Weekend America

Forty Years Later

The Olympics are often seen as a place where tension and strife are set aside in favor of the purity and joy of athletic competition. But it doesn't always work out that way. Forty years ago, John Carlos was a track and field athlete. He won the bronze in the 200-meter at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. When Carlos stood on the podium at the medal award ceremony, he and fellow American Tommie Smith raised their black-gloved fists, showing the Black Power salute.

To Choose a VP

Barack Obama and John McCain each have a big decision to make: who to pick for a running mate. There's a lot at stake: in a close election, the right running mate could tilt the balance. And with Al Gore and then Dick Cheney, the VP's office has become a powerful one.

Playing Music with my Dad

Folk musician Alela Diane Menig is from Nevada City, Calif., a small Gold Rush town in Northern California with a buzzing music scene. She grew up there with her bluegrass-trained parents, so music runs in the family. Menig's father, Tom, often appears on stage to play with her.

Weekend Soundtrack

"Baila"

Right now, I'm spending them packing up my stuff, getting ready to move with my family to Mexico, which is kind of scary. So this song puts me in a good mood and gets me motivated to actually pack my stuff and get ready and be happy about it. It's such a happy, dancey song.

The Crack of the Bat

It's been a surprising year in baseball. Perennial doormats the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place. A completely obscure player named Carlos Quentin leads the American League in home runs. Also surprising: way more broken bats are flying into the crowd and whapping people in the face.

The Weekend Shift

Part-Time Baker

While his peers may be returning from some Friday-night hijinks, Bryce Wiebe prepares for an early morning volunteer shift baking bread. Every Saturday, he heads down a brick alley downtown and works the glow of a hand-made, wood-fired brick oven.

Homemade Ghost Rock

The Ann Arbor, Mich., band Nomo is on the road a lot. This weekend in Minneapolis, next weekend in Madison, Wisc., supporting their new album Ghost Rock. For Nomo, touring is no easy feat. There are up to eight musicians and an avalanche of equipment, including a bunch of instruments you've never seen before.

This Weekend in 1968: The Kool-Aid Acid Test

Forty years ago this weekend, people across the country cracked open a brand new book by Tom Wolfe called "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test." In the mid-60s, Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters hosted big parties where people got together, played music, and dropped acid. What happened at those parties ultimately defined the day-glo painted, summer-loving, acid rock, psychedelic 1960s.

Good News, Bad News, No News

Support for Georgia, the White Minority and GPS

As Russian tanks rumble down the streets of Georgia, the Bush administration has pledged its unwavering support to the former Soviet republic. The United States has airlifted Georgian troops from Iraq back to their home, while providing the Georgian military with training and equipment. Does this loyalty seem like Good News, Bad News or No News?

Flickr from the Olympics

Lately, we've been seeing some pictures from the Olympics appearing on our Weekend America Flick feed. We tracked down the photographers and asked about them.

Small-Time Growers, Major Cash Cow

The economy may be wilting, but one thing is looking up in many parts of the country this weekend: The tomato vine in your neighbor's backyard and the squash patch down the block. Summer is ending and gardens are bountiful. Krissy Clark talked to some folks who discovered creative ways to harness their backyard bounty.

Is Convenient and Healthy Possible?

"Food Desert" is a term used for places where grocery stores are sparse and access to fresh produce is limited. One group in Cleveland is trying to change that, one corner store at a time. Reporter Julie Grant brought us this story.

Escape from Burton Island

David Maxon and his girlfriend went camping on a small island in Vermont to get away from the city noises and hassle. Then they found themselves desperately missing the convenience of city life much sooner than they expected.