Weekend America

Taking Stock at the Anniversary of the Iraq War

The United States invaded Iraq four years ago this Tuesday. In one sense four years is just a brief interval, but in another, things were very different then. Weekend America Reporter Krissy Clark talks to ordinary Americans about how their lives and their opinions on the war have evolved in the last four years. Also, she'll ask the same questions to a former U.S. Army captain.

Looking Back at Irish Immigration

Last week thousands of undocumented workers held a protest while wearing t-shirts that read "Legalize The Irish." It was a good reminder that the history of the United Stated is fraught with immigrant groups that were once given a less than warm welcome. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, guest host Charity Nebbe speaks with actor and writer Malachy McCourt about being Irish in America.

1001 Uses for a Tin Can

Artist Bobby Hansson has worked in photography and in television, but today, he works exclusively in the tin can medium. Hansson creates music and art from tin cans and even wrote a book about it. Independent producers Ann Heppermann and Kara Oehler speak with Hansson from his farm in Rising Sun, Md., about the allure of tin cans his life as an artist.

The Diary of a Sound Guy at South by Southwest

Hundreds of bands from around the world have been showcasing their material for fans and the music industry at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. A great show can make it for the performers. And usually, in the dark behind the soundboard, there's a person who tweaks the knobs and adjusts the levels to make sure the performers sound their best. Weekend America's Alex Cohen speaks with sound man Joshua Case about the sound of music.

Making Art in Darfur and then Coming Home

In addition to good music, the South by Southwest festival is known for film. "The Devil Came on Horseback" is Brian Steidle's documentary of his trip to the Darfur region in Sudan. Weekend America's Michael May talks with Steidle at an Austin, Texas coffee shop about how one country changed his life.

A Field of Bonos Bloom for St. Patrick's Day

To us, celebrating St. Patrick's Day usually means green beer and shamrocks. But some revelers celebrate by honoring the biggest Irish idol of all time: U2. The front man, Bono, has a swagger and look that millions of his fans know. And apparently, some out there know it so well they impersonate him on St. Patrick's Day. Independent Producer Roman Mars explored the streets with no name in Chicago to find out what pseudo-Bono is all about.

After Resigning in a Cloud of Scandal

When most of us quit a job, or even get fired, it's a fairly private matter. We pack up, sleep late the next day and maybe even hide in a dark bar. But for the likes of D. Kyle Sampson and Francis Harvey, two Bush Administration officials who resigned under separate scandals recently, there's no hiding. Weekend America Reporter Sean Cole talked with someone who might be the best person to give advice. Former Reagan National Security Advisor Richard Allen was forced to resign in 1982, even though he'd been cleared of the charges. He'll talk tips and techniques for those quitting under a cloud of shame. Also we'll hear from one man who gave former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld a piece of his mind when running into him on the ski slope.

Men in Women's Hoops?

The NCAA has announced the field of 64 teams in the 2007 Division I Women's Basketball Championship. Some of these teams have gotten there with the help of male opponents. The coaches are using male undergraduate students to play against the women during practice. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics is crying foul. Weekend America's Nancy Farghalli explores playing hoops between men and women.

Good News, Bad News, No News

Good News, Bad News, No News

Our panel of non-experts review the week's events in a parlor game to gauge what kind of week America had. Weighing in is John Ridley, author of "The American Way," Hollywood writer, Dana Gould and Yale literature professor Amy Hungerford.

The World's Smallest St. Patrick's Day Parade

Karen Kelley of Enterprise, Ala., has the honor of being grand marshal for this year's World's Smallest St. Patrick's Day Parade. She's also the only marcher and participant. This is Kelley's first year in the parade. She's taking the reins from the former grand marshal who held the post for the last eight years. Weekend America talks to Kelley on the day of the parade about what makes a good grand marshal and why the World's Smallest St. Patrick's Day marches on.

Advertising Against Meth in Montana

Montana has one of the highest rates of methamphetamine use in the country. To help curb this, the Montana Meth Project has produced a number of shocking ads to deter kids from the drug, which is now a subject of an HBO documentary. Weekend America Reporter John Moe wonders if the campaign is working.

Listener Letters: Starbucks and Soap

Every couple of weeks we hear your reactions to our show. This week: Does Starbucks have a soul? And how wrong were we about the birth of bar soap?

A Parrot Flies in Brooklyn

Coyotes in Los Angeles, sea lions off Seattle, bats in Austin, herons in Baltimore -- who needs the zoo to visit with wild animals? It'd be easy to assume that cities are detrimental to wildlife, but in some cases these creatures are thriving. There are now over a dozen places in the U.S. hosting flocks of feral parrots. And there are about as many legends of how they managed to get here from South America (maybe they escaped from a bird store, or a truck carrying the birds had an accident on the highway, or maybe they're just refugee pets flocking on the lam). However the parrots got here, they certainly generate a lot of excitement in the human world. Weekend America editor Amanda Aronczyk decided to find out how these urban populations, both human and feathered, are cohabitating in the wilds of Brooklyn, N.Y.