Talk of the Nation
Ex-Ambassador To Iraq Weighs In On Talking To 'Monsters'
As the death toll in Syria climbs and critics blast the Obama administration for not taking more decisive action, former ambassador Christopher Hill points instead to a failure of diplomacy in an op-ed in the New York Times. Hill talks about what the U.S. faces in facilitating talks between the regime and Syrian rebels.
Looking Ahead With The Wonders Of Krulwich
In the latest installment of our "Looking Ahead" series, NPR science correspondent and Radiolab co-host Robert Krulwich talks about reporting on big ideas in imaginative ways, the old days at NPR and what he's wondering about today.
Treadmill Desks And The Benefits Of 'Walking Alive'
New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean has spent years trying to find the right desk chair. She considered a pricy museum-worthy chair, a kneeling chair and a yoga ball before ditching the seat altogether for a treadmill desk — and discovering the health benefits of moving at work.
Looking Ahead: Chris Hedges On Poverty, Politics, U.S. Culture
In the latest installment of our "Looking Ahead" series, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and former New York Times Middle East bureau chief Chris Hedges talks about the decisions that led him on his career path, and where he sees the country going in the next decade.
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Analyzing The Language Of Suicide Notes To Help Save Lives
About a third of people who attempt suicide leave a note. John Pestian and others at Cincinnati Children's Hospital are merging psychology and computer analysis to see if such notes can help diagnose suicidal tendencies in the living.
The White House Under Fire And The Democratic Party's Future
As questions linger about the official response to the Benghazi attack, the White House faces new challenges related to probes by the IRS and the Justice Department. Political Junkie Ken Rudin discusses the week in politics and the future of the Democratic Party with former DNC chair Howard Dean.
The Legacy Of Gen. Ridgway And America's War In Korea
The ongoing conflict on the Korean Peninsula is the legacy of the Korean War, which helps explain relations between the north and south. In a new book, historian Victor Davis Hanson discusses how the strategies of U.S. Gen. Matthew Ridgway helped to turn around what appeared to be "a lost war."
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.
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Neil Gaiman Turns His Grad Speech Into 'Good Art'
Neil Gaiman's new book is based on a speech he delivered to graduates of Philadelphia's University of the Arts. When life gets tough, he told them, "make good art." It's advice that served him well when he turned a failed '90s TV series into the "much-loved" novel Neverwhere.
The Legacy Of Gen. Ridgway And America's War In Korea
The ongoing conflict between North Korea and South Korea is the legacy of the Korean War, which can help explain relations between the two countries. In a new book, historian Victor Davis Hanson discusses how the strategies of Gen. Matthew Ridgway helped to turn around what appeared to be "a lost war." Hanson says that though the three-year war "ended right where it began," it did allow for South Korea to flourish as a democracy. NPR's Neal Conan speaks with Hanson, author of The Savior Generals. Conan also speaks with retired Marine Gen. Bernard Trainor about what it was like fighting on the ground in Korea and the continued U.S. military presence in the region.
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.
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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.
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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.
Author Neil Gaiman On Making 'Good Art'
A year ago, author Neil Gaiman stood in front of the graduating class at Philadelphia's University of the Arts and delivered a commencement address urging a group of fledgling creatives to make good art. Gaiman said he never expected to give advice to people graduating from an establishment of higher education, since he never attended college himself. Gaiman has written a number of novels, children's books, comic book series and screenplays — and has a new book based on the commencement address titled Make Good Art.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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