Snowstruck
Winter weather pummeled the nation this week. In mountainous regions, heavy snow can turn deadly when avalanche conditions are triggered. Jill Fredston, author of Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches, speaks with host Bill Radke about the harrowing task of avalanche rescues. Fredston is the co-director of the Alaska Mountain Safety Center.

A Chilling Tale
John Stroud from Anchorage, Alaska is all too familiar with the danger of avalanches: He survived an avalanche four years ago in the South Fork area of Alaska. John was completely buried and was only able to move one finger while he was trapped. Luckily, he made it out alive.

Redemption on Death Row
How much must a man change before he is considered redeemed -- by the law and by society? This question is on the minds of many this week with Crips co-founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams' scheduled execution on Tuesday. Williams says he has found redemption. He has written books against gang culture and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Unless California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger grants him clemency, Williams' execution will proceed. KPCC reporter, Frank Stoltze, examines the case.

Jazz Picks: Bebo Valdes
Bebo Valdes just received his second Latin Grammy for the record Bebo de Cuba. Nate Chinen, from Jazz Times magazine, shares a cut called "Copla No. 4."

In His Boots
Military wives in 29 Palms, California recently took part in a training exercise, hoping that the experience would help them understand what their husbands experience. Weekend America's Pat Loeb paid a visit to see if the exercise could help the women relate.

The Games We Played
What do the games we play say about us? Host Bill Radke poses this question to John Blades, the executive director at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida. The museum is displaying games played by Americans between the Civil War and World War I. From board games to puzzles, Flagler says that a lot can be learned about an era from the games the people played.

Weekend Weather
Weekend America's John Moe takes a look at the weather and Saturday happenings all across the country.

If These Pants Could Talk
Impulse buying strikes even the most levelheaded of shoppers. But what would drive a man to buy pleated leather pants? Hosts Bill Radke and Barbara Bogaev talk with Brian Sack about a not-so-hot pair of pants that he bought on a whim.

To Snitch or Not to Snitch
Can a t-shirt impact a city's murder rate? This week, the mayor of Boston ordered stores to clear their shelves of t-shirts that say "Stop Snitchin'." The shirts have become popular over the last several years among inner-city kids. And some law-enforcement officers think that they are partly to blame for a recent rise in the city's murder rate. Weekend America hosts Bill Radke and Barbara Bogaev hear from Martha Bebinger, a reporter at WBUR in Boston who has been talking with area kids about snitching. Weekend America then turns to Joseph Esposito, the assistant head deputy of the Hardcore Gang Division in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, to discuss how he does his job in a world where snitching is a sin.

Wearable Computers
Will your clothes soon control your cell phone or I-Pod? Weekend America's technology reporter Rick Karr talks to fashion and technology designers who say it's a possibility that isn't too far into the future.

Listener Letters
Last week, we were musing about how we know when it's winter, and it's not about the calendar. Well, that drew some e-mails from our listeners.

Jazz Picks: Bobo Stenson
Jazz Times columnist, Nate Chinen, shares some music from Bobo Stenson. Stenson is a Swedish pianist who is recognized as one of the top players in Europe. Nate plays a track for host Bill Radke called "Alfonsina."

Cowboy Love
There has been a fuss about the love story between two men in Ang Lee's new film, Brokeback Mountain. And not just because it's a mainstream film with gay male characters, but also because the film is a Western, and Westerns tend to be both macho and old fashioned. Host Barbara Bogaev talks with The Advocate's arts and entertainment editor, Alonso Duralde, about the film and the genre. Barbara then speaks with film critic Nigel Anderson of the Financial Times about how Brokeback Mountain fits into the history of Westerns.

Weekend Weather
Weekend America's John Moe takes a look at the weather and Saturday happenings all across the country.

Old World, New Kitchen: Beef Curry
This month, Weekend America is exploring some of the connections we have with food, our traditions and different cultures. In the second piece of our series, producer Beth Hoffman explores Bengali cuisine with Tahmina Martely, an immigrant from Bangladesh who makes her home in Utah.