Analyzing Facebook's NASDAQ Debut

Facebook will make its much-anticipated debut today on NASDAQ as a public company. As of last night, Facebook's offer had risen to $38 a share, putting the total value of the company at $104 billion. But for investors who got burned in the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s, all of the hype and hysteria over Facebook is a little too familiar. Our two guests today lived through the dot-com boom an...

Minding Mortality

Are you deadline driven? Are you most productive, most focused as "zero hour" approaches? Well, what about the ultimate end, the true end of the time frame. Deadline, indeed. How does knowing that you're going to die affect your life? In this hour, we're minding mortality.

Made in Russia

Siberia is the name for a place we tend to think of as a metaphor as much as a destination on the map. Writer Ian Frazier indulged what he calls his dread Russia love with travels through Siberia...

PRI's The World - May 18, 2012

Today on the World: Economic woes in Europe to top the agenda this weekend at the G8 summit at Camp David. Also, one Russian businessman becomes an overnight billionaire thanks to Facebook. Plus, one Scottish band tries to make Gaelic hip and sexy.

Fencing Makes a Comeback in Libya

For the Geo Quiz we are looking for the largest city in a North African country where fencing is enjoying a resurgence.

Scottish Band Oi Polloi Popularizes Gaelic Language

Speaking Gaelic used to be discouraged in Scotland, but the Scottish band Oi Polloi is doing its part to popularize the language.

Living on Earth: May 18, 2012

Fixing a Deformed Frog Face / Hard-hit Neighborhoods in L.A. Seek Zoning Protection / Does Cash Encourage Biking and Walking? / Copenhagen Bikes Update / The Place Where You Live / The Art of Fermentation / EarthEar

Why Is College So Expensive?

College graduates have wracked up more than a trillion dollars in student loan debt, raising questions about tuition, online learning and the "knowledge economy."

Friday, May 18th, 2012

Facebook Euphoria Comes Amid Bank Scandals, Europe Fears On Wall Street; A Firsthand View Of A Suicide Bomb In Afghanistan; Vermont Bans Fracking, As North Carolina Advances Bill To Make It Legal; Food Deserts May Exist, But Do They Matter?; A Road Trip Along Italy's Ancient Appian Way;

The Tavis Smiley Show, May 18, 2012

TIME Magazine's Adam Sorensen * Author Valaida Fullwood * Journalist James Mills * Donna Summer Tribute

B-Side, Vol. 11: The BBC's "Danger in the Download" Series, Part 2

In this episode, we listen in to the BBC's Ed Butler as he explores the world of cyberthreats. This is Part 2 of a 3 part series to follow in the coming weeks. Visit the homepage: www.theworld.org/technology, or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/worldstechpod.

The Bombay Royale: Retro-Bollywood Music from Australia

The songs on the new album "You Me Bullets Love" sound like the soundtrack to a long lost Bollywood-James Bond film.

PRI's The World - May 17, 2012

Today on the World: The war crimes trial of Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic is suddenly on hold. Also, a US Army captain who reached out to Afghan insurgents, even after they had killed some of his men. Plus, retro Bollywood music, by way of Australia.

No Shouting: Istanbul Tells its Street Vendors

In Istanbul's rapid urbanization process, it has banned shouting by vendors in open-air markets.

Art as Medicine

Art is changing medicine. Music helps patients recover in a burn unit and medical students learn how honing their narrative skills will make them better doctors. Kurt Andersen talks with the writer Chris Adrian about how his day job as a children’s cancer doctor finds its way into his novels. And an ER doc reveals which hospital television show tells it like it is. (Originally aired: December 1...

Facebook IPO: A Touchstone Cultural Moment for America?

Tomorrow, shares in Facebook will start publically trading. Will it really be a financial milestone or another dotcom disappointment? We hear strikingly different views.

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Jamie Dimon, The Man Behind JPMorgan's Multi-billion Dollar Loss; Preventing Underage Drinking By Educating Parents About 'Social Host Liability'; Why Some College Sports Programs Are Running In The Red; John Fullbright May Be Okemah, Okla.'s Next Musical Son; Provocative Republican Super PAC Ad Campaign Shot Down;

WHYS 60: Live from a Greek restaurant in London

We speak to Greeks living in London about whether it's Greece's responsibility to save the euro.

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Jamie Dimon, The Man Behind JPMorgan's Multi-billion Dollar Loss; Preventing Underage Drinking By Educating Parents About 'Social Host Liability'; Why Some College Sports Programs Are Running In The Red; John Fullbright May Be Okemah, Oklahoma's Next Musical Son; Provocative Republican Super PAC Campaign To Highlight Obama's Former Pastor;

Moving Beyond Calories In, Calories Out

According to a new study, 42 percent of American adults will be obese by the year 2030. And all this week, The Takeaway looks at that prediction with people we might not normally think of as obesity specialists — from city planners to coffin makers to our guest yesterday, a mathematician with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases named Dr. Carson Chow. Today, the conv...

WHYS 30: Are you panicking about the euro?

Today you're talking about the possibility of a "grexit" - a Greek exit from the euro. Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras has accused the EU and German Chancellor Angela Merkel of "playing poker with European people's lives" by insisting on austerity measures. Are you panicking about the euro? Some people in Greece have started to withdraw their euros from the banks. We g...

John Irving on sexuality and New England

John Irving talks about his new novel, "In One Person," which tells the story of Bill Abbott, a bisexual boy growing up in the Irving-esque small New England town of First Sister, Vermont. From The Takeaway.

Cucumber Bisque

The guys dig into the "Recipe Vault" and dust off an old favorite for Cucumber Bisque!

PRI's The World - May 16, 2012

Today on the World: Correspondent Laura Lynch visits the besieged Syrian city of Douma. Also, former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic goes on trial for crimes against humanity. And an Iranian hip hop artist is the target of a fatwa.

What Europe can Learn from an Ancient Empire with a Common Currency

For the Geo Quiz, we are looking for a vast area that used a common currency, about 2,000 years ago.

Iranian Rapper Shahin Najafi Faces Fatwa for 'Blasphemous' Song

Rapper Shahin Najafi received a fatwa this past week for his controversial new song, Naqi. An Islamic website posted a $100,000 bounty on his life. But what's really the controversy?

JP Morgan's Long Shadow

Wall Street's biggest bank lost $2B from risky trading, re-igniting the debate over financial regulation. Should JP Morgan be reigned in before another taxpayer bailout?

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

Defense Rests Without Calling Edwards, Mistress; Hearing On 'Too Big To Fail' Banks; New Yorker Writer Adam Gopnik Explores Our History With Food; Greek Austerity Takes Toll On Health Care; Listener Letters: From Catholics To Student Loans; The Films That Dictators Loved;

WHYS 60: Mladic in court and over-the-counter HIV tests

Former Serb commander Ratko Mladic has appeared in court in the Hague charged with war crimes. What is your reaction to his appearance at the International Criminal Court. We are also asking - would you take an HIV test in the privacy of your own home?

A Sign of the Times: Underearners Anonymous

You’ve probably heard of Alcoholics Anonymous. Maybe you’ve heard of Narcotics Anonymous, or Gamblers Anonymous. But have you ever heard about Clutterers Anonymous? Or Online Gamers Anonymous? Probably not. Genevieve Smith's 12-step program was another one of these lesser-known groups: Underearners Anonymous. Genevieve is an associate editor at Harper’s Magazine and is out with a new piece call...

WHYS 30: Charles Taylor addresses the ICC

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has address the international court that found him guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes in Sierra Leone. What's your reaction?

PRI's The World - May 15, 2012

Today on the World: UN observers in Syria find themselves dangerously close to violence. Also, why some candidates want to pay higher taxes. And behind the scenes of the greatest operatic challenge.

Colombian Flowers Mark the Start of New Free Trade Agreement

More than four thousand boxes of roses and carnations are the very first products to enter the USA under a free trade agreement with Colombia that's just gone into effect.

Egyptian Singer Fatma Zidan Optimistic About Egyptian Presidental Elections

Zidan is hopeful about the future and that the next president of Egypt will help bring about positive change.

No-Fly Lists, Underwear Bombs and the 'War on Terror'

500 US citizens are on the FBI's No-Fly list, without explanation or appeal. We hear about the latest in high-tech terrorist technology and the denial of Constitutional rights.

WHYS 60: 'What is the future of the Eurozone?

The 17-nation eurozone has avoided a new recession, thanks largely to Germany but new political turmoil in Greece has revived fears about the fate of the shared currency. On today's 1700/1800GMT show, we're asking 'What do you think is the future of the Eurozone?'

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

JPMorgan Chase Faces Angry Shareholders; Graduating College With $120K In Student Loan Debt; Syrian Violence Spills Into Lebanon; Whooping Cough Epidemic Hits Washington State; Folk Singer Tom Rush Kickstarts 50th Anniversary Concert; A Graduation Anthem For Moving On;

WHYS 30: Should stillborn babies have birth certificates?

This is what politicians in Australia have been debating after Tarlia Bartsch, who gave birth to a stillborn baby, started a campaign for stillborns to have birth certificates. She says it helps mothers with the grieving process and gives the babies an existence. Do you agree with her?

Job Interviews Borrow from the Speed-Dating Handbook

We’ve all heard of speed-dating; that modern mating ritual in which singles are given a minute or two to impress a potential date before moving aside so the next candidate to make his or her pitch. But speed-dating methods aren’t just for dating anymore. Recruiters from a few companies are now enlisting the tactics of speed-dating in their search for new employees.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Morgan Webb, Craig Finn

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady talks about the unpredictable and emotional music of the punk band The Replacements, and how one their songs changed his life. Video game journalist and TV host Morgan Webb talks semiotics, video games, and who REALLY makes up the gaming community. The actor Benedict Cumberbatch talks about putting his spin on one of pop culture's most ubiquitous heroes, Sherlock H...

India and the rise of drug-resistant germs

India's booming generic drug industry, which has fostered the widespread overuse of antibiotics, is causing bacteria to develop resistance to the drugs. From PRI's The World.

Inventor creates wind-blown landmine clearance device

Massoud Hassani grew up in Kabul, near an area filled with unexploded mines. Later, when he'd emigrated to The Netherlands and became a design student, he came up with an idea to help clear such mines, and the "Mine Kafon" was born. From PRI's The World.

Tommy Womack's second act

Nashville singer and songwriter Tommy Womack on the ups and downs of a life in music, and the release of his new album. From Studio 360.

Americans post-grad degrees struggling to find jobs

According to a recent report from The Chronicle of Higher Education, students pursuing or who have obtained masters degrees and Ph.D.'s are struggling quite a bit financially. From The Takeaway.

ALL THE NEWS THAT ISN'T for May 12, 2012

This week on All the News that Isn't... we're evolving to take credit for most things... from Wisconsin Public Radio and PRI, Public Radio International.

PRI's The World - May 14, 2012

Today on the World: How everyday Syrians cope with the violence. Then, how Greeks are struggling to make ends meet. And Portuguese migrants flock to Brazil in search of more financial security.

Italian Museum Burns Art to Save Art?

A contemporary art museum in Italy has launched a controversial campaign to protest budget cuts and what it calls government indifference.

Black Metal Bassist Elected to Greek Parliment

With the election of a bassist from Black Metal band to Greek Parliament, Greek metal fans are worried that their favorite musical genre is suffering yet another blow to its much maligned reputation.

Geoengineering and the Fight against Climate Change

Guest host Alex Chadwick asks, "How desperate would we have to be to try something like purposefully remaking Earth's atmosphere?"

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Heads Roll At JP Morgan After $2 Billion Loss; Has 'Attachment Parenting' Crossed A Line?; Anger Simmers Over Austerity In Greece; Mass. Senate Race Heats Up; Helping Others Helped Him Overcome OCD;

WHYS 60: Greece Questions to Robert Peston

The BBC's Business Editor takes your questions on the current crisis in Greece. What would happen if Greece left the Euro? We are also reflecting on Manchester City's dramatic Premier League title win. But is there a price of victory?

Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know? for May 12, 2012

This week on Whad'Ya Know?... All the News that Isn't... John T. Edge and the food trucks of America... and the Whad'Ya Know? Quiz! From Wisconsin Public Radio and PRI, Public Radio International.

The Obese American Future

A new study predicts that 42 percent of American adults will be obese — a category beyond overweight — by the year 2030. Keith Davis is working to accomodate America's bigger, more obese future. He's the owner and operator of Goliath Coffins, a company that makes caskets for the morbidly obese. Jen Petersen is an urban sociologist and Principal of Petersen consulting. She worked on the Living S...

WHYS 30: Manchester City's Premiership Victory

Did you watch Manchester City's dramatic premier league victory yesterday? What's your reaction? A great day for the game? Or an example of how money buys the best team?

HACKERS TRY TO SAVE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Hackers became anathema to the music labels at the dawn of digital file sharing, but now are key players in the industry. At the Rethink Music conference in Boston last month, programmers, developers, and tinkerers showed up for a 24-hour coding frenzy.

A Literary Mix Tape

We think of this program as a literary “mix tape,” featuring two stories mingling with the music that inspired, or played a role in them. “Milestones,” by Miles Davis was the inspiration for Hannah Tinti’s story of the same name, read here by the performance artist Laurie Anderson.  Next, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Number 12 is ...

A new spin on 'Romeo and Juliet'

Monadhil Daood's "Romeo and Juliet in Baghdad," opened to rave reviews in Iraq, and is now showing at the World Shakespeare Festival in the United Kingdom. From The Takeaway.

American Invention

What's your billion dollar idea? You know, the one that's going to change the world? America's the land of invention, right? And it's that can-do spirit that makes this country great. But America's no longer the global innovation giant it once was.Where have you gone, Thomas Edison?

Brainpower

The Turing Test is an annual event in which the most advanced computer programs try to fool a panel of judges into mistaking them for real people. And real people compete to try to win the coveted "Most Human Human Award."

Living on Earth: May 11, 2012

Brazil’s New Forest Code / EPA Red Lights Palm Oil / Microsoft Seeks Carbon Neutrality / Note on Emerging Science / Ants’ Social Immunity / A Maine Island Struggles to Stay Afloat / Deciphering Mayan Calendar Records / BirdNote® Swainson’s Thrush “Micro Napper” / Paper Made / LOE in Hot Water

PRI's The World - May 11, 2012

Today on the World: Pressure increases on United Nations monitors to stop the violence in Syria. Also, Korean adoptees trying to make South Korea a better place for single mothers. And Paul McCartney sings the message "All you need is love" to a violence-torn Mexico.

World's Top Race Walkers Compete in Russia's Mordovian Capital

Athletes from more than 60 nations are competing in the World Race Walking Cup this weekend.

Paul McCartney Plays Free Concert in Mexico City

In a country wracked by violence, the former Beatle emphasized the message "All You Need Is Love."

The Tavis Smiley Show, May 11, 2012

Jason Reece * Charlie Woo * Paul Chappell * George Johnson * Arturo Sandoval*

Obesity in America

America's epidemic of obesity is now the subject of a massive public health campaign. We hear about cause and effect and proposed solutions.

WHYS 60: Okay to breastfeed a three year old?

The cover of Time magazine shows a mother breastfeeding her three-year-old son. We speak to parents in the UK, US, Malaysia and Kenya.

Friday, May 11th, 2012

High School Comes Back To Haunt Romney; Mark Zuckerberg: 'How A Brat Tycoon Became A Brilliant CEO'; UN Condemns Deadly Attacks In Syria; Prosecution Rests In John Edwards Trial; Listeners Share Their Recipes From Mom;

B-Side, Vol. 10: The BBC's "Danger in the Download" Series, Part 1

In this B-side episode, we listen in to the BBC's Ed Butler as he explores the world of cyberthreats. This is Part 1 of a 3 part series to follow in the coming weeks. Visit the homepage: www.theworld.org/technology, or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/worldstechpod.

WHYS 30: US 'War on Islam' course is investigated

A course at an American military college has been stopped and is being investigated after teaching there's no such thing as moderate Islam. Does this surprise you?

Maurice Sendak & Filmmaker Mark Duplass

Acclaimed children's book author Mo Willems (Knuffle Bunny) considers Maurice Sendak’s legacy.  Kurt Andersen talks with Mark Duplass, the actor/director/writer/producer who is giving 30-something slackers the spotlight.  The music industry taps hackers for the next killer app. And Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy K. Smith reveals the winner of our Ode to a Teen Idol poetry contest. → Spotify Playli...

PRI's The World - May 10, 2012

Today on the World: An update from Damascus, where bombings left scores dead and hundreds injured. Unemployment in Spain is nearing 25 percent. We hear how some Spaniards are coping. And Mexican musicians take to the streets, to serenade their mothers.

Mystery of Madrid's Blue Clay Tennis Courts

To Madrid, the capital of Spain, for the GeoQuiz. Name the venue for the Madrid Open tennis tournament. It looks like a big cube with a roof that slides off almost magically. But the real novelty is the blue clay court.

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

How To Avoid A Heart Attack: Sit Less and Smile More; Will Pres. Obama's Support Of Gay Marriage Hurt Him With Black Voters?; Older Americans Struggle With Student Loan Debt; Classic Russian Literature Sheds Light On Putin's Russia; The Watch That Kickstarter Kick-Started;

President Obama Supports Gay Marriage

Yesterday, President Obama said "yes" to legalizing same-sex marriage. Mitt Romney is solidly on the other side. Why did the President choose this moment?

WHYS: 60 What does marriage mean to you?

President Obama's affirmed that he supports same sex marriage. We are chatting to a number of couples about why marriage is so important to them. We'll speak to straight and gay couples about why they feel the need to make that commitment part of their lives.

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

How To Avoid A Heart Attack: Sit Less and Smile More; Will Pres. Obama's Support Of Gay Marriage Hurt Him With Black Voters?; Older Americans Struggle With Student Loan Debt; Classic Russian Literature Sheds Light On Putin's Russia; The Watch That Kickstarter Kick-Started;

Is the Gay Rights Movement Akin to the Civil Rights Movement?

In a landmark moment for the gay rights movement in America, President Barack Obama announced, for the first time, his support of gay marriage. This comes years after Obama’s views on the issue have "evolved." Many gay rights leaders have long compared their fight to the black civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s. But do the two compare? We talk with two people on very differen...

WHYS 30 Discussing Obama's backing of gay marriage

US President Obama has affirmed that he thinks same sex couples should be able to get married. It's seen by many as a bold move in an election year. What's your reaction to his remarks?

Kale Chips

The guys hop on the new healthy snack trend with a colleague's recipe for Kale Chips!

Interview with 'Sookie Stackhouse' author

Charlaine Harris talks about the new book in her best-selling vampire series, "Southern Vampire Mysteries," which has been made into the HBO series "True Blood." From Here and Now.

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

Could American Airport Security Detect Al Qaida's New Non-Metallic Bomb?; Eurovision Contest Draws Attention To Alleged Human Rights Abuses in Azerbaijan; Amid Facebook IPO Hype, Some Doubt Company's Future; Broadway Goddess Bernadette Peters Opens Boston Pops Season;

PRI's The World - May 09, 2012

Today on the World: An Al-Qaeda plot to detonate a US-bound airline flight is thwarted when the bomber turns out to be a spy. Also, concerns about Al-Qaeda's growing influence in Yemen. And North Korea's most-famous "fictitious" punk rock star.

China activist Chen Guangcheng and his American confident

Jerome Cohen, a key advisor to Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng says he's hoping to welcome the blind activist to New York University's School of Law.

North Korea's 'Legendary' and Ficitional Punk Rock Band

What would punk rock in North Korea sound like? One way to find out is listening to Ri Seong-woong, North Korea's most famous punk rock star. Or is he? We find out from reporter Jason Strother.

Alone in America

Nearly a third of all American households have just one resident. Guest host Judy Muller looks at the trend the trend to live alone and the consequences for the community.

Roomba

Robots taking over the world? Stealing all the jobs? Robotics engineer Daniel H. Wilson says we shouldn't fear the all-knowing floor-cleaning unit called Roomba. Produced by Caitlin Lindsey.

WHYS 60: North Carolina's gay marriage ban and UK grooming case

Laurelyn, Jacqui and Ron from North Carolina discuss the decision by their state to make the law banning gay marriage a part of their constitution. We also hear from British Pakistanis discussing the child grooming case.

Family Secrets: A Takeaway Listener's Story

Last week, we talked with Madeleine Albright about her life, and her discovery in adulthood that she was Jewish. We asked our listeners: have you ever discovered a secret about your family or identity? We received a lot of responses, including one from Loren Levinson. She was adopted when she was a baby and raised her whole life in a Jewish household. But when she tracked down her birth parents...

WHYS 30: Underwear bomber 'was double agent'

We discuss reports that the Al-Qaeda 'underwear bomber' was a double agent working for the CIA. What's your reaction?

ALL THE NEWS THAT ISN'T for May 5, 2012

Michael tears his ACL with All the News that Isn't... From Wisconsin Public Radio and PRI, Pubic Radio International.

Chris Gethard & Lawrence Weschler

Jesse interviews comedian Chris Gethard about booking P. Diddy at a tiny theater in New York. Lawrence Weschler talks about why CGI faces will never look quite right, and why humans are addicted to narrative. Plus some all-time TV picks from Erik Adams and Claire Zulkey, and pop culture advice from My Brother, My Brother and Me. [Episode originally aired January 2012]

WHYS Special: #bbcassembly - The Best Bits

Some of the many highlights from World Schools Have Your Say - we connected schools in Ghana, Guinea, India, Pakistan, USA, UK, China, Burma and beyond.

PRI's The World - May 08, 2012

Today on the World: An eyewitness account from the Syrian city of Homs, where fighting continues despite the UN-backed ceasefire. Also, why antibiotic-resistant superbugs are emerging from India. And remembering Maurice Sendak.

India's Schoolchildren Connect to their Global Peers

The City Montessori School would seem to be bursting at the seams. 42,000 students attend this private secondary school in the northern Indian city of Lucknow. Students at the school participated in a BBC World Service program to consider this question: What matters to me?

'Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun' from Canadian Band The Wooden Sky

The Toronto-based band joins anchor Marco Werman in the studio to play songs and talk about their new album, "Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun."

WHYS Special: World Schools Have Your Say

We connect schools in London, Accra, Washington DC, Tripoli & Falmouth in Jamaica as part of the world's biggest school assembly! The pupils set the agenda - talking postcode violence, uniform & fashion

Will Dodd-Frank Protect US from Banks 'Too Big to Fail?'

Bailed out banks repaid with interest, but financial minds warn it could happen again. Are pension funds and depositors adequately insured? Will bailouts be needed again?

Monday, May 7th, 2012

Elections In Europe Seen As Referendum On Austerity; Longtime Indiana Senator Richard Lugar Facing Challenge;

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

Remembering An Old Friend, And A Beloved Pet; For POW-Turned-Doctor, 'Every Day Is A Holiday'; GOP Blocks Senate Debate On Dem Student Loan Bill; Catholic Bishops Call For Protests Over Government Overreach; In Maine, Race For Snowe's Senate Seat Focuses On One Man; Remembering Maurice Sendak;

Zoot Suit

You might remember zoot suits from the swing craze in the late nineties. But for one Southern California tailor and her prom-bound customers, zoot suits have never gone out of style. Produced by Eric Molinsky.