Weekend America

A Silicon Valley Manufacturing Mystery

The tragic death of a young man at a circuit board manufacturer puts a new focus on small factories where mostly Latino workers toil to create critical parts for our electronic devices. Once Silicon Valley was home to hundreds of such factories, but now most have moved overseas, mainly to China.

Bill's Values

My Easy-Going Myth

According to a parenting expert, I am helping my 15-month-old daughter accept herself as she is. But maybe I'm not taking my own advice, and maybe I'm not as easy-going a parent as I think I am. I'm enlightened -- but I'm not really sounding that way, am I?

Letters

Letters: Pit Bulls and Hitchhiking

We got lots of letters about last week's story of a woman remembering her hitchhiking odyssey from Minnesota to Florida, with lots of folks sharing their own hitching stories. And we also got some angry letters from owners of pit bulls, who didn't like the way the breed was characterized in another story about Las Vegas foreclosures.

A Man Among Bears

Ben Kilham has spent years studying black bears in the forests of New Hampshire. His unorthodox approach to learning how bears live and interact may not earn him respect in the scientific community, but Kilham seems to have a deep personal connection with his bears. Reporter Sean Hurley recently spent some time with Kilham, and among the bears.

Celebrate World Naked Gardening Day

Today is "World Naked Gardening Day." Gardeners around the world are marking the day with... well, nothing. Jay North, an organic gardener and "naturalist" in Ojai, Calif., talks with Bill Radke about the joys of gardening in the buff. Just be careful with the garden shears, and keep and eye out for bees...

A Dream Fulfilled in the Gospel Tent

Ron Hadley got his girlfriend pregnant and faced jail time. When complications threatened his unborn child's life, he vowed to turn to God and turn his life around. His gospel choir just had their New Orlean Jazz Fest debut, and now he's set his sights on touring the world -- and making his now 6-year-old son proud.

Making Tough Calls with Beached Mammals

When a marine mammal gets stranded on a beach, the first reaction by most people is to do all they can to save it. But that money and effort might best be reserved for endangered species. Marine biologist Bill McLellan talks about the delicate task of explaining to beach bystanders that it's sometimes best to let the animal die.

Election 2008

Fighting to Throw the Race

The presidential primaries move on to Guam today. North Carolina and Indiana on Tuesday. It's an unusually protracted battle in what has come to be an intriguing election year. Weekend America's John Moe has been following the race closely, and he's got an interesting theory about what's really happening...

Good News, Bad News, No News

Goodbye Y Chromosome, Hello Jimi Sex Tape

Our panel of non-experts reviews the week's news -- author and former Saturday Night Live writer Patricia Marx; journalist and author Dudley Clendinen; and John Ridley, whose latest book is "The American Way," a graphic novel about a government-created team of superheroes. He also writes an NPR blog called "Visible Man."

Fall Foliage for a Spring Show

Spring is an unlikely time to admire fall foliage. But this weekend, nature lovers will be able to get their fill -- fall leaves from Brooklyn's Prospect Park will adorn art gallery walls. Sally Herships talks to printmaker Jessica Baker about her unique method of printing designs directly onto tree leaves.

Santa Anita's Record Race Caller

Joe Hernandez holds a record that may never be broken -- 15,587 consecutive races called over 38 years at the famed Santa Anita Racetrack, a singular achievement by one of the few Mexican-Americans in a predominantly Anglo profession. A new book examines Hernandez' complex life, his success and the legacy he leaves behind.

Before GTA, There Was Death Race

Grand Theft Auto IV is expected to sell five million copies in the first two weeks of sale -- that makes it the biggest news in the entertainment business this weekend. But it's not the first video game to spark controversy for its violent content. We look back at one of the first video games, Death Race.

Klezmer Funk Hip-Hop? Abraham Inc.

The legendary Apollo theater in Harlem was one of the few theaters in New York to hire African-American performers in the 1930s, but the venue itself was owned by Jews. So it's fitting that the klezmer-funk-hip-hop group Abraham Inc. will be having their debut performance at the Apollo tonight.