Unemployment and Community Colleges
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The unemployment rate climbed to 8.9% last month, the highest in 25 years. Could community colleges help people who are out of work? President Obama wants to help people take classes at community colleges and other training programs while they’re receiving unemployment benefits. Are the schools equipped and ready to respond? We speak with Dr. T. Eston Marchant, president of the Central Carolina Community College in North Carolina.
Overeating, the Food Industry, and the Human Brain
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Dr. David Kessler says that if a bear comes into a room, humans are wired to respond. But replace that bear with a plate of warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies and many of us, he says, will become focused on the cookies and will have to eat them. Kessler says the food industry knows this and is constantly coming up with food products that we crave — products that are made of three ingredients: sugar, fat, and salt. Kessler’s new book is “The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.”
Israeli Catholics
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Pope Benedict is in Jordan on the first day of his trip to the Middle East, which will also include stops in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The BBC’s Tim Franks reports on a surprising group of Catholics in Jerusalem, some of them Jews who survived the Holocaust. They celebrate the mass in Hebrew.
Robotic Drone Aircrafts
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The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAV’s, is becoming increasingly controversial. U.S. military leaders say the robotic drone aircraft have been effective in killing Al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan without putting U.S. troops in danger. But what happens when civilians die too? Our guest is Peter Singer, senior fellow and director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution; he’s also author “Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century.”
Remembering Dom Dimaggio
Boston Red Sox outfielder Dom DiMaggio, Sept. 28, 1949. (AP)
Baseball fans are mourning the death of Dom Dimaggio, the younger brother of Hall of Famer Joe Dimaggio. Although his career was overshadowed by Joe’s, Dom Dimaggio is a Red Sox legend. He has the longest hitting streak in Red Sox history and he formed a lifelong friendship with Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doer. The late David Halberstam documented that friendship in his book, “The Teammates.” Back in 2003, Here and Now’s Robin Young had a chance to speak with them about baseball and their long relationship. We are rebroadcasting that interview today.
Music from the show
- Kar-Kar Madison, “Boubacar Traore”
- Freddie Hubbard, “Gibraltar”
- Tito Puente, “Royal T”
- Ashley MacIsaac, “Sleepy Maggie”
- Massive Attack, “Future Proof”
- The Funk Brothers, “Keep Me Hangin’ On”
I am not paying attention to any of this. I am eating
Posted by Sheryl, on May 8th, 2009 at 11:19 amI disagree completely with Dr. Kessler’s claim that one is controlled by sugar, salt and fat. Sure, they’re alluring, even irresistible. HOWEVER, we can still indulge–we just have to control the portions and stay active. I, too, was in the thrall of overeatimg for many, many years. Then, I started jogging and patterned my eating after that of my boyfriend, who ate whatever he wanted, but just never too much. I also started having fun in places other than the table or a restaurant. Suddenly, it was so easy! I lost weight, felt great and have never had to worry about my weight again. That was, oh, about 26 years ago. I eat candy, bread, cheese just about every day. I also eat fruit, vegetables, meat or fish. I’m happy, living proof that you CAN do it. Just decide that food is neither your enemy NOR your best friend. -J
Posted by jemimah, on May 8th, 2009 at 11:43 amAddressing Mr. Singer re: Robotic Drone Aircraft.
What a demonstration of vapid, hate America vacuous arguments. No mention of Al-Qaeda & Taliban hiding weapons and fighters in mosques and homes. No mention of using women, children and automatons as human bombs. No mention of IEDs. That’s real manly fighting?
The only good American soldier is a dead one, so pictures can be taken.
Posted by Dr. J. Curtis Kovacs, on May 9th, 2009 at 5:56 pm