Weekend America Voices
Bill Radke
Recent Stories
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Standing By Your Cheating Man
Standing by New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer when he resigned in disgrace was is wife Silda. Why does a wife stand by her man, even in the worst of circumstances? We talk to Lyndon B. Johnson biographer Robert Caro as he discusses how Lady Bird handled her husband's public indiscretions.
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The Fallacy of a 'Gross Happiness Index'
As reports of a slowing economy continue, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) held a hearing about whether traditional economic measures really capture our national sense of well-being and whether the government should be tracking non-economic indicators. Can happiness be quantified? We talk to Darrin McMahon, author of the book "Happiness: A History."
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Prostitutes, Feng Shui and Pink Pooches
Our panel of non-experts reviews the week's news. This week, comedian Dana Gould, "New Yorker" cartoon editor Bob Mankoff and commentator and political consultant Tara Setmayer talk about former Gov. Spitzer's prostitute problem, Geraldine Ferraro's comments about Barack Obama, feng shui at McDonald's and the legality of dyeing your pooch pink.
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Flus, Candidates and Fakery
Our panel of non-experts reviews the week's news. This week, conservative commentator David Frum, sex columnist Dan Savage and performance artist damali ayo talk politics, colds, fakes and chores.
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Battling Brains at the Memory Championships
Most folks have a difficult time remembering what they had for lunch yesterday. But for a select few, memorizing is a sport and their brains are well-toned muscles of memorization. Bill Radke talks with two high school students competing at the National Memory Championships.
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Voting Rights: Release or Restrict?
With Democratic candidates running neck and neck, every vote counts. That includes the votes of convicted felons, if allowed. Mississippi is one of 10 states that does not allow felons who have completed their sentences to vote. Mark Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, talks to us about the situation in Mississippi and elsewhere in the country.
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Foraging for Lunch on the Streets of L.A.
Could you make a meal off what you found growing on the streets of one of America's biggest, most polluted cities? Nance Klehm can -- she takes Bill Radke on a walking tour of L.A., foraging for salad fixings amid the traffic and noise.
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"There Goes the Fear"
When Tommy Grimes hears "There Goes the Fear" by the Doves, he thinks of the weekend and also of being fearless as he faces adulthood.
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Fences and Mohawks
Our panel of non-experts reviews this week's most salient news. This week we hear from author and Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker, Yale literature professor Amy Hungerford, and journalist James Lileks, author of the blog, the Daily Bleat.
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Elbows on or off the Table?
Weekend America host Bill Radke continues his series on family values by discussing the rules of etiquette like "No elbows on the table." He and his wife disagree, so Bill brings in an expert on the history of manners.
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If the Candidates were Pharmaceuticals
Drug companies spend millions to find just the right brand name for new drugs. They hire specialized researchers like Jim Singer, president of Namebase. Research has shown that letters with a hard edge like P, T or K convey effectiveness. X seems scientific. L, R or S provide a calming or relaxing feel. Z means speed. We asked Singer to bring his name knowledge to the presidential election.
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How Many Donuts Does it Take to Feed a Campaign?
On the front page of Friday's New York Times, an article called "Donors Worried by Clinton Campaign Spending" detailed the millions that Senator Hillary Clinton is spending on her presidential run. Most of the money was spent on what you'd expect: thousands on hotel rooms, campaign consultants, media buys and polling. But some of the expenditures were pretty odd.
