Talk of the Nation
Satire, Race And The 'Magic Negro'
Chip Saltsman, one of the candidates for chair of the Republican National Committee, sent a CD full of song parodies to several RNC members — including a song called "Barack the Magic Negro." The term "magic negro" dates back to the 1950s. Used today, is it satire or racism?
Letters: Influential People And Barber's Call
Talk of the Nation listeners make a few more nominations to our list of most influential people of 2008. Also, a letter from a listener who survived a small plane crash, and another listener thanks us for playing tape of Red Barber calling a game he didn't attend.
Predicting President Bush's Legacy
President Bush and Vice President Cheney have been in office for eight years of complicated events. Some point to Iraq and Afghanistan when weighing how their tenure will be remembered, others to tax cuts and aid to Africa. Which single issue seems most relevant to you?
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A Passion For Stuff: 'Collections Of Nothing'
William Davies King wants what you don't. He collects things such as chopstick wrappers, chain letters, cat food labels … you name it. In his book, Collections of Nothing, he wonders whether his compulsion is just mania, or more.
Op-Ed: Bush Should Ask For Shoe Thrower's Pardon
The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush, Muntadhir al-Zaidi, faces up to 15 years in prison. Mark Bowden believes Bush should ask Iraq's government to pardon him. "A small outrage," he writes for The Wall Street Journal, "requires a grand gesture."
Blagojevich Appoints Burris To Senate Seat
Gov. Rod Blagojevich named former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris as his choice to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich faces criminal charges alleging he previously tried to sell that seat.
Holocaust Memoir Exposed As Fake
It's quite a story: A boy and a girl meet through the fence at a Holocaust concentration camp, reunite on Coney Island years later, and marry. Author Herman Rosenblat called his book, Angel At the Fence, a memoir … but it's mostly lies.
Who's To Blame When You Get Drunk?
A man who got drunk on a United Airlines flight was arrested for beating his wife as they walked through customs. The couple is now suing the airline for serving him too many drinks. On an airplane, at a bar, or at a party, who's responsible when someone gets drunk?
Op-Ed: Black Republican Torn After Obama Win
Former Republican congressional staffer Sophia Nelson feels conflicted. As an African American, she loves the idea of a black family in the White House, but she's chagrined by her party's "blistering electoral defeat." She calls on Republicans to make amends with black Americans.
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As Violence In Gaza Worsens, What Can Obama Do?
A Bush administration spokesman has called on Hamas — the Islamist organization that controls the Gaza Strip — to stop firing rockets into Israel and "agree to respect a sustainable and durable ceasefire." Is there anything President-elect Obama can do to change the dynamic in the region?
Shade-Grown Coffee Not Just For The Birds
Shade-grown coffee is sometimes called "bird friendly coffee," but a new paper in the journal Current Biology suggests that the plantations also help maintain the genetic diversity of native tree species. Study author Shalene Jha discusses the research and its implications.
Audubon's Annual Christmas Bird Count
Get out those binoculars and notepads. For the 109th year, birders throughout the Americas are navigating tropical forests and crunching through snowy meadows to tally up birds. Count director Geoff LeBaron and Cornell ornithologist John Fitzpatrick discuss the annual event.
Tweets From Frolleagues And Other 2008 Lingo
The language of our lives is changing faster than you can download an iPhone app. Wired magazine's "Jargon Watch" columnist (and conceptual artist) Jonathan Keats runs down the top tech jargon terms of 2008.
Making Christmas Merry And ... Safe
Are mistletoe and poinsettia really holiday hazards? Poison expert Edward Krenzelok explains how to avoid accidental poisonings this season, and keep the holidays toxin-free.
How To Make New Year's Resolutions Stick
Are you vowing to stop smoking or start exercising on Jan. 1, 2009? Nearly half of U.S. adults will make resolutions to change in the New Year. Clinical psychologist John Norcross explains how to increase your odds for success.
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Birdsongs From The Arctic To The Southern Swamps
The pop-up book Birdscapes catalogues the calls of birds from all over the world, from Yellow-billed Loons on remote Arctic lakes to King Rails in southern swamps. Author Miyoko Chu of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology tells the stories behind how these bird songs were collected.
What Makes A Great Christmas Song?
Ever since Jose Feliciano wrote and recorded "Feliz Navidad" in 1970, it has been a Christmas mainstay; nearly 40 years later, it remains one of the top 25 most-played Christmas songs around the world. Music expert Bill Adler weighs in on what makes a Christmas song successful.
The Joy Of Watching Dysfunctional Families On Film
The holidays are a time to celebrate family, and for family members to spend time with each other. But film makers keep returning to stories about adultery, rebellion, mental illness, drug addiction, and the occasional criminal indictment. Murray Horwitz, director of The American Film Institute Silver Theater and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Md., discusses celebrating the dysfunctional family on film.
An Emotional Holiday Reunion: Dad Comes Home
For James Wagner, Christmas 1996 was the year he got his best present ever. His father was being held hostage in Peru. And two days before Christmas, his father came home. The Los Angeles Times editorial writer tells his emotional story.
Arrested Development's Mitch Hurwitz On His Career
The TV producer and writer talks about Arrested Development, the series he created. Hurwitz has won three Emmy awards for his work.
