Talk of the Nation

When Tornadoes Are A Way Of Life

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:14:00 +0000

Monday's tornado tore through parts of Oklahoma City at 200 miles per hour and killed at least 24 people. Many more are missing orinjured. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks to KOSU reporter Michael Cross and to meteorologist Paul Douglas about why it's so hard to track tornadoes.

Apple, Tech Giants And An Industrial-Age Tax Code

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:07:00 +0000

Apple CEO Timothy Cook made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, testifying after congressional investigators revealed that Apple avoided billions in taxes. Reporter Charles Duhigg of The New York Times and guest host Jennifer Ludden talk about how, as Duhigg writes, "technology giants have taken advantage of tax codes written for an industrial age."

The Art And Science Of Motivation

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:05:00 +0000

Transcript

JENNIFER LUDDEN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Jennifer Ludden in Washington. Neal Conan is away. It's graduation season, and that means 20-somethings and parents sitting through long commencement ceremonies while the older and wiser give advice. Here's comedian Stephen Colbert speaking at the University of Virginia.

STEPHEN COLBERT: If you must find your own path, and we have left you no easy path, then decide now to choose the hard path that leads to the life and the world that you want, and don't worry if we don't approve of your choices.

Would Lowering The Drunk Driving Threshold Make Us Safer?

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:03:00 +0000

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended reducing the legal limit for blood alcohol content for drivers from .08 to .05. Critics say it won't significantly help prevent drunken driving. Guest LZ Granderson argues that without more checkpoints, a lower threshold would do nothing.

Tiny Living: The Rise Of Small Spaces

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:14:00 +0000

As the populations in big cities increase and more people choose to live alone, a new trend of living in very small spaces has emerged. But the tiny living movement is not without controversy as growth of these multi-unit buildings puts pressure on established neighborhoods.

The Future Of The Workers' Movement

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:10:00 +0000

As membership in private-sector labor unions has continued to nosedive, traditional labor groups have been forced to reevaluate — just as non-union worker groups have emerged. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks to writer Josh Eidelson about what he calls 'alt-labor.'

Life In Argentina's 'Little School' Prison Camp

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:04:00 +0000

During Argentina's so-called Dirty War, thousands were abducted and taken to secret prisons like a place known as "the little school," where many were tortured and killed. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks to a former prisoner, Alicia Partnoy, about her disappearance and her time there.

Resetting the Theory of Time

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Generations of physicists have claimed that time is an illusion. But not all agree. In his book Time Reborn: From the Crisis in Physics to the Future of the Universe, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that time exists--and he says time is key to understanding the evolution of the universe.

Researchers Report Cloning Advance For Producing Stem Cells

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Scientists reported this week in the journal Cell that they had used somatic cell nuclear transfer techniques to create a source of embryonic stem cells from the skin cells of a patient. George Daley, director of the stem cell transplantation program at Boston Children's Hospital, and Josephine Johnston of the Hastings Center discuss the research.

Insects May Be The Taste Of The Next Generation, Report Says

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

A report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says insects offer a huge potential for improving the world's food security. Peter Menzel, co-author of Man Eating Bugs, describes some insect-based cuisine and the western aversion to creepy-crawly snacks.

Will Strong Summer Travel Be A Turning Point For Airlines?

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

As the summer travel season approaches, air travel provides a barometer for the health of the U.S. economy — and airlines report they're having a good year. After years of financial troubles, industry representatives hope U.S. travelers are more willing to fly. NPR senior business editor Marilyn Geewax explains what summer travel tells us about the health of the economy.

Managing The $30 Million 'One Fund' To Aid Boston Victims

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

Days after the marathon bombing, officials established the One Fund for Boston to assist victims and their families. Attorney Ken Feinberg, who managed similar funds after Sept. 11 and Virginia Tech and is managing this fund, says there's no easy way to decide who gets how much of the $30 million that's been donated.

Ex-Ambassador To Iraq Weighs In On Talking To 'Monsters'

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

As the death toll in Syria climbs and critics blast the Obama administration for not taking more decisive action, former ambassador Christopher Hill points instead to a failure of diplomacy in an op-ed in the New York Times. Hill talks about what the U.S. faces in facilitating talks between the regime and Syrian rebels.

Analyzing The Language Of Suicide Notes To Help Save Lives

editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:10:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

Every 14 minutes, someone in this country commits suicide, and research on ways to reduce that grim statistic appears to be on a plateau. In other words, psychologists don't have much in the way of new ideas - at least right now - except maybe for what's described as ground-breaking work on the notes that those who kill themselves sometimes leave behind. A team of researchers at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital used computers to break down the language in these messages of despair in the hope that they can better identify those at risk. Dr.

Looking Ahead: Chris Hedges On Poverty, Politics, U.S. Culture

editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:06:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. Today as part of our Looking Ahead series, we'll talk with writer Chris Hedges, former New York Times foreign correspondent and old friend and colleague who's joined us many times over the years, going back to what's probably still his best known book, "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning."

We'll talk politics and the future of America, I promise. We'll also talk about his evolution as a reporter and how some unusual choices affected his career.

Treadmill Desks And The Benefits Of 'Walking Alive'

editor — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan.

Like so many of us who spend much of the day at a desk, writer Susan Orlean spent years trying to find the right chair. She tried a Herman Miller Aeron Chair. She experimented with a balanced kneeling chair but found that it hurt her knees, plus she said that it felt like sitting inside a giant Birkenstock sandal. She considered the yoga ball but worried it might deflate like the Hindenburg. And then three months ago, she decided to ditch the office chair all together and stepped onto a treadmill desk.

Letters: New Orleans, Buzz Aldrin

editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

NPR's Neal Conan reads from listener comments on previous show topics, including postcards from New Orleans and our talk with astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

The Promise And Limitations Of Telemedicine

editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:52:00 +0000

Telemedicine is nothing new, but advancements in technology have made it even more widely available. Neurologists can now treat Parkinson's patients from miles away, therapists can reach service members overseas, and general practitioners can work in rural areas without actually going there at all.

The Legacy Of Gen. Ridgway And America's War In Korea

editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:48:00 +0000

The ongoing conflict between North Korea and South Korea is the legacy of the Korean War, which can help explain relations between the two countries. In a new book, historian Victor Davis Hanson discusses how the strategies of U.S. Gen. Matthew Ridgway helped to turn around what appeared to be "a lost war."

Hanson, author of The Savior Generals, tells NPR's Neal Conan that although the three-year war "ended right where it began," it did allow for South Korea to flourish as a democracy.

Conan also speaks with retired Marine Gen.

Drawing Security Lessons From Benghazi Mission Attack

editor — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:33:00 +0000

The debate continues over the handling of the September attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. But retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson says some important lessons have already been learned about strengthening diplomatic security and inter-agency communication.

Why We Can't Look Away From True-Life Courtroom Dramas

editor — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:25:00 +0000

The trial of Jodi Arias, convicted of murdering her boyfriend, has become a national media sensation. Former Law and Order producer Robert Nathan and authors Laura Lippman and Walter Mosley explore why Americans are so drawn to real-life courtroom dramas.

Bangladesh Reveals Uphill Battle For Fair Trade Clothes

editor — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:21:00 +0000

Retailers are under pressure after a building collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh. But global demand for inexpensive clothing shows no sign of abating. The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse and Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, unravel the prospects for improved safety in the garment industry.

Microexpressions: More Than Meets The Eye

editor — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:22:00 +0000

David Matsumoto, a psychology professor at San Francisco State University, trains national security officials and police officers to recognize "microexpressions"--fleeting, split-second flashes of emotion across someone's face. Matsumoto says those subtle cues may reveal how an interview subject is feeling, helping officials to hone their line of questioning.

The Myth Of Multitasking

editor — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:22:00 +0000

How long can you go without checking email, or glancing at your smartphone? Clifford Nass, a psychology professor at Stanford University, says today's nonstop multitasking actually wastes more time than it saves--and he says there's evidence it may be killing our concentration and creativity too.

Exploring An Ever-Expanding Universe

editor — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:22:00 +0000

Saul Perlmutter shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate. Perlmutter explains how supernovae and other astronomical artifacts are used to measure the expansion rate, and explains what physicists are learning about "dark energy" — the mysterious entity thought to be driving the acceleration.