Weekend America

The New American Car

Auto industry CEOs and union leaders are back in Detroit empty-handed this weekend. They spent the week on Capitol Hill begging, unsuccessfully, for help to avoid possible bankruptcy and even more layoffs. Congress has refused to bail them out, at least so far. But in the meantime, we thought we'd offer our own bailout. Not in dollars, but in ideas. How should we re-imagine the American car?

Survivors of Suicide

Today is the 10th Annual National Survivors of Suicide Day. For survivors, getting over the grief, anger and the lingering questions left after a suicide can be difficult. Doug Merrill has lived through the suicide of eight people - most of them teens - in the bedroom community of Bowling Green, Ohio, just south of Toledo. Weekend America's Desiree Cooper went to hear his story of survival.

Letters

Letters: Prop 8, Post Election Mixtape and Pilgrim Hats

We open the Weekend America mailbag and hear your responses to recent stories, including a California church-goer who voted for, not against, Proposition 8; a post-election mixtape of listeners' favorite voting season songs; and, in preparation for Thanksgiving, one explanation for what those buckles were doing on the Pilgrims' hats.

Brazilians Leaving Boston

The tough economy hits everyone in America in different ways. But a Pew Hispanic Center report shows that immigrant incomes are falling faster than others. For some, that's tipped the scale, and they're leaving. There is no reliable snapshot of how many immigrants are going home. But in the Boston area, Weekend America's Kara Oehler talked to one immigrant group that's shrinking fast.

The Weekend Shift

Human Disco Ball

Jessie Sorrentos shimmies into two reflective scraps of fabric: a pair of itty-bitty sparkly briefs and a reflective tube top that looks like it was made for a Cabbage Patch Kid. And while she is smearing silver paint and glitter across her abdomen and up her arms, she explains how she got here. To be more specific, how it came to be that for a living, she is a Human Disco Ball.

A Sweet Potato Mystery

As Thanksgiving approaches, we approach a mystery of the produce aisle. The truth is, most of us have never seen a yam. The yams in the market are actually sweet potatoes, but a different kind of sweet potato than the vegetable next to it labeled a sweet potato. It's kind of confusing. Weekend America's Ochen Kaylan helps us sort it out.

JFK World

Forty-five years ago this weekend, President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie landed at Love Field Airport, got into the presidential limousine, and emerged onto the streets of Dallas. We all know what happened minutes later. It's been nearly half a century, but the world's interest in the JFK assassination has hardly waned. But there's one place where its resonance is oddly muffled: Dallas.

Good News, Bad News, No News

Auto Industry Woes, Lieberman, and Social Networking Savvy

Our panel of non-experts weigh in on this week's news events in a parlor game to gauge what kind of week America had. Joining us on this week's panel are Jay Smooth, a video blogger for the hip hop blog "ill doctrine" and Sara Smith, associate editor of Wonkette.com.

Axl's Editor

This is a huge weekend if you're a fan of Guns N' Roses. The new album, "Chinese Democracy," is being released after 16 years. Lead singer Axl Rose, the only original member remaining, has been writing, tweaking, and fussing with this record since before the first Clinton administration. In other words, he's been editing. As any writer knows, it's the editing process that can really slow things down.

Saved by a Succulent Garden

When the fierce Santa Ana winds died down last Tuesday, fire fighters quickly gained control of the huge blazes that left most of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange and Ventura counties shrouded in smoke last weekend. One of the only surviving houses in a posh Santa Barbara neighborhood was saved, perhaps, by its garden. Ben Adair explains.

Falling Gas Prices

Gas prices have fallen precipitously since last summer. Great! Or is it? Weekend America host John Moe speaks with Chris Farrell, senior economics correspondent for American Public Media, about what the falling cost of oil means for American consumers.

Garageland: 150 Miles Per Hour

We've been doing a series of stories called "Garageland" about the things Americans like to do in their garages. Garages are places where we tinker, dream and create. Today's story is about a guy who does all that, plus he goes 150 miles per hour. Weekend America's Sasha Aslanian explains.

Head Like a Kite

This weekend, Dave Einmo's band Head Like a Kite is playing at Neumos in Seattle. For the last few years, Dave has been rummaging his parent's home videos and sampling the sounds for his music. The movies play as the band performs. Producer Angela Kim spoke to Einmo about how his collection of home movies have inspired him and his shows.