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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, January 18, 2007
  • drinking water

    Something in the Water?

    On today’s Underreported, guest host Alice Rhee asks how everyday substances--like cinnamon and hand soap--get into our water supplies, and how they may affect our health. Then we talk to two women who proudly identify as geeks. Plus, we look at Pentecostalism's growing popularity among Hispanics in Harlem. And we explore the complexities of sisterhood.

Underreported: Cinnamon and Spice...and Puget Sound?

The Christmas and New Year's holidays are over, but some of the remnants might still be in our water supply. During the holidays, researchers at the University of Washington found spikes in the levels of cinnamon and vanilla in Puget Sound--Dr. Rick Keil suspects it was due to an uptick in holiday baking.

Underreported: Hand Soap in Lakes and Streams

As American consumers have embraced antibacterial hand soap, compounds in the soap have been building up in lakes and streams around the US. Dr. Rolf Halden of Johns Hopkins studies the distribution of antibacterial soap products in natural waters, and talks about how the buildup might affect the health of humans, animals, and the environment.

Underreported: How Clean is New York City's Drinking Water?

After hearing about the everyday substances that collect in our water supplies, you may be wondering whether it is safe to drink New York City tap water. We ask Eric Goldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council how clean our drinking water is.

To get the latest information on your state's water quality, visit the EPA's website here.

She's Such a Geek

Annalee Newitz and Charlie Anders, the editors of the new collection of essays She’s Such a Geek!, celebrate women who are passionate about science, technology, video games, and other subjects that are often dismissed as nerdy and male-dominated.

She’s Such a Geek! is available for purchase at amazon.com

The Rise of Pentecostalism

New Pentecostal churches are cropping up all over the globe--including New York City. New York Times Metro reporter David Gonzalez spent a year covering one Hispanic congregation in West Harlem. He tells us what he learned about the little-understood faith, which is the fasting growing branch of Christianity in the world.

“House Afire" a three-part series by David Gonzalez

The Sister Knot

Real-life sisters Terri Apter and Marion Quinn explore the complex feelings—from jealousy to unshakeable love—that make sisterhood so unique.

The Sister Knot is available for purchase at amazon.com

Patrick Swayze

The Leonard Lopate Show

Patrick Swayze mixed grace with athleticism in his movies – and rose to stardom with roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost.” He died just recently after a battle with pancreatic cancer. And you can hear his interview with Leonard Lopate from July 16, 2002, when he came by to discuss appearing in the film, “Green Dragon.”

The Silver Anniversary of the Silver Palate

The Leonard Lopate Show

Sheila Lukins was one half of a partnership that helped popularize gourmet cooking throughout America – first, through their gourmet food shop in New York City and then with the cookbook, The Silver Palate, which remains one of the top-selling cookbooks of all time. She collaborated on 2 other cookbooks that simplified gourmet cooking for the home cook. She died recently from brain cancer at the age of 66, and you can listen to her 2007 conversation with Leonard Lopate and her business partner Julee Rosso about the 25th Anniversary of the publication of The Silver Palate.

Dominick Dunne

The Leonard Lopate Show

Dominick Dunne was a famous novelist and Hollywood producer. But he may be best remembered for covering trials of the rich and famous – from Claus von Bulow to O. J. Simpson. He died just recently at the age of 83. But you can still hear his interview with Leonard from November 23, 2001, when he was discussing crimes, trials, and punishments.

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.

Guest Picks

The Leonard Lopate Show

Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?