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The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, April 17, 2008
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    (peater/flickr)

    Choose Wisely

    Behavioral economist Richard Thaler gives advice on how we can make better choices about our health, wealth, and happiness. Also, animation pioneer Ralph Bakshi. A new graphic novel about a Dutch trader's travel through Mohawk country in the 17th century. And on Underreported: new insight into how planets form.

How to Choose Wisely

Behavioral economist Richard Thaler explains why we often make poor choices when it comes to our health, wealth, and happiness, and how we can learn to make better choices. His new book is Nudge.

Event: Richard Thaler will be speaking and signing books
Thursday, April 17 at 4:30 pm
City University of New York
Segal Theatre, The Graduate Center
365 5th Avenue (between East 34th and 35th Streets)

If you enjoy this interview, you might also enjoy Leonard’s Feb. 2008 conversation with Dan Ariely about why humans make irrational decisions.

Ralph Bakshi, Animation Pioneer

Cartoonist and animation pioneer Ralph Bakshi is responsible for films and TV shows like “Fritz the Cat,” “The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse,” “Spider-man,” “Cool World,” and “The Lord of the Rings,” to name a few. A new book, Unfiltered, chronicles Bakshi’s career.

Events: Ralph Bakshi will sign books at an exhibition showcasing his animation
Thursday, April 17 at 6 pm
Animazing Gallery
416 Broome Street (between Greene and Mercer)

Ralph Bakshi will be speaking on a panel and signing books
Friday, April 18 at 6:30 pm
New York Comic Con
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, IGN Theater
655 West 34th Street (between 11th and 12th Avenues)

Ralph Bakshi will be speaking and signing books at the screenings of two of his films
Saturday, April 19 at 7 pm ("Heavy Traffic") and 9 pm ("Coonskin")
Anthology Film Archives
32 2nd Avenue (between East 1st and 2nd Streets)

Journey Into Mohawk Country

In the 17th century, Dutch trader Van den Bogaert set out through present-day New York’s Indian territory in search of beaver pelts. His actual diary entries have been brought to life in a new graphic novel, Journey Into Mohawk Country, by writer and illustrator George O’Connor and historian Charles Gehring.

More information about Charles Gehring's New Netherlands Project

How Cups Affect Taste

The feel of the container affects the taste of the drink it contains, according to a recent study by Rutgers Associate Professor of Marketing Maureen Morrin (along with Aradhna Krishna of the University of Michigan). Morrin tells us what happened when they blindfolded people and then gave them water to drink from firm and flimsy plastic cups.

lyotplanet

Underreported: New Planet Forming?

Scientists may be closer to understanding how new planets form. Astrophysicist Ben Oppenheimer of the American Museum of Natural History and his colleagues at the Lyot Project have put together an image of material that seems to be coalescing into either a planet or a brown dwarf (which is an object with mass that neither a star nor a planet).

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?