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The Leonard Lopate Show

Monday, April 24, 2006
  • halliburton

    Friends and Foes

    On today’s show: NPR correspondent Michael Goldfarb remembers the life of his murdered friend and translator, Ahmad Shawkat. Then, an in-depth look at Halliburton on Backstory. And we’ll hear about a new novel set in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Plus, a conversation with theoretical physicist Brian Greene.

Surviving Under Saddam, Dying in the New Iraq

In Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace NPR correspondent Michael Goldfarb remembers his friend and translator Ahmad Shawkat--an Iraqi Kurd who was tortured under Saddam Hussein, and killed in Mosul after Saddam was overthrown.
» Listen to Michael Goldfarb's radio documentary "Ahmad's War."

Events: Michael Goldfarb will be reading and signing books
Wednesday, April 26 at 6 pm
Columbia University Bookstore
2920 Broadway at West 114th Street

Backstory: Halliburton

George W. Bush isn't the first President with ties to Halliburton. On today's edition of Backstory, we'll take an in-depth look at the company with Vijay Vaitheeswaran, a correspondent for The Economist, and the author of Power to the People.

Life in Kashmir

Justine Hardy describes The Wonder House, a new novel about Indian-controlled Kashmir—as seen through the eyes of an 80-year-old English woman and a Muslim family who live there.

Events: Justine Hardy will be reading
Monday, April 24 at 7 pm
The Half King
505 West 23rd Street at 10th Avenue

Understanding String Theory

Brian Greene, one of the world's top theoretical physicists, helps us understand string theory and its implications. Mr. Greene is the author of The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time and the Texture of Reality.

Events: Brian Greene will be appearing
Wednesday, April 26 at 8 pm
The 92nd Street Y
For tickets, call 212-415-5500 or visit 92y.org

Tributes: Jeanne-Claude

The Leonard Lopate Show

Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.

Let’s Go Swimming!

The Leonard Lopate Show

According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.

Frank McCourt

The Leonard Lopate Show

Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.

Science and Faith

The Leonard Lopate Show

Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.

FDA to Regulate Tobacco?

The Leonard Lopate Show

May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.

Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award

The Leonard Lopate Show

On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.

Leonard is on Facebook

Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.