Weekend America for Saturday, March 25, 2006


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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?

Broadcast Date: March 25, 2006 | Map these stories

Should Your Baby Watch TV?
The Sesame Street Workshop and a non-profit called Zero to Three are producing a DVD featuring Baby Elmo and Baby Big Bird. Designed specifically for children between 6 months and 2 years old, the interactive program presents exercises for the parent and child to do together. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood called the DVD a "betrayal of babies and families." Weekend America talks to Carlos and Sara de la Torre, the parents of 14-month-old Luca, to hear both sides of this issue and to help them decide a healthy approach.

Online resources:

» American Academy of Pediatrics: Television - Positive Actions for Parents
» Zero to Three and Sesame Street Workshop: A Partnership on Sesame Beginnings

Music Bridge: "End of Song" - Artist: Aki Tsuyuko
CD: Hokane (Thrill Jockey)

Not Your Average Surgeon General
In her conversation with U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, Weekend America's Barbara Bogaev discusses Carmona's path from a poor family to the Army's Special Forces through medical school into one of the nation's highest offices.

Online resources:

» U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services: Office of the Surgeon General

Music Bridge: "Walk Through Walls" - Artist: I'm Not a Gun
CD: Our Lives on Wednesdays (Thrill Jockey)

Promoting Peace in Iraq
After three members of Christian Peacemaker Teams were released from their captivity in Iraq this week, Weekend America's Bill Radke spoke to one of their colleagues, Beth Pyles. Pyles just returned from three months in Iraq and talks about how she and her associates train for danger and promoting peace in a war zone.

Online resources:

» Christian Peacemaker Teams

Music Bridge: "Kreuzung" - Artist: Hauschka
CD: The Prepared Piano (Karaoke Kalk)

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Surviving Re-entry
When the Shuttle Columbia broke up in February 2003, one thing did survive intact -- scientist Robert MacLean's bacteria experiment. After traveling well over the speed of sound, a strain of bacteria in the original container managed to survive the disaster. Weekend America's Alex Cohen talks to MacLean about what the bacteria's survival means for his future experiments.

Online resources:

» Learn more about R.J.C. (Bob) McLean
» Panspermia.org

Music Bridge: "Ten To One" - Artist: Wayne B
CD: Night of the Hunter (Quatermass)

Jazz Picks: Gianluca Petrella
Jazz critic Nate Chinen introduces Italian trombonist Gianluca Petrella to Weekend America and his interpretation of Thelonious Monk's "Trinkle, Tinkle" from Petrella's first solo album, Indigo4.

Online resources:

» Gianluca Petrella | "Trinkle, Tinkle [Jazz Remix]" | From the album, Indigo4 (Blue Note)

Weekend 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)

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The Strasburg Railroad
The Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania's Amish country, chartered in 1832 as a short-line railroad, chugged back and forth along its four-and-a-half mile route for over a century. After years on the verge of collapse, a group of train lovers came to the rescue and bought the struggling line. Producer Susan Lewis took a ride on the historic train.

Online resources:

» Strasburg Railroad website

Immigration Rights?
Across the nation, people have been marching this month in support of immigrants' rights and in opposition to House Bill 4437, which will restrict their rights. Weekend America's Pat Loeb covers the Immigrants' Rights march in Los Angeles. She also visits Maywood, California, a town that is 96 percent Latino and recently named itself a "sanctuary city for immigrants."

Online resources:

» Library of Congress: H.R. 4437
» GovTrack.us: Border Secruity bill
» City of Maywood website

Music Bridge: "Mechanical Eye" - Artist: TG Mauss
CD: Mechanical Eye (Quartermass)

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Emerging Pollutants
Usually water pollution is one of those topics that we hear about but have very little to do with, whether it's farmers' pesticide use or some manufacturing plant dumping chemicals. But now scientists are finding residue of our medications in the water. They call it "emerging contaminants." Correspondent Shannon Mullen investigates.

Performance information:

» Villanova Center for the Environment
» EPA PPCP website

Music Bridge: "Up from the South" - Artist: The Budos Band
CD: The Budos Band (Daptone)

Jazz Picks: Thomas Stronen
Jazz critic Nate Chinen is impressed with Swedish Pianist Bobo Stenson. Stenson is back and under the direction of Norwegian Drummer Thomas Stronen. Stronen has a new solo record out called, Parish. This cut is called, "Easta".

Online resources:

» Thomas Stronen | "Easta" | From the album, Parish (ECM)

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America After Dark: How We Sleep
Weekend America looks at the state of sleep in America starting with Ed Murphy who has a serious case of sleep apnea. Bill Radke then talks about other sleep problems with Dr. Larry Epstein, President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Online resources:

» American Sleep Apnea Association
» National Sleep Foundation website
» National Sleep Foundation: Can't Sleep? / Healthy Sleep Tips

Music Bridge: "Pipeline" - Artist: Monolake
CD: Polygon_Cities (Impbalance Computer Music)

Weekend 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)

Airports and Ebay
Every wonder what happens to all those pocket knives "surrendered" at the airport? Officials in New Jersey have come up with a way to recycle the contraband. Independent Producer Eric Wellman of WITF-FM in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has this story.