Jeremy Scahill asks why the private security firm Blackwater USA has been contracted in Iraq, and tells us why he feels it’s a threat to democracy. Later on, we find out how one woman’s life changed when she went to China with a friend who was adopting a baby. Plus, we explore the inner workings of Netflix on Backstory. And we find out how elephants use their feet to communicate.
Examining a Private Military Contractor
Jeremy Scahill, a Democracy Now! correspondent and regular contributor to The Nation, voices his concerns about Blackwater USA--a private military contractor that's providing security to top US officials in Iraq.
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Blackwater is available for purchase at amazon.com
Events: Jeremy Scahill will be in conversation with Amy Goodman...
An Unexpected Adoption
Beth Nonte Russell tells us about the unexpected turn her life took when she traveled to China with a friend who was adopting a baby.
Forever Lily is available for purchase at amazon.com
Backstory: Netflix
Last month, Netflix delivered its 1 billionth DVD to a subscriber in Texas. On today’s Backstory, Andreas Kluth, the Bay Area technology correspondent for the Economist, explores the inner workings of the film rental giant.
Chimps Use Spears to Hunt
Jill D. Pruetz, an anthropologist from Iowa State University, has observed chimpanzees in West Africa making spears from sticks and using them to hunt small mammals. This is the first time the routine production of deadly weapons has been observed in animals other than humans.
From the Bottoms of Their Elephant Soles
Field biologist Caitlin O'Connell tells us how she discovered that elephants use their feet to feel vibrations, and communicate with each other.
The Elephant's Secret Sense is available for purchase at amazon.com
About The Leonard Lopate Show
Host Leonard Lopate lets you in on the best conversations with writers, actors, ex-presidents, dancers, scientists, comedians, historians, grammarians, curators, filmmakers, and do-it-yourself experts.
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