July 9, 2008
Today's show is now available for download or streaming. Just click here!
January 31, 2008
Check out the first paragraph of this article:
FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS—someone is going to help me play music with whales instead of warning me that it’s against the law. According to the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, all “harassment” of marine mammals is illegal, including my idea of playing live music to them just to see what happens. But there are still places beyond the grip of the law.
Read it all here, and hear Marc interview the author, David Rothenberg, at about 1:30 today. For more of David's writing, check out this piece on www.terrain.org.
Before that, after the news at 1pm, join us to discuss genetically modified food. Seems like it was something that was really in the public eye, along with lots of outrage and uncertainty, a few years ago, but all of that has subsided a bit, here in the US, at least. It certainly didn't go away, though, as more genetically modified crops are being grown worldwide than ever, and the highest percentage of any country is right here in the States. Yes, if you're not sure, our food supply is flush with genetically modiefied ingredients. We'll discuss the details, focusing on the company at the center of it all, Monsanto, with Brian Hindo. He wrote the article Monsanto: Winning the Ground War in Business Week.
Every Thursday from 1-2pm for the past few weeks, we've been featuring interviews with the authors of articles that we've come upon and found particularly interesting. If you've caught any of these segments, what do you think? Would you like to see this continue as a regular, weekly feature on the show? Also, comment here with suggestions for articles that you've read and would like for us to consider featuring!
-Justin
January 31, 2008
What comes to your mind when you think of bail bonds? The nice folks who help spring you from jail when you're waiting for trial? One of the few types of businesses that populate mostly vacant commerical blocks in poor neighborhoods throughout the city? Those ubiquitous yellow and pink Big Boyz Bail Bonds pens that are everywhere in Baltimore?
A article on the front page of the New York Times Tuesday pointed out the interesting fact that the US is one of only two countries in the world that use the bail bond system, empowering private companies to put up someone's bail for them in exchange for a fee. The fee is generally 10% of the bail, non-refundable. Critics raise the point that, although you are innocent until proven guilty, you tend to have to pay a lot of money to a private company in order to stay out of jail, innocent or not. Bail bonds is one way among many that the United States has charted a unique course for its legal system, internationally speaking.
Adam Liptak, the author of the article, joins us for the first part of today's show, and then we'll continue the discussion with a panel of local guests, discussing the pros and cons of the bail bond system, and possible alternatives.
Also worth checking out is a post and comments responding to the article on the Freakonomics blog.
-Justin
January 30, 2008
Every time an election roles around, people (or at least the media) start to talk a lot about the youth vote. We wonder whether young voters will finally start coming out in larger numbers than usual. Why do less young people tend to vote than the older folks? Are they just apathetic? Do they think voting won't make a difference, or that no one represents them? What issues do these elusive young people care about? What about those who are politically active?
One of my first assignments as a youthful WYPR news freelancer was to report on the youth vote in November 2006; check it here.
At noon today, we're bringing together a group of college students from the area to hear their opinions and observations on the upcoming elections. We'd love to hear your thoughts, as well, whatever age you might be. Call 866-661-9309, email thesteinershow@wypr.org, or post a comment here.
-Justin
January 30, 2008
Living in Baltimore, I can't help but notice a lot of distinctly unhappy looking people around town. I know this is not exactly some kind of utopia, so is it reasonable to assume that people are, in general, happier elsewhere?
NPR Correspondent Eric Weiner will be joining us at 1pm today to discuss what he learned travelling the world purposefully seeking out happiness. Check out his book The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World.
-Justin
January 29, 2008
PAYING KIDS TO DO WELL
Dr. Andres Alonso at noon
Paying kids to do well on tests?!?!?!?!?!?!?
My first visceral reaction was no way. This is antithetical to what we all believe, that we should instill an intrinsic love of education.
Dr. Andres Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City Schools, is going to spend a million dollars, in part to pay kids in the 11th and 12th grade who failed one of the High School Assessment tests, if they improve their scores on future tests. They will receive up to $110.00, depending on how much their scores improve. Money will also be used to pay students to tutor other students.
Some would argue, like Dan Rodricks, that middle and upper class families always bribe their kids with cash, dinner and objects of desire if they do well in school. What is wrong with the city doing it for unmotivated kids also mired in poverty?
Others argue it is a quick fix and a bribe that hides real issue of why students don’t have an intrinsic love of learning and why they lose in our schools.
Is it a bad idea? Looking forward to hearing what Dr. Alonso has to say. Looking forward to what you have to say on air and on our blog.
BANISHED
I was not amazed when I first heard that there was wholesale ethnic cleansing of African Americans from towns across America. I was shocked when I found out that it occurred well into the depression era of the 1930’s.
One of our guests, Marco Williams, recently made the movie Banished. It's about the interactions of three Black families, who were descendents of the banished, and white people now living in those towns.
The issue of the day will be to find out what relevance this has on our lives now. The Germans paid reparations to the Jews who survived the camps, the US paid reparations to the Japanese Americans and the descendents of those interned in camps during World War II. Should the US do the same for those who are the descendents of those African Americans ethnically cleansed from their homes?
Is it different because these are descendents of rather than the victims themselves? Is monetary reparation the only possibility? Does this give us as a society a chance for some reconciliation? Is it just history, something for us to learn about and then let go?
What do you think? Call in or write in at one, or comment on the blog.
Check with you later.
-Marc
January 29, 2008
January 28, 2008
At noon, a topic I know some of our listeners follow very closely... while some of you might just wonder how you're going to pay a $450 BGE bill this month, which, by the way, is slightly less than the bill that arrived at my house last week.
Something for everyone, then: Steve Larsen, Chairman of the PSC (Public Service Commission, more info on both Steve individually and the PSC as a whole here) joins us to discuss the ongoing investigation into Maryland's 1999 energy deregulation deal, that led to a 72% rate hike for more than 1 million BGE customers last year, and could be followed by higher increases soon.
If, indeed, consumers got a bad deal, what should/can be done now? Should Maryland consider re-regulating? How about seeking monetary compensation from Constellation Energy in court? Last August, Illinois reached a one billion dollar settlement with a coalition of power suppliers over contentious rate hikes there. Read one account of it, from EnergyBiz Magazine, here. Please join us with your questions for Steve Larsen on the air at noon (866-661-9309 or thesteinershow@wypr.org) and don't forget to post your thoughts here, as well.
-Justin
January 28, 2008
I remember in 2006 during the race for Maryland's vacant senate seat, a hot debate being sparked on our show when a guest said, "Any black person who votes for a Democrat in this election is a patsy." Oh, the calls that came in for the rest of the hour-people were SO angry!
While it was a comment that probably could have been worded in a much more intelligent way, what it implied was interesting. The implication was that the Democratic party was taking the African American vote for granted by not supporting the candidacy of Kweisi Mfume-and that blacks should vote for the Republican candidate, Michael Steele, an African American. Most of the callers were offended by the very suggestion that the Republican agenda had anything to offer black voters.
But according to statistics, more and more blacks are finding something about the Republican party to interest them. In 1972, fewer than 10 percent of African Americans identified themselves as conservative; today nearly 30 percent-11.2 million-do. Those are the numbers presented by Christopher Alan Bracey in his new book, Saviors or Sellouts: The Promise and Peril of Black Conservatism, from Booker T. Washington to Condoleezza Rice. He points to the social issues that African Americans tend to be conservative on-abortion and gay marriage for example-and traces the history of politicla conservatism in the Black world.
Figures like Clarence Thomas, Condoleezza Rice, and Colin Powell--what appeal did they find in conservative politics? Why do they remain such polarizing figures? Join us today to discuss.
-Jessica
P.S. Go here for information on Bracey's event in Howard County this weekend!
January 24, 2008
photo of an Iraq oil field fire by Ian Waldie
...Those are a few of the topics we're planning to cover at 1pm today, focusing on the intersection of all of them. We'll look at recent developments in Iraq's oil industry, and how it fits into the bigger picture of the Iraq War. We'll discuss why the presidential candidates and the media both seem to not be focusing on Iraq as much as they should be.
We'll be talking with Ben Lando, UPI's energy editor. Check out an extensive archive of his articles here. Ben also created The Iraq Oil Report, a website that tracks oil goings on in Iraq on a daily basis.
We'll also be speaking with Antonia Juhasz, author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time. She is the Tarbell Fellow at Oil Change International and Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies. Here's an archive of op-eds that she has written.
-JustinJanuary 24, 2008
This summer, scientists mapped more than 20,000 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico. The red lines indicate newly mapped areas of the continental shelf.
Illustration: Chuck Carter/Paul Morin
One of the most interesting things we came across in the past week, was an article in Wired Magazine called Foreigners Keep Out! High Tech Mapping Starts to Redefine International Borders. It describes how new underwater mapping technologies are being used by nations to claim a bit of extra territory, even if it's all way underwater.
We're interviewing the article's author, Geoffrey Gagnon, in the last segment of the show today, so tune in to find out more.
And click here to see more underwater maps like this one:
-Justin
January 24, 2008
Then-Mayor Martin O'Malley at an Earth Day Planting at Gilmor Elementary in 2005
Before I came to work at WYPR, I worked at a documentary company called Soundprint. While I was there, they were working on a series of stories about urban forests that delved into the unique environmental issues that cities face. For the documentary Watershed 263, we attended an Earth Day planting ceremony at Gilmor Elementary in Baltimore. Gilmor was one of a dozen schools in Baltimore that had converted their parking lot into a garden. Things like parking lots and roads are terrible for the environment. When it rains, the rain gathers up all the oil and other pollutants that have been sitting on the pavement and then whooshes it all into a storm-water drain. That all ends up in the Chesapeake, of course, where it wreaks havoc. A garden, on the other hand, keeps that water right there, and puts it to good use. It's a lot of fun for the kids, too, to get a day out of class to get their hands dirty and have a beautiful spot to play. The purpose of that whole long story was to tell you that on that day, then-Mayor Martin O'Malley was at that school, and ceremoniously planted the first flower in the soil. I remember being impressed that he would find time in a busy schedule to visit a school, make a speech, plant a flower, and hang out with the kids for awhile. I left with the feeling that he cared about the environment. The impression I was left with would please the now Governor, and those who work to craft his image. He has very purposefully cast himself as a "Green Governer". But what does that term really mean? As the environmental crisis in the Bay and beyond seems to grow more urgent, how does the criteria for being an environmental politician change? What is the gold standard in environmentalism for a politician? What is the leading edge-and is O'Malley on it? We'll discuss this today with people who all care deeply and have devoted their lives to the environment. Join us, to share your thoughts on what you would like to see happen in Maryland. Poll: Do you think Governor Martin O'Malley is a Green Governor?-Jessica
Here are some pictures courtesy of one of our guests today, Gerry Winegrad. His descriptions are below:
1
23
1. brown bull headed catfish taken from the South River near Annapolis by USGS. Nearly 2/3rds sampled had these cancerous tumors from water pollutants, most likely from stormwater runoff.
2. BROWN TIDE KILLS 7,000 INNER HARBOR FISH June 5, 2007 BALTIMORE -- State environmental officials said a lack of oxygen killed thousands of fish in Baltimore's Inner Harbor last weekend. State program director Charles Poukish said the fish kill is the result of an algae bloom or brown tide. Poukish said the lack of dissolved oxygen is the result of a large bloom of microscopic algae. Recent warm water temperatures killed the algae and that depleted oxygen near the water‘s surface. Massive fish kills also were reported in the Potomac during the summer and other kills in the Magothy and other rivers.
3. rockfish with mycobactreiosis (chronic wasting disease). A wasting disease that kills rockfish and can cause a severe skin infection in humans has spread to nearly three-quarters of the rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay, cradle of the mid-Atlantic's most popular game fish. The disease also sends a grim message about the entire bay ecosystem. The rockfish remains bay conservationists' only success story -- a species nearly wiped out, then revived by fishing limits. But as the number of rockfish surged, the fish remained in a body of water too polluted to support the level of life it once did.
-Justin
January 23, 2008
-Jessica
January 22, 2008
At noon tomorrow, Wednesday, we're going to continue the discussion we began at noon today. We had lots of calls and emails throughout the show today, and we'll be going through them to help plan tomorrow's show. We'll be checking the blog for listener's thoughts on the economy, as well, so put up your comments here!
Here's a couple articles to check out, if you're looking for some further reading:
-from the NY Times magazine on Sunday, The Education of Ben Bernanke
-how one man personally made billions, literally, in one year thanks to the collapse of the housing market, in the Wall Street Journal, Trader Made Billions on Subprime
-Justin
January 22, 2008
Marc is the guest blogger for the OSI-Baltimore Audacious Ideas blog. Go check it out!
January 22, 2008
As the subprime mortgage mess has gone into major meltdown mode, we're hearing a lot about "predatory lenders" while sympathetic words are being used for the people who are losing their homes.
But at what point do we say, "Wait a second--should these people bear some responsibility for making bad financial choices? Why did they choose a loan that was not good for them? Are they guilty of living beyond their means?"
Ah, living beyond ones means. An American tradition, some would say. Advertisers and credit card companies surely want you to engage in this kind of behavior, and hey, it's good for the economy, which is good for America, right? Or at least that's what we tell ourselves when those $230 Cole Haan shoes at Nordstrom are calling our name.
But at what point does it become too much? If I buy the Cole Haan shoes, or use my credit card to pay for groceries or for my kids school uniform, and then I can't make the payments and my interest rate jumps not only on the credit card I didn't make the payment on but on ALL my credit cards--is that my fault for not being responsible with my money? Or was I lured by dishonest and seductive promises about easy credit and low APR's into thinking that I could spend now, pay later?
And if, as in the case of the subprime debacle, the government intervenes, what message will it send to people? Will it help us become smarter spenders and borrowers, or teach us that we can engage in risky behavior and not bear the consequences?
We're talking about issues of responsibility with debt today, and how our culture thinks about money and credit. The subprime mess has showed us how far this issue reaches. All sectors are hurt, not just those involved with the industry. Is it time for our country to radically transform the way we think about money, credit, and debt?
Join us!
Poll: Who do you think is to blame for the mortgage meltdown?
Poll: Should the government intervene to keep people from losing their homes?
-Jessica
January 18, 2008
In November we presented a one hour version of today's special program titled Martin and Malcolm: One Vision - Two Voices. In honor of today's holiday honoring Dr. King we present an extended version of Martin and Malcolm: One Vision - Two Voices. Produced, in cooperation with the Maryland Humanities Council, Marc moderated a discussion between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , portrayed by actor Bill Grimmette, and Malcolm X, portrayed by actor Charles Everett Pace. The program was recorded before a live audience at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
-Marcus
January 17, 2008
A number of Maryland National Guardsmen will be returning this spring. Members of the National Guard face the same combat in Iraq as members of the other branches of the armed services, but have fewer resources available to them when they return home. With little or no federal government funding, states have been left to create their own reintegration programs. Minnesota National Guard's Beyond the Yellow Ribbon reintegration program is serving as a model for other states.
This hour we'll look at the issues facing members of the National Guard as they return home.
-Marcus
January 17, 2008
-Jessica
January 16, 2008
January 16, 2008
January 15, 2008
There is probably no one more suited to the role of having to defend their job from a Governor, two legislative leaders, and dozens of delegates and senators who are only too happy to give the men in charge what they want, than State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick. But as equipped as she is, she has quite the fight ahead of her. The Governor has said he wants her removed, and the Speaker of the House Mike Busch and Senate President Mike Miller have said they will change the law to give him what he wants.
So what is going to happen? What are Nancy Grasmick's plans for defending her position? And if she is successful, what is her agenda for the next four years?
Join us at one o'clock today, to find out. We'll be joined by Dr. Grasmick live in the studio.
January 15, 2008
January 14, 2008
We're on the air right now with Andy Green from The Sun, Tom LoBianco from The Washington Times, and Erin Sullivan from City Paper... talking about the beginning of the legislative session, what to expect in the next 3 months, and, so far, the public's perception of O'Malley. Yesterday, The Sun published a poll showing a low approval rating for O'Malley, mainly because of the tax increases approved in the special session last fall, it seems.
What are your thoughts on O'Malley and the new tax increases? How do you perceive yourself as being effected by the new tax plan? Is a 1 percent sales tax increase something to complain about? How about a 1.25% corporate tax increase?
Poll: Do you approve or disapprove of the job Martin O'Malley has done as governor so far?
-Justin
January 14, 2008
What role did the Walters Art Museum have in discovering the earliest surviving manuscript by Archimedes, which includes some previously undiscovered writings? Join us at 1pm today to find out, as we're joined by the authors of The Archimedes Codex: How a Medieval Prayer Book Is Revealing the True Genius of Antiquity's Greatest Scientist.
For more info in the meantime, check out this informative blog post by Dan Harlow.
-Justin
January 10, 2008
Classical pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher joins us, once again, for an hour of music and conversation. Described by his music students as the "Obi-Wan Kenobi of the piano" Fleisher was the first American to win the Queen Elisabeth International Competition in Belgium in 1952.
In the mid sixtie's Fleisher's career was interupted by a debilitating ailment which effected his right hand. As a result Fleisher began teaching, conducting and specializing in performing piano pieces for the left hand. In 1995 Leon Fleisher returned to performing two-handed works and last year was one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors celebrating lifetime achievement in the arts.
-Marcus
January 9, 2008
January 7, 2008
January 7, 2008
Two topics today at one.
We're going to start with Clive Thompson, a contributing writer to New York Times Magazine who wrote the cover story this weekend titled Can You Count on Voting Machines? This is scary stuff, people. In actual election situations, touch screen voting machines have crashed, lost votes, failed to properly print paper records of votes, and more. These are the machines that roughly one-third of all Americans will be using to cast their votes in the 2008 Presidential election-an election that may be determined by very slim margins. Including Maryland.
Poll: Do you trust electronic voting machines?
And then, we go to Kenya, where 486 people are estimated dead since the disputed Presidential election there last week. Things have quieted down since both political parties have cancelled protest rallies and agreed to mediation. But the situation is precarious and the humanitarian crisis remains with a quarter of a million people displaced. We'll talk with Maina Kiai, Chairman of the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights, who is currently in Kenya, and with Christopher Fumonyoh, Senior Associate for Africa at the National Democratic Institute.
January 3, 2008
I'm a huge Ravens fan, so I could go on and on about all of the trivial things that only another Ravens fan would care about. I had a bad feeling after we lost the first game of the season to The Bengals. We should have won that game, right? We were right there on the goal line....
That scenario repeated itself, in more and less similar ways, many times throughout the season, and it turned out to be a trainwreck of a season. What went wrong?
Now Billick is gone, and fans seem to have divided opinions, with many not being sure whether it was a good decision to fire him, or not. The questions we can ask now, as all we can do is look forward to next season, are endless, starting with who will be head coach. And the whole coaching staff was fired, so what about the other coaches? Who will start as quarterback? Will we ever have a strong offense?
Lots of questions, and we'll welcome your thoughts from noon to 1pm today on the air, or right here at any time.
-Justin
January 3, 2008
Emily Martin, professor of anthropology and author of the book above joins us at 1pm today. She has a lot of insight to share on mania and depression, and we hope you'll join us with questions, and to share your own experiences with these common parts of our lives, as well.
-Justin
January 2, 2008
Marc loves Studs Terkel, the great historian, author, broadcaster, and so much more. So whenever he releases a new book or is anywhere near a studio and they offer us an interview, we know the answer is always yes. Recently, he released a memoir called Touch and Go. After decades of telling other people's stories, Studs is finally telling his own. Today at one we bring you an interview with Studs that we recorded before the holidays. It may be the last time we get to speak to this 95 year old American treasure, so don't miss it.
And then we'll talk with Nelson Peery, an author and activist whose latest book is Black Radical: The Education of an American Revolutionary. This book examines the time in this communist's life after he returned home from serving in World War II to the time of the Watts Riots in 1965. He challenges the notion that the Civil Rights Movement in America was led by the clergy elite. Instead, he believes that it was the experiences of black veterans of WWII that gave the movement the mass appeal that it needed to succeed. He joined us to discuss his experiences in the Communist party, the freedom movement, and more.
A great show...today at one. Don't miss it.
-Jessica
January 2, 2008
We're back, so dry your tears and join us at Noon today for Open Phones. What is on your mind? We're interested. 1-866-661-9309 or 410-662-8780 or email at steinershow@wypr.org. Or leave your comment here.
-Jessica
December 14, 2007
Time for our annual Holiday Music week. Here is what is coming up!
Monday, December 17th
12-1 pm Lea Gilmore shares her favorite music. Want to check out some of what she played? Here is the playlist.Tuesday December 18th1-2 pm, Tom Hall shares from of his favorite music.
- Baby, It's Cold Outside, performed by Eric Byrd and Lea Gilmore
- Santa's Got the Blies, by Denise Lasalle
- Please Come Home for Christmas, by Charles Brown
- Santa Baby, by Eartha Kitt
- All I Want for Christmas is You, by Mariah Carey
- This Christmas, by Donny Hathaway
- Give Love on Christmas Day, by the Jackson 5
- So This is Christmas, by John Lennon
- Mary Did You Know, by Clay Aiken
- I am Not Forgotten, by Israel and New Breed
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing, by Norman Hitchens
- Silent Night, by Mahalia Jackson
- What a Wonderful World, by Louis Armstrong
- Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
- Come Colors Rise
- Thank you, by Dave Brubeck
- Gabriel's Message
- Yvette in English, by Joni Mitchell
- I Wish You Love
- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
- Never Will I Marry
- Nine Crimes, Damien Rice
- Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel
- Hallelujah Chorus
12-1 pm Jon Carney is the Concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and he brought some of his favorite classical music for us. What did he play?Wednesday, December 19th1-2 pm Jason Willett is the co-owner of the True Vine Record store in Hampden, as well as a member of a litany of fine bands including Leprechaun Catering and Half Japanese. We asked him to bring his favorite Christmas music, and this is what we heard - not quite in the order we heard them, go figure -
- Edward Elgar conducting the London Symphony- 1st movement of violin concerto featuring Yehudi Menuhin at age 16 - 1931
- Vivaldi - Largo from "Winter" of the Quattro Stagioni, Jon's recording w/ the Royal Philharmonic - 1992
- Camille St. Saens - from his "organ" symphony (#3) - Jean Martinon and French Radio Symphony - 1975
- Michael Nyman - Prospero's Books (miranda) - 1996
- Beethoven - slow movement from his opus 135 String Quartet - Guarneri Quartet 1987
- Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra - last movement - RPO w/ Danielle Gatti - 1997
- Bach - Chaconne for Partita #2 in D minor for solo violin - Henryk Szerying
- Fritz Kreisler - "La Gitana" for violin and piano - Jon's own recording w/ his mother on piano - 1995
- closing music: Michael Nyman - Quartet #4 - track 14
- James Brown - Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto
- Culturcide - Depressed Christmas
- Frieder Butzmann - White Christmas
- Hybrid Kids - Good King Wenceslaus
- James White and the Blacks - Christmas With Satan
- The Jethros - I'm Dreaming of a Wide Christmas
- Rotary Connection - Opening & Silent Night Chant
- finally, 3 awesome song poems called Snowbows, Santa Came on a Nuclear Missile, and Santa Goes Modern
12-1 pm Keith Covington is the owner of the New Haven Lounge, one of the best places around to see live jazz. He brought us the gift of great holiday jazz music; here they are in order:Thursday, December 20th1-2 pm Rock and Roll has had something to say about Christmas since the 50's. Former disc jockeys Toby Bray and Michael Butscher came by and spun the following tunes.
- Slim & The Supreme Angels - Precious Lord
- Selah Jubilee Singers - When Was Jesus Born
- Kenny Burrel - Merry Christmas Baby
- Ramsey Lewis - Christmas Blues
- David Benoit - Christmas is Coming
- Ramsey Lewis - Merry Christmas Baby
- Chris Botti - Ave Maria
- Dianne Reeves - Carol of the Bells
- The Swan Silvertones - I'm Not Tired Yet
- Ramsey Lewis - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
- Bobby Durham - Jingle Bells
- Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately?
- The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama (not to be confused with the Unoriginal Five Blind Boys of Alabama, seriously they're better) -This May Be the Last Time
- Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
- Father Christmas - The Kinks
- Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney
- Step Into Christmas - Elton John
- Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon
- Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Chicago
- White Christmas - America
- The Christmas Song - Linda Ronstadt
- The First Noel - Air Supply
- Merry Christmas, Baby - Southern Culture on the Skids
- Merry Christmas - The Ramones
- Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
- Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
- Please Come Home for Christmas - The Eagles
- River - Joni Mitchell
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen
- Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby & David Bowie
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Shawn Colvin
- The Christmas Song - Nat "King" Cole
- Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
- Let It Snow - Dean Martin
- It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas - Perry Como
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town - The Jackson Five
- Christmas Isn't Christmas (Without the One You Love) - The O'Jays
- This Christmas - Donny Hathaway
- L'il Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
12-1 pm Ed Polochick is a busy guy. He's conductor of the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra in Nebraska, Artistic Director of the Choral Artists of Baltimore, and Director of Choral Activities at the Peabody Conservatory. He was good enough to find time to come in and share his favorite classical and choral Christmas Music.1-2 pm Hopefully you'll have some time to relax during the holidays. And if you do, maybe you'll want to go to the movies...but what to see? Never fear, we've brought together a great panel of film critics to tell you what to see. We'll talk to Violet Glaze of the Baltimore City Paper, Mike Speir from Variety, and Michael Sragrow from the Baltimore Sun. We really hope you enjoy all of this music and special programming. Happy Holidays! -Jessica, Justin, Marcus
- The First Noel, from the album Crystal Carols by Dean Shostak
- The Holy Boy by John Ireland, from the album A Christmas Garland
- Adeste Fideles, by Liszt, performed by Walker Marshall
- Many Moods of Christmas, Suite 2, by Robert Shaw, from the album Festival of Carols
- Candlelight Carol, from the album Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity, conducted by John Rutter
- Christmas Night, Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity, conducted by John Rutter
- Many Moods of Christmas, Suite 3, by Robert Shaw, from the album Festival of Carols
- Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Concert Artists Symphonic Chorale
- Worthy is the Lamb That Was Slain performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Concert Artists Symphonic Chorale
December 13, 2007
I went down to southern Maryland last August and took this picture standing in the Chesapeake Bay at Calvert Cliffs, although maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Beautiful place, but the water didn't quite look as clean as it might have.
This hour we'll be talking about what really would need to be done to clean up the Bay. Is it realistic at all to see a cleaner Bay? Efforts have been made for decades, but results are less than hoped for so far.. What do you think?
-Justin
December 13, 2007
-Jessica
December 12, 2007
..we go on the air. Just time for a quick post today.
In the first hour, we'll be looking at the role religion is playing in the '08 presidential campaigns, so far, and more broadly at the role religion plays and has played in American political life. What does it say about our society that a candidate's religious beliefs have become a central part of political campaigning? Are Democrats trying to out-biblethump the Republicans? What did you think of Romney's speech last week? When will we elect our first openly atheist president? More at noon...
In the second hour, we'll have what has now become an annual show commemorating Homeless Memorial Day, which is actually next Friday, December 21st. We were talking here recently and I asked if anyone else had noticed a more visible, larger homeless presence in certain parts of downtown (Guilford Ave under the JFX, St. Vincent's Church...) We all had noticed, but didn't know what to attribute it to, so I called Jeff Singer at Healthcare for the Homeless and got the scoop from him. He'll be here at 1pm to discuss with us further on the air, but basically he said, yes, the homeless population is growing in Baltimore and has been for years. He attributed it to factors including homeless shelters closing, some shelters that are still open have become transitional, rather than emergency, shelters and offer less beds, the rising cost of housing, the decrease of available public housing units, and the increasing difficulty of obtaining public assistance for single adults. On top of all that, for those that do get public assistance, it hasn't been adjusted for inflation in about five years. More at 1pm...
-Justin
December 11, 2007
Here's a picture from earlier this year of Governor O'Malley swearing Brenda Donald in as the new Secretary for Maryland's Department of Human Resources. With her job, comes the responsibility of running the state's foster care system.
About a month ago, we had a show looking at the foster care system, which I described at the time like this:
We’re starting off the hour with a look at Baltimore’s foster care system, which, no one would argue, is in need of some huge reforms. A class action suit was brought on behalf of 2,500 foster children in 1984. In 1988, the court entered a comprehensive consent decree requiring reforms, and nearly 20 years later we’re still waiting for those reforms. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but two decades is a long time by anyone’s standards. If you’re unfamiliar with this lawsuit, or the foster care situation here in general, a good place to start would be this article from Tuesday’s Sun.
Where are things now, another month later? Brenda Donald will be here at 1pm to let us know, and take your questions, as well.
-Justin
December 10, 2007
What effect has the increased level of US troops, 'the surge,' had in Iraq? Statistics show decreased levels of violence, but does that constitute a success? There are still tragic amounts of daily violence, and a host of other problems, throughout Iraq. What would a "good" outcome to the war look like at this point?
Joining us today is Nancy Youssef, who just returned from Iraq where she reports for the McClatchy newspapers. Read her articles here. Also joining us is Adil Shamoo, who recently wrote an article supporting a military withdrawal from Iraq, which you can read here.
Join us...
-Justin
December 10, 2007
Does anyone remember this book, "Owl At Home?" I remember a lot of great books from my childhood, but this one has really stuck with me for some reason. I picked it up again a few years ago, and was struck by how emotionally evocative it was. Arnold Lobel, also the creator of the Frog and Toad books, is a genius.
What are your favorite kid's books? We had great response from our kid's books show a year ago, so we're bringing back the same guests today at 1pm for another round.
-Justin
Useful links:
Children's Bookstore in Roland Park
December 6, 2007
Marion Nestle will be here at 1pm today, and looking at the cover of her most recent book above, you can see the some of the questions we'll be discussing. She's got a great blog - check it out here. And don't forget to let us know what you think as you listen to her on the air with us today. Continue the discussion with your comments here!
-Justin
December 6, 2007
In my work as producer for the Just Words series, I've come to believe that inner city mothers are the new stoics. I can't tell you how many times I have asked a mother "How do you deal with all this?" and they just look at me like I am crazy to even imagine that they would take the luxury of considering NOT dealing with it all. I do not know how they do it. Being a mother is hard enough, I imagine. But to be a mother trying to raise a child with drug dealers on the corner,without much money, with the schools in terrible shape and murders on the rise?
That's what we are going to hear about today. We're invited three women who have been featured on the Just Words series. Lorraine Mackey lost her son, Aaron Mackey, to gang violence over a year ago. She's doing everything she can to keep her other son safe, and is trying to pick up the pieces and figure out, what went wrong? Sheilah Cannon's daughter was caught in gang crossfire while going to pick her little brother up from school, and had to spend months in shock trauma. Now Sheila is doing everything she can to find a place she can afford to move her children to. Nargas Hyman began to worry about her eldest son years ago when she saw him and his friends hanging out after school, with nothing to do. She created an afterschool youth program that she is still running, over a decade later, out of her mother's basement.
What do these women go through as they struggle to keep their children safe? We'll find out today. Join us.
To hear Nargas, Sheila, and Lorraine on JUST WORDS, go here.
-Jessica
December 5, 2007
Dixon at yesterday's inauguration.. who's the guy in the suit?
Sheila Dixon was sworn in as Mayor of Baltiomore yesteday, after being Mayor for about a year already, since the guy in the suit left this small town for a nice position in Annapolis. Can't blame him, being Mayor is not an easy job.
Today we'll welcome two of the people Dixon has chosen to help her run the city:
Andrew Frank - Deputy Mayor for Neighborhood and Economic Development
Salima Marriott - Deputy Mayor for Community and Human Development
What would you like to ask, or tell, the people running this city? Call us between noon and one pm today, 410-662-8780, while we're on the air with Baltimore's Deputy Mayors.
-Justin
December 5, 2007
Last night CBS television aired the holiday favorite Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It wasn't that long ago when there were only three main television networks. One of the highlights of tv seasons past were holiday specials hosted by Bing Crosby or Bob Hope. In addtion to Rudolph, A Charlie Brown Christmas would have to be included as one of the top holiday specials evoking special memories for young and old.
Join us at 1pm today as we discuss holiday television, and the current television season, with Baltimore Sun television critic David Zurawik.
-Marcus
December 3, 2007
The Marc Steiner Show is getting into the Christmas spirit with a doorbuster opportunity for you today...A twofer! At one o'clock we're going to bring you two authors in one hour.
First, we're talking with Jonathon Scott Fuqua. When you were a teenager, did you ever have a book that just so perfectly captured your life or your feelings that you read it over and over again? I did. It was Girl, by Blake Nelson and I can't say it so much captured my life as it was the life I wished I had. I also loved Unfinished Portrait of Jessica by Richard Peck. Both of these books are about girls turning into women and how thorny that process can be. Jonathon Scott Fuqua writes books like this. They are books that come as a relief to the people reading them; finally, someone understands! His latest book is called Gone and Back Againand is the story of Caley, a teenager whose dad has a personality disorder and whose brother is handicapped. His parents are divorced and he's been moved all around the country, eventually ending up in Florida, which is where the novel begins. It's a story that draws upon the author's own struggles with depression.
And then we talk with Zakes Mda. He's a writer from South Africa whose work is really about our interactions with history and memory and how we manage those things in the middle of present life. His latest book is Cion, and is about Toloki, the hero from a previous novel, moving to Ohio with his family and learning about his ancestors, runaway slaves.
Join us today at one, for all that!
-Jessica
December 1, 2007
November 29, 2007
When someone broke into Sean Taylor's home in the middle of the night and killed him earlier this week, was it a case of some trouble from Sean's past catching up with him, or a random crime? We don't know, yet, but if I had to guess, I would guess that he was targeted, given the past, public incidences of violence in his life. And not everyday violence, but things like an assault charge for threatening people with a gun, and being on the receiving end of a hail of bullets in his SUV.
There's lots of other incidents around the NFL, and sportsworld in general, of players who've been dragged down by connections to their sometimes turbulent past. Look at Michael Vick, Darrent Williams (Bronco's player killed in a drive-by last New Years Day,) or the jail time Jamal Lewis served while playing for The Ravens, and, of course, Ray Lewis, who was charged, along with 2 of his friends, with a double murder. Lewis accepted a plea bargain, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice, and his friends were acquitted.
The thing is, this isn't particular to proffesional athletes by any means. Michael Wilbon said it better than I could in his column earlier this week. Here's an excerpt:
The issue of separating yourself from a harmful environment is a recurring theme in the life of black men. It has nothing to do with football, or Sean Taylor or even sports. To frame it as a sports issue is as insulting as it is naive. Most of us, perhaps even the great majority of us who grew up in big urban communities, have to make a decision at some point to hang out or get out.
The kid who becomes a pharmaceutical rep has the same call to make as the lawyer or delivery guy or accountant or sportswriter or football player: Cut off anybody who might do harm, even those who have been friends from the sandbox, or go along to get along.
Mainstream folks -- and, yes, this is a code word for white folks -- see high-profile athletes dealing with this dilemma and think it's specific to them, while black folks know it's everyday stuff for everybody, for kids with aspirations of all kinds -- even for a middle-class kid with a police-chief father, such as Taylor -- from South Central to Southeast to the South Side. Some do, some don't. Some will, some won't. Some can, some cannot. Often it's gut-wrenching. Usually, it's necessary. For some, it takes a little bit too long.
That's a lot to think about.. join us at 1pm today, and leave your thoughts here, as well.
Also, check out the Sports Illustrated article that helped get us thinking about all of these things today. It's called "The Road to Bad Newz" and written by one of today's guests, Farrell Evans, and George Dohrmann.
-Justin
November 29, 2007
"Prostitution is hilarious!"
I'm always shocked when I hear about some stupid group on a college campus having a Pimp's and Ho's party, or a "Ghetto" themed party where you are encouraged to bring 40's in brown paper bags and "wear your favorite gang colors!" I mean, do these people really not get it? Are they really unaware that someone is going to be offended by this? Where is the motivation, anyway? Why do people want to emulate ghetto stereotypes and celebrate the worst of human behavior? These are the questions that Cora Daniels asks in her most recent book, Ghetto Nation: A Journey into the Land of Bling and the Home of the Shameless. Why do people like Paris Hilton appropriate ghetto attitudes and style? How can corporate America defend it's practices of making so much money off harmful ghetto stereotypes? Do we really live in a world where Pimp and Ho" for children costumes are available? Yes. We sure do. Let's discuss...at Noon...-Jessica
November 28, 2007
-Jessica
November 27, 2007
A socialist and a capitalist walk into a bar....
The beginning of a joke, right? Not today. Today we have a socialist (A. Robert Kaufman) and a capitalist (Okay, well not specifically a capitalist, but a business writer, so he writes about capitalism and for the most part we're all capitalists, after all....anyway it's Jay Hancock from the Baltimore Sun) and they are coming in together to talk about how they both came to this conclusion: the War on Drugs has failed and must be ended.
Jay Hancock revealed this belief in a column on November 7th. Kaufman has been advocating this for years. They're going to talk about how they came to this conclusion from very different places.
Join us, to share your thoughts on the War on Drugs.
-Jessica