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Closing Out the Old Year and Ringing In the New Dec 30, 2010

Show notes

Guest host Sara Terry looks back at some of the biggest stories of 2010, including the economy and a shift to the right on the political front. How will those two stories play out in the year ahead? We also look at some simple and surprising ideas for how to make the world a better place, and we look at the years behind and ahead of us from a different perspective – the developing world. Also, Ivory Coast's UN ambassador warns of genocide, and tracking the flow of humanitarian dollars. How effective is aid money in reaching the people it's meant to help?

A New Year, a New Political Reality for President Obama Dec 29, 2010

Show notes

There will be several challenges ahead for President Obama as he deals with a new Congress and a House controlled by Republicans. How will the new political dynamic on Capitol Hill affect the White House? What new faces will Obama bring in to help shape his policies on the economy and Afghanistan? What can he accomplish with the 2012 election already on the horizon? Also, Denmark and Sweden arrest five in an "imminent" terror plot, and how a purchase of a box of negatives at a Chicago auction led to the discovery of the extraordinary photographic talents of a woman who worked as a nanny. Sara Terry guest hosts.

Regulating the Internet: How Much Is Too Much? Dec 28, 2010

Show notes

Today's topic is the Internet and the debate over net neutrality, the idea that Internet providers should treat all sources of data equally so that consumers can control what they view and use on the web. Do new federal regulations achieve that goal? In the twenty years since the internet first became a household term, has it accomplished what technology visionaries said it would? Also, the East Coast is digging out but airport delays persist, and how President Obama's appointees are changing the game at the Supreme Court. Sara Terry guest hosts.

Teaching Religion in Public Schools Dec 27, 2010

Show notes

One of the biggest costs of America's wars over religion is ignorance. Polls show that many Americans know little about the world's major religions, including their own. What role does the study of religion play in schools? Do the media have a responsibility to do more in-depth reporting on religion as a way to better understand the role that religious beliefs play in conflicts and foreign policy? Also, a Moscow tycoon is convicted of embezzlement, and pressures mount on the president of the Ivory Coast to step down. Sara Terry guest hosts.

The Roman Catholic Future, in the US and Around the World Dec 24, 2010

Show notes

The Roman Catholic Church hasn't survived for centuries without adapting to changing times. What's next in the US and Europe? Is the future in Africa, Asia and Latin America? Also, consumer confidence and the holiday shopping season, and the story of a New York Times reporter's escape from the Taliban -- and what his wife went through while he was gone.

Explosion in Domestic Intelligence Gathering Dec 23, 2010

Show notes

Federal agencies are spending tens of billions of dollars on domestic intelligence, so much it's impossible for anyone to keep track. Is it making America safe from terrorism? Is it creating new threats to rights guaranteed by the Constitution? Also, Rome parcel bombs raise terror fears in Europe. On Reporter's Notebook, has the Christmas card gone out of style?

New START Moves toward a Vote, Garners Bipartisan Support Dec 22, 2010

Show notes

The New START treaty with Russia would reduce nuclear weapons and renew inspections of both sides. So why did Republicans become so divided over Senate ratification? We hear the pros and cons. Also, 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' repeal caps a winning lame-duck session for Obama, and the University of Connecticut Huskies.

The Kindle, the Nook, the iPad...the Book? Dec 21, 2010

Show notes

'Tis the season for electronic readers to be part of holiday shopping at Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart. What will that mean for bookstores, the publishing business and the evolution of reading itself? We hear some surprising answers. Also, new census data and the political landscape, and the FCC and "net neutrality."

Why Don't Americans Like Their Congress? Dec 20, 2010

Show notes

The lame-duck session of Congress has gotten some things done, but it's not likely to go out of business with a burst of bipartisanship. We review what's happened and what to expect, and ask why just 13 percent of Americans like what they see. Also, an about Face by North Korea on the South’s military drills, and the Pentagon's implementing repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The Chaotic Closing Days of the 111th Congress Dec 17, 2010

Show notes

As the lame-duck Congress lurches along, what are the signals for next year when Republicans will take over the House? Is President Obama changing his strategy to deal with new political realities and prepare his campaign for re-election? Also, a $7 billion settlement for Bernard Madoff's victims, and an ATM machine that dispenses gold.

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