs can be devastating to a household's finances. But in this economy many businesses (including NPR) are turning to shorter furloughs of a few days, or weeks. And Fortune reports that some places are trying to put a little fun into furloughs.

Though reduced pay this summer might mean no expensive vacation, some businesses have used furloughs as a marketing opportunity: The Rubicon Brewing Company in Sacramento was offering a 10% discount to state workers and their parties during "Furlough Fridays." And CoCo Key Water Resort is offering a special discounted package for furloughed workers and their families at two of its Ohio locations.

Even some workers who have been furloughed are trying their best to make the most of it. After media company Gannett implemented its second one-week furlough this year, employees started Twittering about possibilities for their newfound downtime. The result was furloughhouseswap.com, a site where furloughed workers can exchange homes to save on hotel costs.

Any other furloughees out there? What innovative ways have you seen to spend your down time?

A Guantanamo detainee is escorted by guards at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in November 2008 (image reviewed by U.S. military). AP Photo/Brennan Linsley

Obama Vs. Cheney On Gitmo
Today, President Barack Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney went head-to-head on the issue of national security. First, President Obama gave a speech that made a case for closing the detainee prison at Guantanamo Bay. Shortly after its conclusion, Cheney gave an opposing speech that questioned the president's decision and defended the security policies implemented by the Bush administration. In our first hour, host Lynn Neary and guests will look at both sides of the arguments. Did you listen to both speeches? Were either of them convincing? Tell us why.

Extreme Frugality
At the end of the hour, W. Hodding Carter, Extreme Frugality columnist for gourmet.com, will explain how his family is planning to be extremely frugal and live off only $200 a month.

Teaching Troubled Kids
When it comes to teaching children with behavioral disorders, handcuffs, tape, and isolation are tools of discipline used in some classrooms. NPR reporter Joe Shapiro reported on these disciplinary methods for Morning Edition earlier this week. Shapiro will continue the discussion in our second hour and take a look at how teachers discipline students with learning disabilities.

Tamil Tigers And The Legacy Of Suicide Bombing
At the end of the second hour, Robert Pape, director of the Chicago Project on Suicide Terrorism, will talk about the decades-long war in Sri Lanka with the Tamil Tigers. The group is reported to have invented the suicide vest, and made suicide bombing their trademark.

From Wired's Underwire...

When Col. Timothy L. Korpa blasts off for the International Space Station next month, he plans to pack a copy of Echo & The Bunnymen's storied 1984 full-length Ocean Rain aboard the space shuttle.

"Now it's official," the band's singer Ian McCulloch told Chartattack. "We are the coolest band in the universe."

Awesome! Inspired, Scott Thill and his Wired colleagues compiled the five albums they'd like to space walk to. Check them out here. I think the picks are pretty great -- DJ Shadow's Entroducing would definitely make my list, and the Pixies' Doolittle is just about perfect for moonwalking.
To that list, I think I'd add Danger Mouse's The Grey Album -- there's something about the mix of the Beatles and Jay-Z, plus the inimitable genius of Brian Burton that seems ideal for such a momentous occasion. Then, I'd grab Mirah's Advisory Committee, especially for the song "Cold Cold Water" (song here, embedded in a LOST fan video, Ok). It's a symphony, of sorts, and huge and important like walking in space. Finally, I'm tempted to pick some Handel and rep my family, but I'm going to think on that a big longer. What would you want to space walk to?

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele in January. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File

Political Junkie: Steele Strikes Back
The voice of Neal Conan will coming from member station WOSU in Columbus, Ohio, today and the voice of Ken Rudin will be inside our studios in Washington D.C. We'll connect the two and bring you this week's edition of the Political Junkie! Today, we'll look at the Republican bid to rename the opposition the "Democrat Socialist Party," Obama's major setback in shutting down Guantanamo, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's difficult task to "terminate" California's deficit. Plus, we'll talk with Fred Andrle, host of WOSU's "Open Line" radio talk show, about the perennial swing state of Ohio.

Conservatives Ready To Fight Supreme Court Nominee
At the end of the hour, conservative activist Richard Viguerie will explain who he'd like to see named to the court, and what conservative groups are doing to mobilize their base around potential candidates for Supreme Court Justice.

The American Future: A History
Historian Simon Schama had a hunch that in 2008, America's past and present would collide in the form of historic events. In our second hour, Schama will explain why looking to the past informs us of what's at stake right now for the U.S.

Storm Chasers Of VORTEX2
At the end of the hour, we'll take you inside some of nature's deadliest storms. Are you a storm chaser? Tell us what it's like to come face to face with Mother Nature.

TiVo overload tends to strike this time of year. Season finales chew up a chunk of gigabytes on the hard disk, alongside all the old episodes of M*A*S*H we refuse to delete. Christopher Borrelli confesses to TiVo hoarding in today's Chicago Tribune and says he's finally come to a decision: Delete! He's saved so many programs over the years that he figures he's partly to blame for the decline of the single mass event that we all share in.

I've contributed to the decline for decades. See, for ages now, I've withheld certain books, movies, records and TV finales from myself. I prefer it this way. It's my perpetual present under the tree.

For example, while those around me work out the political underpinnings of "Battlestar Galactica," I have nothing to add. I stopped watching after the first season. It's not that I hate "Battlestar Galactica" -- I love it, so much that by the end of season one, I didn't want it to end. So I sat out three seasons. The finale is now months old; for me, it will be years away. One day, when I can no longer hold out, I will be rewarded.

I am a cultural Jonas brother.

If you've ever sat frozen, remote in hand, debating whether to make room for LOST by deleting that old episode of Buffy, you'll appreciate the rest of his op-ed.

While we've certainly given the financial press a tongue lashing over what they did, or didn't, do during the meltdown, here's some of the best of Dean Starkman's list of significant financial stories that made it onto everyone's radar. Here are some of the red flags that went up -- some from frequent guests of ours, like Dean Foust, and Gretchen Morgenstern, are not included only because they're not available online.

Mortgaged Lives: Profiting From Fine Print With Wall Street's Help from The New York Times, March, 2000.

Along With a Lender, Is Citigroup Buying Trouble? from The New York Times, October, 2000.

Best Interests: How Big Lenders Sell A Pricier Refinancing To Poor Homeowners, from The Wall Street Journal, December, 2001.

Home Wrecker, from Forbes, September, 2002.

The Housing Boom's Dark Side from Business Week, October, 2002.

Borrowers Find System Open to Conflicts, Manipulation from The Washington Post, November, 2004.

Doubt Is Cast on Loan Papers, from The Los Angeles Times, March, 2005.

The I-280 and US 101 interchange in San Francisco. topherous

 

The mere mention of certain freeway interchanges can make me shudder -- the Mixing Bowl, in northern Virginia, for instance, or Spaghetti Junction, outside Atlanta. Viewed from a detached, aerial perspective, however, they're fascinating. You may be familiar with the cloverleaf configuration, but have you ever seen The Braid? It's actually quite beautiful. Or The Stack? Or... The Butt? Check out the "Field Guide to Freeway Interchanges" at The Infrastructurist (um, awesome!) for more. And thanks to Boing Boing for the heads-up. What's your favorite, or most dreaded?

Philip Markoff plead not guilty to charges of murdering a masseuse who was contacted on Craigslist. (Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster defends his site on today's show) Mark Garfinkel-Pool/Getty Images

Did The Media Miss The Meltdown?
In the latest issue of the Columbia Journalism Review, Dean Starkman-- the publication's assistant managing editor-- argues that financial journalists missed the biggest financial story in decades. In our first hour, we'll talk with Starkman, and we want to hear what you think. Did the media miss the meltdown? Do you trust the financial press now?

"Craigslist Killer": Craigslist Responds
Tomorrow, the website Craigslist will take a step to protect the site's users by removing its "erotic services" ads. This change comes after the so-called "Craigslist killer" murdered a masseuse that was listed on the classified ad site. At the end of the first hour, Jim Buckmaster, the CEO of Craigslist, will defend his site and take your calls.

Talking Alzheimer's: Is Honesty Always Best?
In our second hour, we'll talk about the complications of communicating with Alzheimer's patients. Ron Bel Bruno wrote about the difficulties he faced with speaking to his father who suffered from the disease in an article for Newsweek. We'll hear his story and also talk with Joanne Koenig Coste, author of Learning to Speak Alzheimer's. Is telling an Alzheimer's patient the truth about their condition is always best? As memory fades, how much do you share, again and again?

What New Auto Standards Would Mean For You
At the end of the hour, Dan Neil, automotive writer for The Los Angeles Times, will talk about new auto standards to produce more fuel efficient cars... and what that could mean for you.

Still haven't met that special someone? Think Kiwi... Think Air New Zealand. The airline's launched a matchmaking service for a flight leaving from LAX on October 13th. If you want to look for love in 13hrs in the air, you've got two options: a blind matchup, or you can join their matchmaking site in advance and socially-network your way to a date. Spend the overnight flight getting to know your date, and look forward to the Grand Matchmaking Ball at Auckland's SkyCity Grand hotel after landing. That is, if you liked your match. If not, you may just want to grab your bags and split.

Of all the reactions within MLB to the steroid scandal, few have been as strong as pitcher David Wells' -- a story Neal brought up this morning.

Wells, who was traded from the Yankees to the Toronto Blue Jays for Clemens in 1999, has had a tepid relationship with Clemens because he hated being replaced in New York and hated being compared with a pitcher who was celebrated for his work ethic. Wells said he had some empathy for Clemens, who has disputed his former personal trainer's assertions that he used performance-enhancing drugs, but he added that he thought the case against Clemens was "pretty strong."

Strong words from a guy who said he was "half-drunk" when he pitched his famous perfect game. Still, one wishes we could hear more honesty -- one way or another -- from the players.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets today with President Obama at the White House. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Happy Monday, Talkers!

What Is Anti-Semitism?
A controversy has erupted at the University of California Santa Barbara over an email from a professor that many of his students considered anti-Semitic. Also, a recent poll shows that a significant portion of Americans blame "the Jews" for the financial crisis. For the show today, we'll talk about how we define anti-Semitism in the U.S.

One Priest's Review Of Angels & Demons
The new Ron Howard/Tom Hanks film, Angels & Demons, has taken heat from some corners for pigeonholing Catholicism as incompatible with modernity, and for portraying heads of the church as greedy and secretive. Father James Martin, Jesuit priest and culture editor of the weekly Catholic magazine America gives his review.

The House At The End Of The Road
Deep in the Jim Crow south, a young white man defiantly marries a black woman. Almost a century later, Ralph Eubanks tells the story of his grandparents. What is the conversation about race in your family?

Controlled Chaos: Air Traffic Controllers
Jeanne Marie Laskas spent time with the "swivelheads" -- air traffic controllers -- at New York's La Guardia airport. They're called swivelheads "because they're constantly scanning in all directions, like owls." Every day, in spite of long hours and outdated technology, they get airplanes safely in and out of the air.

Think you're the only one nervous about that upcoming class reunion? Nope. Ellen Gordon Reeves reveals the dirty little secret in an article for Harvard Magazine:

everyone is nervous. Everyone I talked to-whether in their twenties or their eighties-doctors, lawyers, heads of hedge funds, best-selling authors, deans, diplomats, tenured professors, top executives alike-confessed to me the same fears about coming back. We worry about what to wear and what we look like, about expanding waistlines and receding hairlines. We worry about running into old flames, old friends with whom we've lost touch, old enemies. We fear being the one who doesn't know where to stand, who has no one to sit with, the wandering minstrel hovering alone at the periphery of a tent. We worry that no one will understand what we're going through or what we've been through. We all worry.

Ever been to a class reunion? Nervous? Was everyone else, too?

Sure, we've talked about all the shows that are ending, but then -- there's The Hills which still has a few glorious episodes left. But not Stephanie, who looks as though her not-so-glorious stint at Peoples Revolution is finally ending.

Photos of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison angered many in the Middle East. President Obama says he'll try to block the release of additional photos. (Talk about it in today's second hour.) RAMZI HAIDAR/AFP/Getty Images

Military Stress Clinics Treat Troubled Soldiers
Earlier this week, Army Sgt. John Russell allegedly shot five people in a military stress clinic in Baghdad. His father, Wilburn Russell, feels the Army failed his son, who was on his third tour in Iraq. We don't know what led to the tragic shooting, but cases like these raise concerns about the mental health services available to troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

J.J. Abrams Is On A Roll
J.J. Abrams created the beloved and obsessed-over Lost, which had its season finale last night, and directed Star Trek, which, personally, is one of the best movies I've seen in a dog's age. Any questions about why we want to talk to him?

TV Seasons Wrap Up With Deaths And Weddings
Have you been glued to your set this week, watching your favorite TV shows wrap up? Tell us which season finales got you talking, which left you dumbstruck, and which were just... Meh.

Abuse Photos: To Release Or Not?
When the now-iconic photos of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib were released, many argued that Abu Ghraib turned into a rallying cry for jihadists. President Obama has said that he'll try to block the release of new photos showing abuse.

In March, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer graced the TOTN airwaves to talk about their Spinal Tap Unplugged tour. They played a couple of songs for us -- "Never Did No Wanderin'" and "Gimme Some Money" -- but that's not all they had planned. The backstory, from producer Susan Lund...

I'd asked Spinal Tap's publicist for the names of the 2 songs they had agreed to play. He didn't send the names until 20 minutes before airtime. I checked the lyrics of "Sex Farm" on Google...I thought they were clever and funny, but I had a concern about the taste factor...

Sex farm woman, I'm gonna mow you down

Sex farm woman, I'll rake and hoe you down

Sex farm woman, don't you see my silo rising high?

I sent the lyrics to Carline, Scott and Barrie and asked their thoughts - they agreed with my concern. Since the guys have a wide selection of songs to choose from, we asked for another choice.

Today, our fearless engineer, Drew Reynolds, sent us this story:

Last night during their performance at the Warner Theater here in D.C. Harry Shearer told a story about their appearance on TOTN -- he said one of the show's producers here in D.C. overheard the band doing the song "Sex Farm" during soundcheck, and made a frantic call to L.A. to tell them not to play that on the show. (Is that true? I wasn't aware.) The crowd got a good laugh out of it. Harry also threw in a pitch for people to donate -- "Give, people! Who doesn't need a tote bag!" He told the story in a light-hearted way. In fact, he said they'd also been given the thumbs-down on performing that song on the Jay Leno show.

Pretty flipping awesome. So check out our interview, and here's the rest of their "unwigged" tour schedule.

Michael Jackson is set for a comeback. Come July, he is scheduled to perform 50 sold-out shows in London. What the promoter calls, "the biggest, most technologically advanced arena show -- and the most expensive -- ever mounted." According to the Los Angeles Times, Michael practices four days a week, six hours a day in a building near the Burbank airport.

Those practice sessions occur in secrecy, thanks to security patrols and confidentiality agreements. There have been rumors, especially in the British media, that the production will include a duet with Jackson's eldest son, Prince Michael, a stage filled with Jackson look-alikes, and a cast of monkeys and elephants. Beyond denying the last report -- "No animals. No animals!" Phillips said -- producers are tight-lipped about what the 20,000 fans in the arena will see. Jackson will perform between 18 and 22 songs. Some choreography will feature aerial dancing similar to routines by Cirque du Soleil, he said.

Vice President Dick Cheney stayed out of the limelight while in office. Not anymore. Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Political Junkie
It's Wednesday, and you know what that means: Another round with Political Junkie Ken Rudin. There's plenty to dig into today, and we'll likely touch on Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's potential senate run, and get into the fallout from the White House Correspondents' Dinner. And, in case you haven't heard, Gov. Sarah Palin's got a book deal.

Out Of The Undisclosed Location: Cheney Makes The Rounds
Former Vice President Dick Cheney was limelight-shy when he was in office, but now that he's out, he's making the media rounds defending the policies he and President Bush enacted.

Life In Rewind: Living With OCD
Ed Zine was held prisoner by his obsessive compulsive disorder, which compelled him to enact "perpetual rewinding rituals" to reverse time and fend off death. Dr. Michael Jenike has helped Ed reach an uneasy truce with his disease, and lead a more normal life. Their book is Life in Rewind: The Story of a Young Courageous Man Who Persevered Over OCD and the Harvard Doctor Who Broke All the Rules to Help Him.

No New Messages, Ever Again
Slate columnist Farhad Manjoo says voicemail is a "backward mode of human-computer interaction." He wants it abolished in favor of more efficient messaging modes, like Google Voice, which transcribes voicemails and sends them to Manjoo via email.

This dollar's on the run. Rambis

 

Two interesting money stories caught my eye -- or ear -- recently. The first was from Planet Money, and aired on ATC last night. Reporter Chana Joffe-Walt dug into the "denomination effect," whereby people are more likely to spend small bills and change, and reluctant to break larger ones for small purchases. Researcher Priya Raghubir conducted experiments like this:

[One] experiment involved Raghubir standing outside a gas station in Omaha. She would have people fill in a survey about gas usage and then thanked them with either a $5 bill, five $1 bills or five $1 coins. People went into the store, and when they came out Raghubir asked them for their receipts. The ones with coins spent the most, people with dollar bills a little less. And people with one $5 bill kept that one in their pockets.

She and her fellow researcher found the same principle held in China, where they did experiments with housewives.

At the end of the story, Raghubir made this recommendation:

If we want to get consumers going again, Raghubir says, we should hand out lots of change. "If I were President Obama, the very first thing I'd recommend is increase the circulation of $1 coins and consider introducing $2 coins," she says.

That reminded me of another story: Americans don't like $1 coins, even though they're much more cost-effective for our struggling federal government.

So, out of all this, two questions for you:

1. Are you spending your change and hoarding the big bills, when you're lucky enough to have them? Do you make spending decisions based on what denominations you've got in your wallet?

and

2. Do you use $1 coins? Why or why not?

Last week, we spoke to Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer for The New Yorker, and a man who, according to David Remnick, the editor of the magazine, "has sold more books than Gideon," about his newest article, about underdogs.

Today, I came across this video, from the impressive -- but expensive -- New Yorker Summit. (Thanks to the organizers for posting some video from the event online.) In it, Gladwell expounds upon the global financial crisis. It's good -- and entertaining -- stuff.

Doing some research on public opinion and swine flu, I spotted this column by Anne Applebaum in Slate. Our first hour today dealt with how the outbreak was handled. Many complain that the threat was overblown. To which Anne Applebaum replied:

So what? Before "that panic was ridiculous" becomes the conventional wisdom, let's be frank about it: Where infectious diseases are concerned, panic is good. Panic is what we want. Without panic, nothing happens. Up to 500 million people will get malaria this year, and more than 1 million of them will die, mostly in very poor countries. Yet there is no fear of malaria in the rich world; there is no hysterical media coverage, and thus there is still no satisfactory prevention or cure.

Thoughts? Was this overblown, or appropriately cautious?

Economic trend stories give me no end of giggles -- particularly when they've clearly been pitched during a slow news day. This one, from London's Daily Express ("The World's Greatest Newspaper!") really got me going, as I am both a lover of upholstery and delicious home-cooked meals. But apparently, I'd better watch out! "Staying in to save money is costing clumsy Britons 1.5 billion pounds a year in broken crockery, wine stains on carpets and similar household accidents." Yeah, that's right. All that dining in is causing our fair neighbors across the pond confusion -- and they're suddenly unable to HOLD A SPOON. I really hope the next story from the Daily Express is something along the lines of "Americans Walking To Work Spending More Money On Band-Aids To Cover Blisters."

A sculpture of a pig wearing a face mask in northern Germany. David Hecker/AFP/Getty Images

How Well Did We Handle Swine Flu?
Swine flu, or the new influenza A(H1N1) virus, dominated headlines for a couple weeks, but has faded recently. Fewer people are wearing masks, and hand sanitizer has been restocked on store shelves. So how well did public health organizations handle the outbreak? Do you think everyone overreacted, or do you worry about future mutations of the virus?

You Can't Put An Expiration Date On Justice
John Demjanjuk has arrived in Germany, where he may be tried for war crimes. German prosecutors believe he is a former Nazi prison camp guard, and have charged him with at least 29,000 counts of accessory to murder dating back to 1943. His will likely be the last Nazi war crimes trial. Aharon Schwartz is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, and he believes justice must be served to send a message to the world.

What's So Appealing About The Taliban?
The Taliban have extended their reach from Afghanistan through Pakistan's Swat Valley and Buner district recently. The Taliban have existed as a militant force in the region for fifteen years, and have a legacy of strict rules and intolerance. In spite of that, many Pakistanis support the Taliban insurgency.

Ever seen a hilarious typo on a sign hanging in front of a local business, or in your version of the Crabwrapper? At worst, they're mundane, but occasionally they can be pretty funny. Mario Marsicano at mental_floss rounded up his top 7 big-time typos, and they're even funnier than Duane Reade "Antibacterial Soup" or a FRIDGIAIR DISHWASHER for $200. For example,

For twelve hours on April 5, 2006, an Alitalia business class fare from Toronto to Cyprus was listed as $39 instead of the usual $3900. Someone at farecompare.com posted the news online, starting a buying stampede that lasted until the fare was corrected. Alitalia initially tried to cancel the already issued tickets, but eventually relented, and approximately 2000 people flew to Cyprus for under $200, including taxes.

And don't forget about #7, Google!

I've always assumed homeless shelters were free... Supported by donations, grants, tax dollars, etc (after all, if you had spare cash you likely wouldn't choose to be there). Not so. The New York Times reports that publicly run shelters in New York started charging homeless families if they have income from jobs:

Vanessa Dacosta, who earns $8.40 an hour as a cashier at Sbarro, received a notice under her door several weeks ago informing her that she had to give $336 of her approximately $800 per month in wages to the Clinton Family Inn, a shelter in Hell's Kitchen where she has lived since March. "It's not right," said Ms. Dacosta, a single mother of a 2-year-old who said she spends nearly $100 a week on child care. "I pay my baby sitter, I buy diapers, and I'm trying to save money so I can get out of here. I don't want to be in the shelter forever."

Are shelters in other cities doing the same thing?

The Guardian has a useful list of the most often misquoted movie lines (or, useful if you want to be annoying at dinner parties. And I do!). At the top of the list? "Luke, I am your father," which is apparently never uttered by Darth Vader! I found the list disappointing* -- clearly the misquotes are better lines -- and if I've been wrong all these years, frankly, my dears, I don't give a damn.

*Mostly because the writer uses the non-word "impactful".

Scott Cameron, our intrepid editor, pitched this story last week: In Texas and California, a bank commissioned the destruction, by bulldozer, of 12 brand-new houses, which hadn't sold.

Richard Florida, whom we've interviewed a few times, has the details on The Atlantic's website, and this incredible video:

This may be just the tip of the iceberg. Once desired, suburban and ex-urban communities with cul-de-sacs, McMansions, and long commutes could be on their way to becoming the blighted and abandoned communities of tomorrow...

Father Alberto Cutie on the set of his TV show, Padre Albert. Photos of him cuddling with a woman on a beach reignited the debate over celibacy in the priesthood (hear more in today's second hour). AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Happy Monday! I've got a whole week in the director's chair while Gwen chases the sun for a while (best believe it cannot be found in DC lately - grrr!), and the board's already full of good shows. Of course, that means big news will probably break and we'll have to change things again, but that's the business!

What's Next In The Debate Over Torture?
So, today. In our first hour, Ted Koppel's got some recommendations for creating a U.S. policy on torture and interrogation techniques, in light of recent revelations that the Bush administration authorized use of a number of harsh techniques.

Elizabeth Edwards: Victim Or Enabler?
After that discussion, we're hoping to find a way into the debate surrounding Elizabeth Edwards' book and recent round of interviews in our Opinion Page segment.

A New Twist In The Debate Over Celibacy In The Priesthood
In our second hour we'll tap into the buzz surrounding photos of popular Catholic priest Rev. Alberto Cutie frolicking on the beach with a bikini-clad woman. The pictures have revived the question, should Catholic priests have to be celibate?

High-Stakes Collectors, Criminals And Cops
Following that, a story that might surprise you: author Peter Laufer uncovered The Dangerous World of Butterflies for his new book. That world's got a history of criminality and intrigue, as well as conservationists and collectors.

It's Monday, it's gray and rainy again, and I just got some annoying news. So this Craigslist exchange imagined by Lore Sjoberg (welcome back, Alt Text!) came along at just the right time. Ever tried to get rid of something on Craigslist, and even with the low low price of free, had a hell of a time doing so?

To: tavenerfan23@gmail.com From: marquismark@hotmail.com

Hey dude, I'm interested in the free couch. What color is it?

Sounds simple, right? Only the ad says it's blue, and there's a picture attached. Many exchanges later...

To: tavenerfan23@gmail.com From: marquismark@hotmail.com

Sorry, man, it's just that I have to borrow my brother's truck to come get it and I don't want it if it smells like your family or something. Can you get it dry-cleaned?

Read on for more Craigslist idiocy...

The now infamous photo of Air Force One flying low over Manhattan. White House Press Office

 

Word from the White House today: "The President has accepted the resignation of Louis Caldera as Director of the White House Military Office." That's the office that approved Air Force One's photo op flyover above Manhattan.. and the resulting flood of frantic 911 calls about a possible terrorist attack. The White House says a review is underway to make sure "that such an incident never occurs again."

In the meantime, here's one photo that resulted from all this.

We've been chasing Chuck Norris off and on for years -- one place you can find him is in this bakery, in -- wait for it -- Croatia. (Via Fark).

A POSH bakery in Split, Croatia, has been broken into almost every week. But not since the shop owners posted a life-sized photo of the toughest man in Hollywood Chuck Norris in the window. The sign says: "This shop is under the protection of Chuck Norris." Now the bakery hasn't had a single burglary for more than a month.

Chuck Norris jokes are welcome. And please note, there are only a few stories that I can tag both "Croatia", and "Chuck Norris."

The exodus from land-line phones continues. I spotted this in the Washington Post this morning:

Twenty percent of households had only cells during the last half of 2008, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released Wednesday. That was an increase of nearly 3 percentage points over the first half of the year, the largest six-month increase since the government started gathering such data in 2003.

Why pay for a cell phone AND a land line? How 'bout a very unscientific survey... have you cut the cord?

Much of the TOTN faithful kind of, well, lost it when we had Robin Givhan on, advising a slight makeover for Britain's Got Talent songbird Susan Boyle. Not a week later, Boyle did get just the kind of refine-but-preserve makeover Givhan recommended. Now, she's a pizza. Happy Thursday!

Thanks to Greg Mankiw, whom we interviewed a few days back, I know that today, 05/07/09, is "Odd Day." According to the Associated Press, it is "one of only six this century that will feature three consecutive odd numbers." Looking for an excuse to celebrate? You got it.

"The previous stretch of six dates like this started with 1/3/1905 -- 13 months after the Wright Brothers' flight," said Ron Gordon, the Redwood City teacher who enthusiastically promotes these numerical holidays, like Square Root Day on 3/3/09. Gordon is offering a prize of $579 to those who celebrate the date with the most zeal or who get the most people involved in an Odd Celebration.

Huzzah!

Scenes from the new film, 'Star Trek' Paramount Pictures

How Amy Dickinson Became "Ask Amy"
Amy Dickinson has advised countless people in her syndicated column "Ask Amy" for The Chicago Tribune, and it's probably due to her personal motto: "I make the mistakes so you don't have to." In our first hour, Amy will share some of the mistakes she's made in her life and what's she's learned about love, loss and single parenthood. She tells the story of her life in her new book, The Mighty Queens of Freeville, The: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them.

Democratic Political Guru James Carville: "The Ragin' Cajun"
At the end of the hour, Democratic strategist James Carville will look back on last year's presidential election, and look into the future of the Democratic party. Carville's new book is entitled, 40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation

J.J. Abrams, Star Trek, and Summer Movies
One of the coolest things about summer... besides barbeques, beaches and bronzy skin... are BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES!!! You Trekkies out there know exactly what I mean, and we know exactly where you'll be at around midnight tomorrow. In our second hour, it's your chance to wax poetic with Star Trek producer J. J. Abrams. And we'll take a look at other movies that will be showing in your local multiplex this summer. Which movie are you most looking forward to seeing?

How David Beats Goliath
In an article for The New Yorker, staff writer Malcolm Gladwell makes the point that when the underdog stops playing by Goliath's rules and adopts an unconventional strategy, the underdog wins. In our second hour, Gladwell explains why. His article, "How David Beats Goliath: When Underdogs Break The Rules" appeared on May 11th.

We talked with Nicholas Schmidle early last year, just after he was kicked out of Pakistan for his reporting on the Taliban, among other things. He's obviously landed softly: he has an article on Foreign Policy's website. Everyone is talking about Pakistan right now, he says, but few really know what they're talking about. So, he put together a cheat sheet.

I admit, it's not easy. I lived in Pakistan throughout all of 2006 and 2007 and only came to understand, say, the tribal breakdown in South Waziristan during my final days. So to save you the trouble of having to live in Pakistan for two years to differentiate between the Wazirs and the Mehsuds, the Frontier Corps and the Rangers, I've written an "idiot's guide" that will hopefully clear some things up.

You can read the full "Idiot's Guide to Pakistan" here.

Matt Gross, "The Frugal Traveler," whom we've interviewed before, has a great blog*. When he's on the road, he posts photos, videos and tips. His latest entry, "Research: The Traveler's Best Friend," is particularly helpful. Gross takes us through his process, from Googling the place he plans to visit, to finding a couch to sleep on. A lot goes into every trip... But he reminds us:

The thing about all this preparation is that it never fully prepares me for the sight of a new place, the smell of its streets and the charmingly surprising behavior of its people -- the moments of discovery that inspire us to travel in the first place. It does, however, save me -- and now, I hope, you -- a bit of money.

*You don't have to take my word for it... For his online handywork, Gross just won a Webby.

When it comes to show tunes and Sci Fi, you can always count on Neal and me to flex our geek muscles. Today, it was the latter, as we breathlessly await the release of the new Star Trek, which looks -- for want of a better word -- FRAKKING AWESOME. I've collected the raddest bunch of clips for your pleasure, above. It includes this phrase, at least once. "Let's kick some Romulan ass!"

So say we all.

Hernando DeSoto on the hood of his namesake auto. 9ine6ix

 

Wired's got a lovely gallery of defunct car brands, inspired by the looming demise of Pontiac. Great nuggets of automotive trivia accompany photographs of owners with their doomed vehicles, advertisements, etc. -- I'm familiar with the DeSoto, but had no idea the hood ornament was actually a bust of the explorer, Hernando DeSoto! And I'll probably be able to impress my boyfriend by parroting the line, "It was said the only thing that could pass a Duesenberg was another Duesenberg," next time we're looking at old cars. Take a peek at the gallery!

Connie Culp, who underwent the first face transplant surgery in the U.S., speaks to the media at the Cleveland Clinic on May 5. AP Photo by Amy Sancetta

Political Junkie
In this week's political junkie, Ken Rudin talks about the politics of the President's Supreme Court pick, consequences of Senator Arlen Specter's switch from Republican to Democrat... from his new party, and a look at Detroit's new mayor. And of course there'll be a new t-shirt give-away for today's trivia question winner.

What's Your Dream Job?
At the beginning of this year, Tourism Queensland lauched a "Best Job in the World" campaign for people around the world to compete for the chance to add "caretaker of an Australia tropical island" to their resume. Well, you can stop sending resumes... the position has been filled. But does exploring the Great Barrier Reef really sound like the best job in the world? If not, let's hear a better one. At the end of our first hour, give us a description of what would be your dream job.

Face Transplant Patient: "I'm Not A Monster"
Connie Culp has made news headlines as the first American to receive a face transplant. While the reconstructive operation is groundbreaking, few truly understand what it's like to live with severe disfigurement. In our second hour today, we'll hear from people who were born disfigured and who have become disfigured. And we'll talk about the psychological and social effects that are linked to disfigurement.

What's Your Home Worth?
The drop in home prices has left some 20% of U.S. homeowners "underwater", or owing more on a mortgage than their house is worth. One bank tore down 16 new houses rather than try to sell them. Other cities report an uptick in demand. At the end of the hour, we'll ask listeners to be the reporters. What's happening in the housing market where you live?

I shred my bills, keep my anti-virus software up to date, and am generally paranoid about protecting my identity. So, of course, someone got my credit card number and tried to go on a shopping binge. How does it happen? How many people get hit? How do you protect yourself? Elinor Mills has a great Q&A on "Demystifying ID Fraud" at cnet.com today:

The latest Consumer Reports survey found that over the past two years 1 out of 13 Americans provided personal data to phishers, 1 in 12 had serious problems with spyware, 1 in 7 lost money to online fraud or had computer virus problems, and about 1.7 million were victims of identity fraud, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Monday.

Thanks to a buddy back home, in North Carolina, I saw this commercial yesterday, for a furniture store in High Point, N.C. Since then, half a million people have watched the ad, which is real, I think. (Other friends have assured me it is.) Who is responsible? Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, Rhett&Neal, a North Carolina-based comedy duo. They call themselves "Internetainers." For a fee, McLaughlin and Neal make relatively inexpensive commercials. They also do some good comedy:

Parents often worry about what their kids do online. iStockPhoto.com

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Here's what's happening today:

Do We Still Need the Voting Rights Act
In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was enacted to outlaw discriminatory voting practices and protect the constitutional rights of African-Americans in the United States. Now, the Supreme Court will decide if states should still be held accountable for past discrimination. In our first hour today, guests discuss whether or not Barack Obama's presidency signals a changing time where the voting rights act is no longer needed.

Go Negative: The Best Way To Escape The Recession
At the end of the hour, Greg Mankiw, economics professor at Harvard and former chairman of President George W. Bush's council of economic advisers, will explain why he thinks the best way for the economy to escape a recession is for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates beyond zero... and go negative.

The Myth Of Online Predators
Online predators are every parent's nightmare, but in an article written by author Lenore Skenazy in The Daily Beast she argues that the hype is far greater than the real danger. In our second hour, Skenazy, Janis Wolak, a research assistant for the Crimes Against Children Research Center, and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal discuss how much parents should monitor their kids online, and whether or not online predators are, in fact, based largely on myth.

Talk Host Michael Savage Banned From Britain
At the end of the hour, we'll find out why the U.K. says talk radio host Michael Savage fosters hatred and is among a banned list that includes a white supremecist, an anti-gay preacher, and a member of Hamas.

I try not to get all agitated and riled up and, you know, position-y on this NPR blog. It's not really what we're about, you know, being journalists and all. But this? This, Scott assures me, is OK to get royally ticked off about, in public. From Paul Campos at the Daily Beast, who's been trolling judicial watch websites and seeing some disgusting comments about the women considered frontrunners...

Within hours after the news broke that Souter was resigning, concerns arose that [Elena]Kagan and [Sonia] Sotomayor might be too fat to replace him... a letter writer at Salon comments on Sotomayor's candidacy, "How do you say 55, overweight, and diabetic in Spanish?"

And Campos found plenty more where that came from. It's awful. I understand being concerned about a possible justice's longevity, but, as Campos points out, with these women, it's a moot point. "Based on photographic evidence, Kagan's and Sotomayor's current weights almost certainly do not even correlate with any increased mortality risk, let alone one that ought to be considered in the nomination process." And Campos points out there's a bigger predictor of mortality:

Indeed, if we were really concerned about medical risk factors that actually do have a significant negative correlation with a candidate's life expectancy, the most relevant is one that has afflicted 108 of America's 110 Supreme Court justices: being a man.

I hesitated to call more attention to the vicious commentaries Campos ferreted out, but it's just so infuriating. Do a woman's qualifications ever get top billing, or is it always, still, about her appearance?

"Fancy a spot of tennis, Roger?"

Source: David Cannon for Dubai Duty Free/Getty Images

 

The Helipad of the Burj Al Arab. Do not have a John McEnroe tantrum here.

Source: David Cannon for Dubai Duty Free/Getty Images

 

Full disclosure: these pictures are from a bygone age -- 2005 -- but I couldn't resist the urge to post them after they appeared in a friend's Facebook feed. In preparation for the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open, tennis greats Andre Agassi and Roger Federer enjoyed a friendly 'hit' on the world's most unique tennis court, the Helipad of the Burj Al Arab, which calls itself "the world's most luxurious hotel." (Why a nausea-inducing tennis court is luxurious is beyond me. What's next, spa in a roller-coaster? Ah, the rich.) Good news, though, for those of you to whom this appeals -- The Burj Al Arab, in a downturn, has begun offering discounts. So go check out those vertiginous tennis courts if you must.

Just a week after the words "swine flu" made their first appearance on this site,Time magazine asks the question... Is this a case of the boy who cried flu?

Still, a little more than a week after the WHO first swung into high alert, it's easy to wonder whether H1N1 might turn out to be much ado about not that much.... If it does indeed turn out that H1N1 is just the normal flu by another name, we may look back on last week's rapid response with chagrin - and be that much less responsive the next time a new pandemic knocks on the world's door.

The next line of the article carefully states, "That would be a mistake."

The head of the World Health Organization is also firing back at critics who accused it of over-reacting. Margaret Chan told the Financial Times:

"We hope the virus fizzles out, because if it doesn't we are heading for a big outbreak." But she said: "I'm not predicting the pandemic will blow up, but if I miss it and we don't prepare, I fail. I'd rather over-prepare than not prepare."

Given the events of the past week, would you call the response over-reaction? Or responsible?

Daniel Drezner, who teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, and is a member of Foreign Policy magazine's community of bloggers, pointed me to an article in the The Economist, called "There was a lawyer, an engineer and a politician..."

It asks this question: "Why do professional paths to the top vary so much?"

To find the answer, editors at the magazine "trawled through a sample of almost 5,000 politicians in 'International Who's Who,' a reference book, to examine their backgrounds."

What did they find?

That in democracies, many of the people in power are lawyers. In Egypt, a lot of people leave academia for government. In Brazil, doctors do the same thing. It's a fascinating piece.

If you're interested in the backgrounds of some of the best -- and worst -- CEO's, check out this article, in the latest -- and the last -- issue of Conde Nast's Portfolio magazine.

There's a tiny little medieval town in France that's my favorite place in the world. It's on a lake, surrounded by a wall built centuries ago, and has a real live baron who lives in a castle. I've vacationed there three times, and can honestly say that for me, it's the best. No one's ever had to convince me France, and its people, are wonderful -- I'm sold. But just in case you're not, how's this for a headline?

Sleeping and eating - the French do it best

Thanks, Reuters. Like I needed more fuel for my Francophilia.

The average French person sleeps almost nine hours every night, more than an hour longer than the average Japanese and Korean, who sleep the least in a survey of 18 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

...And while more and more French people grab a bite at fast-food chains these days or wolf down a sandwich at their desk, they still spend more than two hours a day eating.

Ahh... Sleep, food, France. Perfection.

Retired Marine SSgt. Eric Alva, left, testifies on Capitol Hill, July 23, 2008. The House Armed Services subcommittee on Military Personnel is questioning the "Don't ask don't Tell" policy.AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson

Why Are You Republican?
With news that Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter defected from the GOP and switched to the Democratic party last week, many are speculating what exactly is in the future for the Republican Party. In our first hour, we're going to ask Republicans: Who will shape the GOP? And what keeps you in the party? Our guests will be David Frum, a former speech writer for President George W. Bush, Jonah Goldberg, editor-at-large for the National Review Online, and Sophia Nelson, a longtime strategist for the Republican party.

Gays And The Military: A Bad Fit?
Then on our opinion page this week, Retired Admiral Jerome Johnson will explain why he believes repealing "don't ask, don't tell" would inflict "grave harm" on the U.S. military.

The Secret Emotional Lives Of Teenage Boys
In our second hour, we'll talk to author and journalist Malina Saval about her new book, The Secret Lives of Boys. In it, Saval documents her interviews with teenage boys and will describe her discovery that every teen boy has a secret... you just have to pay attention.

You Pick The Next Supreme Court Justice
And now that it's time to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, at the end of the hour we'll ask our listeners for their picks for Souter's successor.