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.

Find more information about Talk of the Nation.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Letters: New Orleans, Buzz Aldrin

NPR's Neal Conan reads from listener comments on previous show topics, including postcards from New Orleans and our talk with astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Guatemalan Dictator's Genocide Conviction A First

Last week's guilty verdict makes former dictator Gen. Efrain Rios Montt the first head of state to be convicted of genocide by a national court in the country where the crimes took place. American University law professor Diane Orentlicher examines the significance of Montt's conviction.

The Promise And Limitations Of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is nothing new, but advancements in technology have made it even more widely available. Neurologists can now treat Parkinson's patients from miles away, therapists can reach service members overseas, and general practitioners can work in rural areas without actually going there at all.

Author Neil Gaiman On Making 'Good Art'

A year ago, Gaiman delivered a commencement address to Philadelphia's University of the Arts urging fledgling creatives to make good art. He said he never expected to give advice to graduates, since he never attended college himself. His new book, Make Good Art, is based on that address.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Bangladesh Reveals Uphill Battle For Fair Trade Clothes

Retailers are under pressure after a building collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh. But global demand for inexpensive clothing shows no sign of abating. The New York Times' Steven Greenhouse and Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, unravel the prospects for improved safety in the garment industry.

Why We Can't Look Away From True-Life Courtroom Dramas

The trial of Jodi Arias, convicted of murdering her boyfriend, has become a national media sensation. Former Law and Order producer Robert Nathan and authors Laura Lippman and Walter Mosley explore why Americans are so drawn to real-life courtroom dramas.

Drawing Security Lessons From Benghazi Mission Attack

The debate continues over the handling of the September attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya. But retired Marine Col. Gary Anderson says some important lessons have already been learned about strengthening diplomatic security and inter-agency communication.

Understanding Tax-Exempt Status

The IRS is under fire for singling out conservative organizations applying for charitable status for extra scrutiny. Associated Press reporter Stephen Ohlemacher, who broke the story, explains tax-exempt status and what kinds of organizations do and do not qualify.

Friday, May 10, 2013

The Myth Of Multitasking

How long can you go without checking email, or glancing at your smartphone? Clifford Nass, a psychology professor at Stanford University, says today's nonstop multitasking actually wastes more time than it saves--and he says there's evidence it may be killing our concentration and creativity too.

Experts Percolate on How To Brew Coffee

Sam Penix and Sam Lewontin, of Everyman Espresso in New York City, and Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking, explain how to get the most out of your grounds. The brewmasters discuss brewing devices, from wood necks to chemex, and filter out reasons you might choose one over another.

Microexpressions: More Than Meets The Eye

David Matsumoto, a psychology professor at San Francisco State University, trains national security officials and police officers to recognize "microexpressions"--fleeting, split-second flashes of emotion across someone's face. Matsumoto says those subtle cues may reveal how an interview subject is feeling, helping officials to hone their line of questioning.

Exploring An Ever-Expanding Universe

Saul Perlmutter shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate. Perlmutter explains how supernovae and other astronomical artifacts are used to measure the expansion rate, and explains what physicists are learning about "dark energy" — the mysterious entity thought to be driving the acceleration.

Hello....Is There Anybody Out There?

The SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute's Jill Tarter has spent decades searching for the signals that would tell us we aren't alone in the cosmos. Tarter discusses the hunt, and what the presence of intelligent life elsewhere might tell us about our own future on Earth.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Syrian Conflict Raises Thorny Issues Beyond The Mideast

The conflict in Syria has had repercussions far beyond its borders, with refugees streaming into neighboring states and countries around the world choosing sides. NPR commentator Ted Koppel weighs in on what the ongoing upheaval in Syria could mean for the rest of the world.

No Longer Experimental, Egg Freezing May Appeal To More Women

By age 38, Sarah Elizabeth Richards had spent $50,000 to freeze 70 of her own eggs. Richards, author of Motherhood Rescheduled, wrote in the Wall Street Journal that egg freezing put an end to the sadness she was feeling "at losing my chance" to have a child.

Pages

Arts & Culture

NPR

Book News: Judge's Comments Bruising To Apple's Price-Fixing Case

Also: Mary Karr on addiction and David Foster Wallace; Maria Semple calls Jonathan Franzen her "big daddy."

Food

NPR

Guava Paste And Tamarind? What To Do With Weird Food Gifts

Have a food that has you stumped? Submit a photo and we'll ask chefs about our favorites!

Politics

NPR

Political Attacks Ramp Up In U.S. Senate Race In Mass.

In Massachusetts, what's been a relatively lackluster campaign to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry is heating up. Veteran Democratic Rep. Ed Markey is running against Republican Gabriel Gomez, a businessman and former Navy SEAL. Gomez is a political newcomer.

Technology

NPR

Viewers To Decide If Amazon's Sample Shows Make The Cut

Amazon is piloting 14 possible shows for its streaming video service. The audience will vote on which shows it likes best. TV critic Eric Deggans says the process and the shows would like to be breaking ground for a new media — but they aren't.

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Talk of the Nation

Arts & Culture

Book News: Judge's Comments Bruising To Apple's Price-Fixing Case

Food

Guava Paste And Tamarind? What To Do With Weird Food Gifts

Politics

Political Attacks Ramp Up In U.S. Senate Race In Mass.

Technology

Viewers To Decide If Amazon's Sample Shows Make The Cut

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