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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, October 12, 2006
  • Nine Hills One Valley (Robert Workman)
    Nine Hills One Valley (Robert Workman)

    Modern Transitions

    Guest host Daljit Dhaliwal fills in today for Leonard. We continue our election coverage on today's Underreported with a look at how literacy advocates and democracy trainers are encouraging civic participation in Afghanistan. Then, we learn about debt slaves in Pakistan. And director Ratan Thiyam tells us about his new production at BAM. Later on, we talk to an Inuit Shaman about the modern-day challenges facing his people. Plus, a travel writer retraces the journey his great-grandfather made as a missionary in the South Pacific.

Underreported: The Building Blocks of Democracy

As part of our continuing election coverage, we ask about some of the on-the-ground work literacy advocates and democracy trainers are doing to encourage civic participation in Afghanistan. Mohammad Nasib is the director of the Welfare Association for Development of Afghanistan (WADAN). He talks about his work training Maliks (local Afghan power brokers) in the concepts and practices of human rights and democracy. Toc Dunlap is the Executive Director of Creating Hope International. She explains the urgency of teaching literacy as a building block for democracy.

Underreported: Bonded Labor in Pakistan

Sarah Stuteville from The Common Language Project and Barrister Zafarullah Khan discuss bonded labor—men and women working as debt slaves—in Pakistan. Zafar Khan speciliazes in Human Rights and is associated with various international nad national organizations that work for the elimination of bonded labor.

Election 2006 Talk Back

As part of our 2006 campaign coverage, we ask listeners to give us their opinions on topics related to the election. David is one of the listeners who weighed in on last week’s poll questions: "do you have an election prediction? Which party do you think will control Congress in November?" He shares his thoughts.

Share your thoughts on this week's question: Do you think image is as important to winning an election as the issues?

Nine Hills One Valley

Director Ratan Thiyam tells us about Nine Hills One Valley, at BAM. The new production is an allegorical exploration of the challenges facing the people of Thiyam's native Manipur--a remote hill-state in northeast India.

21st Century Shaman

Uncle Angaangaq, an Inuit Elder, recently became the first Shaman his people have elected in 200 years. He explains what he’s doing to revive his people’s lost traditions, and protect their modern way of life from threats like global warming.

Events: Uncle Angaangaq will be leading a shamanic gathering
Sunday, October 15 from 1 to 6 pm
The Great Hill in Central Park, between 103rd and 106th Streets

Uncle Angaangaq will be leading a shamanic teaching workshop
October 12, 13, 14, and 15
Children’s Aid Society
219 Sullivan Street, between Bleecker and West 3rd Streets
For more information, call Itzhak at 212-533-0909 or visit icewisdom.com

Retracing a Great-Grandfather's Travels

In The Shark God, travel writer Charles Montgomery retraces the journey his great-grandfather made as a missionary in the South Pacific.

Available for purchase at amazon.com


Events: Charles Montgomery will be speaking and signing books
Thursday, October 12 at 7 pm
McNally Robinson Bookstore
52 Prince Street, between Mulberry and Lafayette Streets

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.