wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, May 14, 2009
  • recipe

    Bending the Rules?

    On today’s show: Michael Pollan on how readers have been applying some of the rules for eating he described in his last book. Then, NYC Ballet principal dancer Benjamin Millepied on his other career as a choreographer. And, Bosnian-born writer Aleksandar Hemon discusses his latest collection of short stories. Plus, our latest Underreported segments look at increases to the US nuclear arsenal and proposals in Congress to have the FDA regulate tobacco.

    You are what you eat, but how do you choose what goes on your plate? Tell us what your "food rules" are in the comments section below and we’ll go over them with Michael Pollan.

Food Rules with Michael Pollan

Many cultures have passed down all kinds of wisdom about food and how to eat properly. Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food wants to know your “food rules” are. Do you still follow your parents’ advice that you should eat your vegetables or clear your plate? Do you only eat organic now? What about fast-food? Are you a three meal-a-day person or a snacker? Have you developed your own "food manifesto"? Let us know what kinds of food rules you try to live by in the comments section below.

Benjamin Millepied: Choreographer

New York City Ballet principal dancer Benjamin Millepied is very much in demand as a choreographer these days. His first major commission with NYCB, Quasi Una Fantasia premiered Wednesday. There are additional performances May 22nd and 26th. You can find out more about his performances here.

Love and Obstacles

Bosnian-born writer Aleksandar Hemon earned a MacArthur "genius grant" for his short stories. His latest book is a collection of linked coming-of-age stories that focus on the complications of growing up in a communist, but cosmopolitan country. It's titled Love and Obstacles.

Event: Aleksandar Hemon will be reading and signing books
Thursday, May 14, at 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble, Union Square
33 East 17th Street

Underreported: Ungrades to US Nuclear Weapons Facilities

Despite President Obama's recent pledge to seek a world free of nuclear weapons, the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration is proposing a major upgrade to the nation's nuclear weapons complex, including the construction of new facilities that could produce thousands of new warheads over time. Bill Hartung is Director of Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation.

tobacco

Underreported: The Food and Drug (and Tobacco?) Administration

For years, the tobacco industry has resisted efforts to make tobacco a substance that’s regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, but a bill making its way through Congress could change that. Washington Post staff writer Lyndsey Layton describes how FDA regulation would change the tobacco industry and whether the bill has a chance of passing.

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.