The Takeaway: Story of the Day

America and Russia: Redefining the Nuclear Family

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:02:44 -0400

Today President Obama kicks off a week-long trip to Russia, Italy, and Ghana. He’s currently in Moscow, meeting with President Medvedev. Iran, North Korea, and plans for a U.S. missile defense system in Europe are all on the agenda, but reducing the number of strategic and other nuclear weapons gets top billing. Presidents Obama and Medvedev aim to negotiate a new pact to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December. To gauge how effective this negotiation will be—and for a look at how this summit could redefine U.S.-Russia relations, we turn to Ambassador John Bolton. He is Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He is currently a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Click through for transcript

Do-It-Yourself Fireworks (Safely)

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:51:33 -0400

This weekend, many of us will be enjoying fireworks as we celebrate the Fourth of July —from the safety of a public park with professionals handling all those explosives. But our guest Bill Gurstelle believes that the best fireworks are the ones you make at home. He's the author of Absinthe & Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously and Backyard Ballistics: Build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices.

Former Bush Official Leads Challenge to Prop 8

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:02:58 -0400

Ted Olson, Solicitor General under President George W. Bush, argues this week in California courts against Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on gay marriage. He spoke with The Takeaway's Washington Correspondent Todd Zwillich about his motivation for taking the case and discusses why he feels gay couples shouldn’t be the political football they've become in recent years.

“Why in the world wouldn’t we want gay citizens who want to live together in a peaceful, harmonious, stable relationship to have the opportunity to call themselves married?”
— former Solicitor General Theodore Olson

Mr. Franken Goes to Washington

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:05:17 -0400

Tom Davis met Al Franken when they were both in high school, undoubtedly vying for title of class clown. They became friends, writing and performing comedy routines, and eventually becoming writers for Saturday Night Live. Tom Davis joins The Takeaway to share his memories of his partner in comedy. Tom Davis is the author of 39 Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There

"He is quick-witted. He still has a remarkable sense of humor. He's not going to abandon that. It's not going to be the first arrow in his quiver."
— Al Franken's former comedy partner Tom Davis on Franken as a Senator

The Jackson Three: What Happens to Michael's Kids?

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:54:23 -0400

Many questions are left unanswered about the death last week of Michael Jackson: the cause of death, the state of his estate. But the most immediate issue is the future of his three young children. Diane Dimond, an investigative journalist and author of the Michael Jackson biography, “Be Careful Who You Love: Inside the Michael Jackson Case,” joins The Takeaway this morning to talk about Jackson as a parent and who might take charge of his children.

Madoff's Victims Speak Out

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:54:45 -0400

Bernie Madoff could spend the rest of his life in prison after his sentencing this morning. Joining The Takeaway are two victims who were financially wiped out by Madoff: Carol Baer, the owner of Popover Café in New York City, and Cynthia Crane, a Cabaret singer.

Twenty-five Years of Prince and "Purple Rain"

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:01:55 -0400

Twenty-five-years-ago, an upstart from Minnesota shot into superstardom with the release of "Purple Rain," the film and its accompanying soundtrack. The album produced hits like the title track, “Let’s Go Crazy” and its biggest hit, “When Doves Cry.” Brian Raftery is a contributing writer for SPIN Magazine, and he has the cover story on its next issue commemorating Purple Rain’s 25th anniversary. It includes interviews from most of the major players involved in the groundbreaking film and album.

Because of copyright restrictions, we can't show you the real video for "When Doves Cry." Instead, here is Clay Aiken singing the famous song. Yes, this is the problem with copyright law.

To see Dave Chapelle's take on the iconic Prince, watch the video below. (Warning: Some content may be not safe for work. Also, there's a lot of bleeping.)

Dave Chapelle: Prince plays basketball - watch more funny videos

Sen. Charles Grassley on the Cost of Health Care Reform

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:34:10 -0400

There's a price tag of $1.6 trillion on President Obama's plan to overhaul health care, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Takeaway talks with Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa. He's the ranking member of the powerful Senate Finance Committee and one of the chief critics of the plan's spiraling costs.

Click here for the full transcript

"Can you imagine the money they're making by discriminating against people for pre-existing conditions? If we do away with that and if we have community rating, don't you think that we're standing up to them?"
— Sen. Charles Grassley on health insurance companies

Chris Brown Pleads Guilty. Is Justice Served?

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:11:25 -0400

Singer Chris Brown plead guilty yesterday to felony assault charges. Prosecutors say he badly beat his ex-girlfriend (pop star Rihanna Fenty) in February. Today on The Takeaway we are exploring the intersection between youth, abuse, race and culture with Elizabeth Mendez Berry, a freelance journalist who wrote an acclaimed article in Vibe magazine, Love Hurts, on partner abuse in the world of Hip-Hop. Also joining the conversation is Latoya Peterson, editor of the blog Racialicious.

Everything Sounds Better with AutoTune

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:10:48 -0400

Let's say you're a musician and a news junkie, and you want to combine the two. If you were really talented, you might end up with something like the work of musical brothers Evan and Michael Gregory. They use the sound tool "Autotune," often used by rappers like T-Pain and Kanye West, to make music with the news. Evan and Michael, two of the four members of The Gregory Brothers, join us with more on how they Autotune the News.

Continue reading for the Gregory Brothers' remixing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, news personalities, as well as John and Femi.

The Changing Role of Fathers and the Family

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:02:27 -0400

You might think that the image of the bumbling father is as old as parenthood itself, but just in time for Father’s Day, The Takeaway talks to one father who says differently. Jeremy Adam Smith is the author of The Daddy Shift: How Stay-at-Home Dads, Breadwinning Moms, and Shared Parenting AreTransforming the American Family. Jeremy also writes the blog Daddy Dialectic. Also joining the conversation is one very important Dad, Don Lanpher, father of our very own Katherine.

Eliot Spitzer on Regulatory Reform (And His Own Future)

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:33:16 -0400

President Obama has proposed sweeping changes to the regulation of the country's financial system. But do these changes actually address the root causes of our financial crisis? For one view, we turn to Eliot Spitzer, former Attorney General and Governor of New York. When he was Attorney General he made a name for himself suing companies like AIG for deception, fraud and boosting the company’s stock price. He also discusses his personal feelings at having to watch the unfolding crisis as a bystander and not as political leader.

"Rearranging the deck chairs does not fundamentally alter the fact that the regulators had the power over the past few years."
— Eliot Spitzer on financial reform

Lend Us Your Ears And Send Us Your Sounds!

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:12:19 -0400

The modem. The rotary phone. "You've Got Mail!" These are sounds you may not hear much longer. The Takeaway is joining the BBC World Service in a project called Save Our Sounds. From all over the globe, people are sending in sound clips that they think should be saved. BBC Producer Kate Arkless Gray joins John and Femi to talk about the project. Send us your sound here. You can also follow the project on Twitter.

Battle of the Brands: Do Attack Ads Work?

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:56:07 -0400

Consumers are spending less money, so companies are using increasingly aggressive advertising techniques to compete for dwindling dollars. Does bashing your competitors help or hurt? Advertising consultant Cindy Gallop joins The Takeaway to describe the fierce ad climate.

"It's the brands that project the most confidence in themselves that can sell themselves on their own merits, and not attack the competition, that will ultimately succeed."
— Advertising consultant Cindy Gallop on advertising in the recession

This Domino's commercial is an example of the battle of the brands. Take a look.

Doctors to Schools: It's Your Job to Prevent Bullying

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:06:35 -0400

In July, the American Academy of Pediatrics will come out with a new statement on how to prevent childhood bullying. They suggest that schools adopt a program in which children are encouraged to reach out to victims and isolate bullies. Can schools really make bullying uncool? Dr. Robert Sege, one of the lead authors on the policy, joins The Takeaway with his big ideas.

For parents and teachers looking for advice on how to deal with bullying, head to today's New York Times to read Perri Klass's article, At Last, Facing Down Bullies (and Their Enablers).

When you're done listening to Dr. Sege, check out The Takeaway's past coverage on childhood bullying and teen psychosis.

Can Yogurt Slow the Spread of HIV?

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:30:43 -0400

HIV is sometimes referred to as a disease of the gut because of the voracity with which it attacks a victim's gastrointestinal tract. As researchers look at ways to limit the disease's affect on the body, a simple, stomach soothing solution came to mind: yogurt. More precisely, yogurt infused with friendly bacteria. Scientist Gregor Reid joins The Takeaway to talk about his work with HIV patients in Africa. There, in Tanzania, he has helped teach a group of "yogurt mamas" how they might serve up disease protection one cup at a time.

For more information, head to the pilot yogurt program's website, Western Heads East. Read more about the group, as well as other probiotic research, by checking out the article, A cultured response to HIV, in the June 2009 issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

Photos from Gregor Reid's trip:

Remembering Tiananmen Square

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:44:36 -0400

Twenty years ago today the Chinese army rolled their tanks into Tiananmen Square in Beijing and quashed the massive protests that were taking place there. Seven weeks of uprisings, demonstrations, and hunger strikes were wiped out under the treads of Chinese tanks. Casualties numbered in the hundreds or the thousands — there has never been an official accounting — but the toll on the democracy movement was near fatal. To help recreate the scene for us we are joined by the BBC's Kate Adie, who reported from the ground in Tiananmen Square. We are also joined by photographer Jeff Widener, who captured the quintessential image of the struggle — a lone man standing against a line of tanks.

See also the New York Times Photo Essay Behind the Scenes: Tank Man of Tiananmen.

Also: watch a BBC interview with Kate Adie about her experiences that day and her hopes for the future of democracy in China.

A Teenager's So-Called Financial Life

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:57:39 -0400

The economic downturn is making life harder than usual for teenagers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate among teens is 21.7 percent — the highest rate in nearly 20 years. And these aren’t just kids looking for iPod money. There are young people across the socioeconomic spectrum who are hoping to put themselves through school, or to pitch in at home. Joining us to explain what it means to have so many jobless teens is Beth Kobliner. She is a personal finance expert and author of The New York Times best-seller Get a Financial Life.

Bust A Move with Young MC

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:35:07 -0400

It's been 20 years since the classic dance floor jam, Bust a Move, flooded the airwaves and became an instant classic. The Takeaway talks to the song's creator, Young MC, and host Farai Chideya takes on a trip down memory lane to relive a moment in 1989.

Transcript:

Farai Chideya: Alright, you know it. You were wearing those parachute pants and those kinda-like shiny shoes that you thought were so fly. And you know that — especially if you're black — you had some sort of texturizer in your hair. You were listening to Bust A Move by Marvin Young or Young MC. Now this proud papa has a song that is 20 yrs old. That song is old enough to go to the club. Crazy, huh Marvin?

Young MC: Yes, Farai. This song is old enough to go to the club; get in all sorts of trouble.

FC: Definitely. I mean, your song is a classic dance floor jam. And so, I want you, I'm going to call you Marvin or Young or Young MC. Marvin is the name that your friends call you, Young MC is how most of us know you. So Young, take me back to where you were and who you were 20 years ago when this song hit the airwaves. ...(more)

Obama's Nominee: The Supremes' First Hispanic Woman

feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:26:33 -0400

President Obama is expected to announce that he will fill retiring Justice David Souter's seat on the high court with Sonia Sotomayor. She would be the first Hispanic member of the Supreme Court. Sotomayor is a self-described "Newyorkican" who grew up in housing projects in the Bronx after her parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico. She attended Princeton University and Yale Law School before becoming a prosecutor and a federal judge. She also has a bipartisan background, having been appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush and then nominated to the appeals court by Bill Clinton. And did we mention that she helped end the baseball strike? For more about the potential Justice we turn to Slate Magazine's Senior Legal Correspondent Dahlia Lithwick.