Talk of the Nation

Schedule

88.5-3

Monday - Thursday

2:00 pm

When Americans want to be a part of the national conversation, they turn to Talk of the Nation, NPR's midday news-talk show.

Journalist Neal Conan leads a productive exchange of ideas and opinions on the issues that dominate the news landscape. From politics and public service to education, religion, music and health care, Talk of the Nation offers call-in listeners the opportunity to join enlightening discussions with decision-makers, authors, academicians, and artists from around the world.

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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Letters: Reporting Abuse, Finding Personal Renewal

NPR's Brian Naylor reads from listener comments on previous show topics, including a recommendations for places to find personal and artistic renewal, and the reasons some people do — or do not — report sexual abuse.

Businesses Reeling In Wake Of NBA Lockout

After weeks of game postponements, the NBA league made a final offer to players — and the players rejected it. Canceling games affects players and fans, but it can also be devastating for the many businesses that revolve around the industry.

Op-Ed: GOP Should Recast Its Message On Inequality

Occupy Wall Street and reports on the nation's growing income gap have helped rally the political left, argues Matthew Continetti of The Weekly Standard. It is not the government's responsibility to redress wealth disparities, he says, and the GOP must do a better job of communicating that message.

Re-Telling The Story Of 'The Trail Of Tears'

The forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans in the 1830s is taught in most classrooms, but few know the full story. In An American Betrayal: Cherokee Patriots and the Trail of Tears, Daniel Blake Smith documents the series of decisions leading up the relocation, coming not only from the federal government, but from within the Cherokee nation itself.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Company Towns, After The Company Leaves Town

Huntsville, Alabama is known to many as "Rocket City." Nearly half of the city's jobs are connected to space and defense funding. Now, with NASA and the Pentagon facing significant cuts, Huntsville faces an uncertain future. Newton, Iowa, went through similar straits when Maytag left town in 2007.

Abrams And Nolan Nab A 'Person Of Interest'

The new CBS crime drama Person of Interest tells the story of two men who help stop crimes before they happen. It's been praised for raising questions about the role of surveillance in society. Jonathan Nolan created the show, and J.J. Abrams, the man behind Lost, is executive producer.

'Meaning Of Everything' Often Lost In Translation

There are words for light and dark blue in Russian, but no word for a general shade of blue. So when a translator needs to translate "blue" into Russian, he or she must choose which shade to use. In his new book, Is That a Fish in Your Ear?, David Bellos explores the complexity of translation.

Op-Ed: Cultivate Innovation To Kick-Start Economy

Republicans and Democrats alike are focused on one major issue: jobs. But inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen argues they're missing the bigger picture. To bolster the economy, he says, requires passion, innovation and risk.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Cure Winter Blues With Light Therapy

Or The Beach — Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder, affects some five percent of Americans in the winter as daily sunlight hours dwindle. Psychiatrist Richard A. Friedman discusses the evolutionary origins of the winter blues, and treatments ranging from light therapy to a trip to the beach.

Hunt For A Vanishing Woodpecker

In 1956, dentist and amateur ornithologist William Rhein captured the rare Imperial woodpecker on 16 mm color film. Although this 85 second clip is the only known photographic record of the bird, Rhein kept the film to himself until after he died. Writer and bird fanatic Tim Gallagher tells the story of Rhein's expedition to look for the bird, and his own trip to the same mountains over 50 years later.

Meet The MythBusters

Discovery Channel's MythBusters have taken on more than 700 myths, from how hard it is to find a needle in a haystack (it's hard) to whether toothbrushes have fecal matter on them (they do). Series hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage talk about the show with host Ira Flatow.

'Steve Jobs': Profiling An Ingenious Perfectionist

For years, Steve Jobs courted biographer Walter Isaacson to write the definitive story of his life. When Isaacson learned how sick Jobs really was, he accepted. Here he discusses profiling the tech visionary, a task that often involved reconciling Jobs' recollections with those of his friends, family and colleagues.

Rethinking How Kids Learn Science

How important are museums, TV shows and after school clubs to teaching kids science? Ira Flatow and guests look at "informal science education" and what researchers are learning about learning science. Plus, what's the best way to keep undergraduate science majors in science?

Thursday, November 10, 2011

IAEA Review Raises New Questions About Iran

The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has offered its strongest evidence yet that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Iran condemned the report, and maintains that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful.

Homelessness Harder On America's Veterans

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, many fear the rates of homeless vets could grow much worse. They tend to remain homeless longer than non-veterans and they're more likely to suffer from health conditions linked to early death, according to a recent survey by the 100,000 Homes Campaign.

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Talk of the Nation

Arts & Culture

Book News: Stephen King's New Bogeyman? Digital Publishing

Food

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Politics

Fox News Reporter James Rosen Caught Up In Federal Probe

Technology

Tumblr Users Urge New Owner Yahoo To Keep The Site Weird

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Talk of the Nation

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Monday, November 14, 2011

Friday, November 11, 2011

Thursday, November 10, 2011

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