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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, February 01, 2007
  • slingshot

    Tijuana Slingshots

    Police in Tijuana recently had their guns confiscated and were issued slingshots instead as part of President Felipe Calderon’s crackdown on drug gangs. On today’s Underreported: Calderon’s new policies. Also: what the price of tortillas tells us about the health of the Mexican economy. Then, the history of the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden. We’ll hear about a new feature film about the US involvement in Iraq. And journalist Edward Luce tries to make sense of the many contradictions of modern India.
    Enter the Amy Sedaris Craft Challenge!

Underreported: Calderon’s Crackdowns

Police in Tijuana recently had their guns confiscated and were issued slingshots instead as part of President Felipe Calderon’s new crackdown on drug gangs. We’ll look into President Felipe Calderon’s policies since taking office, and how they’re affecting his popularity in Mexico. Leonard talks to Maureen Meyer of the Washington Office on Latin America.

Underreported: Tortilla Wars

The price of tortillas in Mexico recently shot up by more than 50% in some regions. That’s in part because a single company owns 70% of the tortilla and cornmeal market there. And one communications firm owns 94% of landlines in Mexico. Leonard talks to Professor George Grayson, a Mexico expert at the College of William and Mary. And Sara Miller Llana of the Christian Science Monitor joins us from Mexico City to explain big business’s tight grip on the Mexican economy, and why President Calderon may have to take action soon.

Millrose Games

The Millrose Games has been a sporting fixture in New York City since 1908. Held annually since 1914, the Games is the longest running sporting event in Madison Square Garden history. Eamon Coghlan won the Wanamaker Mile seven times, and Mary Decker Slaney was a world record holder in the mile and 1500 m. events in the 1970s and 80s.

The Situation in Iraq

The Situation is the first feature film to deal with the US occupation of Iraq. Leonard talks to filmmaker Philip Haas and actor Connie Neilsen.

India, In Spite of the Gods

India will have more English speakers than the United States by 2050. The country also has a booming tech sector, while three-quarters of the country lives in extreme deprivation. Edward Luce of the Financial Times tries to make sense of modern India and its rise to global power in his new book In Spite of the Gods.

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?