Weekend America

Take My Hummer -- Please

With gas at more than $4 a gallon nationwide, a lot of American families are feeling the pinch. Sales of the GM Hummer line are down 30 percent -- but that still means there's plenty of folks out there buying and enjoying their symbols of conspicuous consumption. Weekend America's John Moe sought out who's driving the modern Hummer economy.

Creative Ways to Save at the Pump

With the price of gas and diesel fuel going through the roof, many Americans are meeting the challenge with some innovative ways to save money. All it takes is a little extra time to plan a route, and sometimes a lot of creativity. Hint: golf carts aren't always just for golfing.

Leaving My Dad's Private War Private

Tamara Keith's father, a Vietnam veteran, has a hard time talking about the things he witnessed during the war. This Father's Day, she explains us why her family absolutely won't be discussing the war or his part in it -- because sometimes it's better to remember her dad as he is now, and not dredge up painful memories and emotions.

Weekend Soundtrack

"Blues for Big Scotia"

Mark Kaufman's father thought he hated jazz until he heard "Blues for Scotia" by legendary pianist Oscar Peterson -- the song at the center of this week's Weekend Soundtrack. Kaufman says the things parents give us are incalculable, and the moment when a son or daughter can give back is priceless.

Summer Travel: Authentic Pt. Reyes

Maintaining authenticity is hard once a place becomes a tourist destination. Weekend America's Krissy Clark recently visited Point Reyes Station, an old ranch town about an hour north of San Francisco where deciding what does and doesn't require preservation has raised some debate. This is our latest installment of a series of stories on summer travel.

The Sads Are Quiet

The Sads are a Los Angeles band that's putting on a "silent" show tonight. What they do is feed all their instruments into about 80 sets of headphones. The idea is to get the audience closer to the band, which sits in a circle at the center -- kind of like a campfire, only with lots of wires and headsets...

Recovering from the Chehalis Flood

Last winter, the Chehalis River in the Pacific Northwest swelled with rain and flooded communities in both Oregon and Washington state. One of the farms devastated by the flood was the Black Sheep Creamery, locally famous for its sheep's-milk cheese. Then came a swell of support from volunteers and fans of the farm, who pitched in to rebuild.

When the City is the Disease

Health officials are trying to pinpoint the source of the latest salmonella outbreak -- this one is the St. Paul strain. Naming a disease after a location happens a lot, and sometimes it can cause problems. Dr. Larry Altman, medical correspondent for the New York Times, talks about some of the complications.

Good News, Bad News, No News

Gitmo Habeus, One Hard-Core Judge

Our panel of non-experts tackle the weighty issues of the week: Conservative commentator Tara Setmayer; comedian and writer Dana Gould; and author John Ridley, who writes the "Visible Man" blog for NPR.org.

My NBA Bond with My Father

Weekend America producer Millie Jefferson and her dad are big Lakers fans. But they're not looking forward to what could be the last game of the NBA Finals. In fact, for them, playoff time is a big downer, because it means a long, hot summer without the main thing that bonds this father-daughter team.

A Father's Day Gift of Letters

Father's Day is a time for phone calls -- but for one family, it's been all about the written letter. As a way to keep in touch with his daughters, Dick Weiss made a proposal: Each month, he would give them a topic. They'd write a letter to him on that topic. He'd write back. We talk to the family about their old-fashioned correspondence.

Monty's Lifesuit: Science Fiction to Fact

This weekend, San Francisco hosts the 2008 RoboGames. Last year's event attracted more than three thousand spectators who came to see robots and their human inventors compete in races, weightlifting, and all out robo-smackdowns. Monty Reed, a RoboGames returning champion from Seattle has a bigger mission in mind.

Change of Seasons

Those Summer Song 'Ear Worms'

It's summer, and that means that elusive summer song is about to make its way into your brain and take up residence. Do you remember songs from your past summers? And why can't you get them out of your head? Psychologist and author Dan Levitin explains how those "ear worm" songs actually stay on your mind, even if you don't want them to...