New Orleans Revisited
Although New Orleans is still struggling to get on its feet, thousands of jazz and blues fans are pouring into the city for the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Weekend America hosts Barbara Bogaev and Bill Radke catch up with Judy Arceneaux, a New Orleans resident who safely evacuated her home during Hurricane Katrina. Judy is attending the festival this weekend with friends.

A Flood of Emotion
One New Orleans resident was so moved by the devastation of Katrina and the subsequent flood, he was compelled to share his experience with everyone else. After learning how to use some high-tech software, he put together a DVD that expresses his feelings in the aftermath of the disaster. It's so popular that it's now being circulated around the country. Host Bill Radke talks to Chris Williams, the DVD's creator.

Soul for Sale
A few months ago, a Chicago graduate student auctioned off a chance to save his soul on eBay, and an ex-pastor in Seattle was the lucky bidder. Both started out with their own secret motive, but through the exchange, they've developed a unique relationship. Independent producer Blake Farmer caught up with the men to find out what they're doing now.

World Music: Maurice El-Medioni and Roberto Rodriguez
World music critic, Tom Pryor reviews the new release from Cuban Drummer Roberto Rodriguez and Algerian Jewish Pianist Maurice El Medioni. Algeria and Cuba do share a common musical thread. The music from both regions can be traced back to Andalusian Spain when the Iberian Peninsula was under Arabic rule in the Middle Ages. The country experienced a golden age where ideas and music were exchanged freely between Muslims, Jews and Christians. Rodriguez and El Medioni hope to rekindle that exchange on their new album Descarga Oriental by fusing the North African sounds of Algeria with Cuban sounds of Rodriguez's band.

Dial "I" for India
These days when you place an order or make your credit card payment over the phone, you may suddenly find yourself talking with someone on the other side of the world. India has made service call centers a big industry. Julie Small, of American Public Media's Marketplace, introduces us to some of the folks taking our calls.

God Calls the Call Center
When you call a business with a question about a bill or a problem with your computer, you may not be in the best of moods. Well, imagine being on the receiving end of that call. Weekend America's Bill Radke talks to Chetan Bhagat about his book, "One Night at a Call Center."

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

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Marathon Woman
Training for a marathon can be much more than just preparing physically for the race: It can be a transformational experience mentally too. That's the thinking of a program that is helping women shape up for a race this summer. Weekend America's Alex Cohen introduces us to some of the participants who face challenges extending far beyond the race itself.

"United 93"
The movie "United 93" opens this weekend. The film, with its unsparing account of the hijacking of a Newark to San Francisco airplane on September 11th, is being praised for its documentary-like approach to the event in which crew members and passengers united to thwart the hijackers. Weekend America host Bill Radke talks with Washington Post reporter David Segal, who attended a premier of the film in New York earlier this week.

Jack Grandcolas also attended the premier of the film "United 93." Grandcolas' wife, Lauren, was on the flight and died in the crash. Bill Radke talks with him about his involvement in the film.

Wax Cylinder
Bill Radke talks to Tim Brooks about some of the earliest recordings put to wax. Literally. Tim is the author of "Lost Sounds: Blacks And the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919." He talks about how these recordings helped shape history.

High Price at the Pump
According to the American Automobile Association, gas prices have shot up in the last month to the tune of about 50 cents a gallon. If your livelihood depends on fuel prices, this hurts. Weekend America meets Noah Logsdon, a taxi driver in Minneapolis. Noah's not your average taxi driver—he has outfitted his taxi with every modern driving aid available and he's using them to find better gas prices. Independent producer Curtis Gilbert joined him for a drive.

Neglected Master
Some people live their whole life with little or no recognition for their work. The Poetry Foundation didn't want that to happen to poet Samuel Menashe, so the organization awarded him its "Neglected Master" award. A longer version of this story was originially produced by independent producer Emily Botein for the poetryfoundation.org podcast

Professional Poets
So, you want to be a poet? Don't quit your day job just yet. New York University grad student Ailsa Craig has been researching what it takes to succeed as an author or a poet and was fascinated by what keeps them going. She joins host Bill Radke to talk about what she's learned.

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

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Double Dutch
This Saturday, kids in Boston are competing in a citywide invitational Double Dutch tournament. The kids are demonstrating their jump roping skill, which could take them on to state and even world championship levels. Weekend America talks to their coach, a senior league Double Dutcher herself, Shannon Spriggs. Also, independent producer Matt Largey visits the kids at a practice in Roxbury.