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Marc Silver Marc Silver edits NPR's global health blog.
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Wednesday

Friday

NPR News Agenda from the Friday Editors' Meeting

The news is looking wet this morning, as Tropical Storm Ernesto begins its reign on the very dry East Coast. And since we're speaking of weather, we should note that on Tuesday, Morning Edition will look at the impact of the summer's drought across the country, including a status report on the Corn Palace of Mitchell, S. D. Because the Webcam just doesn't give enough information on how the lack of moisture has affected those numerous ears of corn. Have you ever said something and immediately known you shouldn't have said it? Hey, maybe you should become a politician! Virginia Sen. George Allen, who's up for re-election this fall and is said to be a presidential aspirant for '08, is the latest member of the gaffe group. At a rally, Allen spotted a young man who was working for a rival candidate. The young man is an Indian American. Allen called the guy a "macaca" – that's a kind of monkey. Some cultures use the term as a slur. Allen claims "it was a mistake." He also said told the rally crowd to welcome the young man "to America and the real world of Virginia." Linda Wertheimer will welcome listeners to the world of great political gaffes on today's All Things Considered. The only thing politicians hate more than gaffes are leaks. We'll also follow up on the revelation in a forthcoming book by Michael Isikoff and David Corn about the case called "Plamegate." Who whispered to columnist Robert Novak that the wife of Joseph Wilson was a covert CIA agent? Their candidate is Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State in 2003...

Thursday

Now Showing: The Same Movie, Over and Over

C'mon, 'fess up. There is at least one movie that you watch over. And over. And over. And over. And yet you never tire of it. That's the topic of a Talk of the Nation segment that has already solicited nearly 200 comments from listeners. Their repeat-view movies range from A Hard Day's Night to Das Boot, which Ohioan Philip Arena watched for 25 days in a row in cold January. We'd like to hear from our blog readers as well. Tell us your guilty pleasures, your secret obsessions, the flicks you could watch from here to eternity.

Wednesday

NPR News Agenda: The Wednesday Editors' Meeting

Sure, the government of Iraq might be on vacation (in France, we hear), but there's plenty of news to cover. The hearing for two of the Hamdania Marines accused in the killings of an Iraqi man begin today at Camp Pendleton. All Things Considered will follow this story. Our Web site will have a timeline for Hamdania and other similar cases that are pending. All Things Considered will also look at efforts to bolster the U.N. peacekeeping force. Israel has said it won't move forward with its withdrawal from Lebanon until the force is complete. And Ray Suarez, an NPR alum, will discuss his new book, The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in American. We've got an excerpt. Day to Day will interview Steve Centanni, one of the two Fox News journalists just released from captivity by Hamas. It's his second interview since release -- the first was with Fox, of course. News and Notes will talk to Nancy Pelosi about the deluge of Democrats who have descended on New Orleans for the Katrina anniversary. Tomorrow: the GOP gets its turn...

Monday

NPR News Agenda from the Monday Editors' Meeting

First off, no one at the 9:30 editorial meeting had anything to say about last night's Emmys and who wore what, for which this blogger, who is tastefully clad in black and gray with a diamond-patterned tie, is deeply grateful. The other editors at the meeting, in case you were wondering, were dressed in summery business casual garb, except for one staffer, who had bicycled to work and was still in his grungy biking outfit. Quel fashion faux-pas! The anniversary of Katrina will be an important part of all of today's coverage, both on the radio and on our Web site. President Bush's 3:30 p.m. speech in Biloxi will be examined -- what did he say and does it match the reality on the ground? Day to Day will look at a Katrina family who decided to stay. On All Things Considered, Robert Siegel continues his year-long look at Honeysuckle Lane, part of New Orleans East that he's visited regularly to see how the homeowners are faring. We'll also give you some answers to some of the pressing demographic questions: Where did the evacuees go and where are they now?

Tuesday

NPR News Agenda from the Tuesday Editors' Meeting

NPR's 9:30 editorial meeting ponders the unknowns in some of the world's hottest zones. Here's a tour of the stories we'll be following today: From Iran: The country's nuclear negotiator has delivered his response to international demands to stop uranium enrichment efforts. No word on what the answer is yet (although odds are it's not "we'd be glad to.") From Lebanon: It's been almost a week since the army began deploying in the south. What are the troops doing? More specifically, what are they doing vis-a-vis Hezbollah? And how do civilians view them? From Israel: Calls are mounting, particularly from angry reservists, for a national commission investigating the way the war with Hezbollah was handled. Soldiers are angry at a lack of leadership from the government and also say they lacked vital equipment (not to mention food and water). From England: Eleven are charged in the airline bomb plot. But questions are arising that cast doubt on how serious the plot was. And from Iraq: Saddam Hussein's trial continues, with the focus on his campaign against the Kurds -- and allegations that the U.S. may have played a role. Back home, we'll take note of the 10th anniversary of welfare reform -- the successes and failures. An interesting project is the effort to promote marriage as a way reduce poverty. As the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11 nears, Talk of the Nation will review a new graphic novelization of the 9/11 report, complete with comic book sound effects. Another segment will make homeowners everywhere spill tears as they pay the mortgage this month: The housing boom appears to be coming to an end.

Thursday

Nano, the Gullible Trainer

New NPR Digital Media dude Marc Silver admits that he wanted to blend the excitement of shin splints with the heady rush of talking car doors --- as he tested a brand spanking new, possibly cool and definitely unnecessary athletic accessory for Mixed Signals. Here's Marc’s account: Come on, admit it, all you high-tech runners. You're curious. Nike + iPod = a personal trainer in your earbuds. Would it be inspirational? Or inane? I had the chance to hear for myself. I downloaded free software into my Nano. I slipped a tiny "in-shoe sensor" (from a $29 kit) into a slot under the insole in a pair of very cool, black $80 Nike running shoes. I stuck a lil' receiver into my Nano. I adjusted the weight on the screen to match my own. Then I set my workout goal. It could be miles, time, or calories. I chose calories, because it's easy to guesstimate miles and time. Off I went. My music played as usual. But if I pressed the center button, the music faded while a pleasant voice (male or female, your choice) gave a progress report: Three calories burned, .1 miles, one minute. The voice also came over my earbuds at milestone moments: "Halfway to goal ... 40 calories to go... Congratulations!" My rigorous testing uncovered a slight flaw in the calorie calculation...

Wednesday