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How did your life collide with the headlines in 2007?
Iraq, the subprime crisis, Facebook, immigration, oil prices - 2007 had no shortage of hefty headlines. We'd like to hear about how these and other major news events of the past year affected you. Where did your life collide with the news in 2007?

What's your holiday performance story?
The office talent show, the neighborhood caroling posse, the school pageant ... At holiday time we often sing, dance, and dress as shepherds. Did you bloom in the warmth of your audience's adulation, or freeze up like the snowman you'd rather be building? Did your holiday performance change your life or that of someone close to you?

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Broadcast Date: February 25, 2006
Music Bridge: A Fig For Misfortune - Artist: Colossal Yes
CD: Acapulco Roughs (Ba Da Bing)
Listen IconRediscovering Yourself
What if you woke up one morning, perfectly capable of everyday tasks and challenges, but couldn't remember who your family was or even who you were? That's the subject of a documentary opening this weekend called, Unknown White Male. It details the story of a stockbroker who suddenly found himself, unable to remember what he was doing, or even his own name. Host Barbara Bogaev talks to Bethany Marshall who suffered such a memory loss, and to her sister about the experience. As a teenager, Bethany was forced to relearn who she was, but also had the opportunity to create new relationships with the people she once knew.
Online resources:
» Bethany's Web site
» Unknown White Male movie trailer (iFilms)

Music Bridge: Plastic Energy Man - Artist: Papa M
CD: Live in a Shark's Cage (Drag City)
Listen IconTurn to Twentynine Palms
In our ongoing series about life in the military town of Twentynine Palms, California, Weekend America's Pat Loeb looks at how the town copes when nearly all of their soldiers are shipped out.
Online resources:
» More Weekend America coverage of Twentynine Palms, California.

Music Bridge: A Hawk from a Handsaw - Artist: Gary Lucas
CD: The Universe of Absence (Bvhaast)
Music Picks
Listen IconClassical Music: Another Side of Sibelius
Composer Jean Sibelius is known mostly for his spare, impressionistic style. But he didn't always write that way. Music critic Steve Smith joins host Barbara Bogaev to talk about one of Sibelius' early works, "Kullervo," performed by Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra.
Online resources:
» Composer - Jean Sibelius | Performers - London Symphony Orchestra | Kullervo | From the album, Kullervo (Lso Live)

Listen IconThe Sounds of Katrina
We've heard a lot of reports on New Orleans' struggles in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But as the city prepares to celebrate Mardi Gras, Weekend America sent music artist DJ Spooky there to share his experiences in the city through words and music.
Online resources:
» DJ Spooky Web site

Music Bridge: Variation Cybernetique: Rythmic Pataphysic (Part II) - Artist: DJ Spooky
CD: Optometry (Thirsty Ear)
Weekend Weather
Listen IconWeekend Weather
Weekend America's John Moe takes a look at the weather and Saturday happenings all across the country.

» Event information

Music Bridge: Beat Connection (Disco Dub Version) - Artist: lcd soundsystem
CD: DFA compilation #2 (DFA)
Listen IconA Stamp for Jack
Thirty-nine cents for a postage stamp? Jack Benny, America's favorite cheapskate would never have shelled out that much money to mail a letter. But a lot of Benny fans would be more than happy to.as long as the stamp had their hero's picture on it. Some fans have been campaigning to feature him on a new 39-cent stamp. Host Bill Radke talks to a Jack Benny impressionist about the push to stick Benny's mug on the U.S. mail.
Online resources:
» Learn more about Laughter in Bloom at EddieCarroll.com

Listen IconTea Time with a Twist
This week the Supreme Court ruled that a church in New Mexico could continue to import and use ayahuasca tea, a hallucinogen as part of a religious ceremony. Host Bill Radke talks Joan Parisi Wilcox, who's studied indigenous tribes in Peru. The tribe uses ayahuasca in its ceremonies. On several occasions Wilcox has participated in these ceremonies and has had the tea. She discusses the drink, its ceremonial role and its effects.
Online resources:
» Joan's book, Ayahuasca: The Visionary and Healing Powers of the Vine of the Soul, is available at the Public Radio BookSource.
» More about ayahuasca (Wikipedia.org)

Music Bridge: Where's My Love (Magical Mix) - Artist: Caroline
CD: Where's My Love (Temporary Residence)
Listen Icon6.5 Billion and Counting
This weekend, the world population hits a new milestone: 6.5 billion people. Weekend America talks to a very soon-to-be mom about what this new number means to her.

Music Bridge: As If You've Never Been Far Away - Artist: Ulrich Schnauss
CD: Far Away Trains Passing By (Domino)
Listen IconLife as a Snowbird
Every winter, the populations of America's southern states swell as thousands of northern residents, many of them retirees, flock to warmer climes. Often, these so-called "snowbirds" return to the same communities to catch up with old friends from past winters. Weekend America's Krissy Clark met one group of snowbirds at their "roost" in Quartzsite, Arizona to learn more about their migratory lifestyle.
Online resources:
» Town of Quartzsite, Arizona official Web site

Music Picks
Listen IconClassical Music: High Brow Hee Haw?
Composers of classical music have always borrowed musical snippets from popular culture. A lot of contemporary composers do the same. But Randall Woolf goes further. He's actually sampling, using hip-hop turntable techniques in his work. Music critic Steve Smith joins host Barbara Bogaev to talk more about Woolf's latest.
Online resources:
» Composer - Randall Woolf | Hee Haw | From the album, Modern Primitives (Exploding Music)

WA Production Image
Listen IconOlympic Update
It's the final weekend for the 2006 Winter Olympics and Weekend America's official fan -- Chris Spurgeon -- is still glued to the TV. After 3 weeks, has he had enough? Hosts Bill Radke and Barbara Bogaev check in live to find what's keeping him stuck to the set.
Online resources:
» Olympic.org - Official Web site of the Olympic Movement
» NBC Olympics: Torino 2006
» Official Torino 2006 Web site

Listen IconThe Competitive Spirit
Whether it's the Olympics or jostling for the better parking spot at the mall, what drives us to compete? Host Barbara Bogaev has been thinking about that a lot this week and talks about what she's discovered.
Online resources:
» Rate your competitiveness with the Competitiveness Index.
» Silver Lake Yoga

Music Bridge: Konfusion - Artist: Skalpel
CD: Konfusion (Ninja Tune)
Weekend Weather
Listen IconWeekend Weather
Weekend America's John Moe takes a look at the weather and Saturday happenings all across the country.

» Event information

Music Bridge: Beat Connection (Disco Dub Version) - Artist: lcd soundsystem
CD: DFA compilation #2 (DFA)
Listen IconTracking Down Darondo
Weekend America's Michael Raphael recently received a reissued album of an artist who hasn't recorded in decades. And after hearing his music, he couldn't understand why. Who was this very soulful, funky singer? Michael wasn't the only one who wanted to know. He tells us about the quest to track down the artist, simply known as Darondo.
Online resources:
» Learn more about Darondo at the Ubiquity Records Web site
» Darondo's album, Let My People Go is available at the Public Radio MusicSource.

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As Mentioned on Weekend America
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As Mentioned on Weekend America
... on our December 15 broadcast:

» Weekend America
iPodEnhanced Podcast:
Skip back and forth through stories, see images on iTunes and on your iPod, all with better sound quality.
» The Huckabee Mystique: See video of Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris.
» Another Great Moment in Small Talk: Read how Charlie Schroeder became an unpopular "tool" because of Borat.
» Listener Letters: Renewable Christmas Trees: Read listeners' alternate endings to "Puff the Magic Dragon."
» Sign Up for the Weekend America weekly newsletter: Find out what's on the upcoming show, and listen to the most popular previous segments.
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Weekend Weather

From the July 5 broadcast