Candidates 2008 - UT-2: Bill Dew (2008-09-24)
Retired homebuilder Bill Dew is the Republican candidate for Congress in Utah's 2nd District.
Candidates 2008 - UT-2: Jim Matheson (2008-09-23)
Utah Congressman Jim Matheson talks about the challenges facing Utah and the nation as he campaigns for a 5th term representing Utah's 2nd Congressional District.
Kids Campaign Against Idling Cars (2008-09-23)
School kids in Utah have joined the campaign to shut off idling vehicles. Sheri Quinn has the story.
9/24/08: Utah Election Analysis (2008-09-23)
Wednesday, RadioWest is live from the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. We're analyzing state and local elections with Hinckley Institute Director Kirk Jowers, pollster Dan Jones, former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson, and Rebecca Walsh of the Salt Lake Tribune.
9/23/08: Body Worlds (2008-09-22)
Body Worlds 3 - the exhibit that uses real human bodies to explore the human specimen has just opened in Salt Lake City. Tuesday on RadioWest, Doug is joined by creative designer Dr. Angelina Whalley and by anatomist Dr. Kurt Albertine to talk about the exhibit and the complexity of the human body.
9/19/08: Young@Heart (2008-09-19)
Singers in Young@Heart chorus say their musical tastes run from Opera to Stage Musicals to Frank Sinatra. But members like 87-year-old Len Fontaine are still adventurous enough to take on punk anthems like the Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated." The choir is the subject of a documentary that's just been released on DVD. Fontaine and others join Doug to explain how Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and David Bowie have written the soundtrack of their "Golden Years." (Rebroadcast)
9/22/08: The Economic Meltdown (2008-09-19)
Monday on RadioWest, guest host Jenny Brundin leads a discussion on the economic meltdown. We'll unravel the tumultuous events of the past week and discuss what the credit collapse means for the economy and for you. We'll look at the roots of the crisis, how it was allowed to happen and how it's impacting Utah.
BodyWorlds Opens in SLC (2008-09-19)
An anatomy exhibit which displays hundreds of preserved body parts and human cadavers opens in downtown Salt Lake City Friday. KUER's Jennifer Napier-Pearce reports.
9/18/08: The Overwhelming (2008-09-19)
The playwright J.T. Rogers says his projects begin with a question he's afraid to answer. As Rogers watched the news reports during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda - he asked himself what kind of person he would turn out to be in the same situation. Rogers' play "The Overwhelming" is the result, and it opens this week at the Salt Lake Acting Company. Doug talks to Rogers and others about the human stories in the worst of tragedies.
Young Voters Say Presidential Campaign Is About the Issues (2008-09-19)
What do young voters think about the election and the future of the country?
Water Remains Key Voter Issue (2008-09-18)
Water ranks as the seventh highest issue on voters' minds this year, according to a survey commissioned by the Utah Foundation, a non-partisan think tank based in Salt Lake.
Candidates 2008: UT-1: Incumbent Supports Smaller Government (2008-09-17)
Utah Congressman Rob Bishop is running for re-election in the 1st Congressional District.
9/16/08: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles (2008-09-16)
When the journalist Jennifer 8. Lee learned that fortune cookies weren't actually Chinese, she said it was like "learning I was adopted while being told there was no Santa Claus." Actually, many restaurant favorites like General Tso's Chicken or broccoli and lo mein have little to do with Chinese cuisine. Lee joins Doug to talk about the roots of Chinese food as we know it - and about just how American it really is. (Rebroadcast)
Candidates 2008: UT-1: Democratic Challenger Says Lack of Elected Experience Is a Qualification (2008-09-16)
Morgan Bowen, a Democrat from Cache County, is challenging the incumbent Republican in Utah's 1st Congressional District.
9/17/08: Poet Paul Muldoon (2008-09-15)
The Irish-born Paul Muldoon has been called "one of the five or so best poets alive." He's won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, chairs the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton and is Poetry Editor for The New Yorker Magazine. But before you settle on an image of the poet and professor, you should also note that he owns an arsenal of electric guitars and is in a garage band called "Rackett." Muldoon is in Salt Lake City and joins Doug to talk about great poets, his own poetry, and rock-n-roll.
9/15/08: Bruce Bastian (2008-09-12)
Bruce Bastian has said that his being gay should be as meaningful as being right-handed. He knows that's not the way world works though, and the Orem-based multi-millionaire is known as much for his philanthropy in the GLBT community now as for co-founding WordPerfect. Monday, Bastian sits down with Doug for a conversation about success, about finding yourself and about making a difference in the world.
9/12/08: Beethoven's Ninth (2008-09-12)
This weekend the Utah Symphony will perform an evening of Beethoven's work - including the 9th Symphony. So we're taking the opportunity to rebroadcast our conversation on the story behind the 9th. Our guest the Harvard professor Thomas Forrest Kelly says to appreciate the 9th symphony, you have to hear it in the way audiences when it was first performed in Vienna, in 1824. (Rebroadcast)
Candidates 2008: Mark Shurtleff (2008-09-11)
KUER's Election 2008 coverage continues with an interview with Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. KUER's Jennifer Napier-Pearce asks why he is seeking a third term.
9/11/08: Filmmaker Charles Oliver and "Take" (2008-09-10)
In the new movie "Take," Ana is traveling to meet her son's killer on death row. Writer and director Charles Oliver has said this isn't a documentary about Restorative Justice - a process that brings victims and perpetrators together to find healing and restoration. The theme of forgiveness is unmistakable in Oliver's film though - and it's become a voice for the movement. Thursday Doug talks to Oliver and others about finding justice in the most difficult situations.
Court Says No to Coal Plant Initiative (2008-09-10)
The battle over a coal-fired power plant planned for Sevier County has been described in terms of air quality, water rights and toxic waste. But yesterday, in a courtroom in Richfield, it came down to the question of who has the right to change local zoning laws.
Candidates 2008: Jean Welch Hill (2008-09-09)
Jean Welch Hill is a 38-year-old Democrat challenging two-term incumbent Mark Shurtleff for the office of Utah Attorney General. Hill spoke with KUER's Jennifer Napier-Pearce.
9/10/08: History Detective Gwendolyn Wright (2008-09-09)
Gwendolyn Wright says that history isn't about answers; it's about investigation and evidence and personal stories. Wright is one of the hosts of the public television series "History Detectives," and the author of a new book on American architecture. She'll be in Salt Lake this weekend for the Utah State History Conference - and today she joins Doug to talk about history, architecture and what objects can tell us about the world we share.
Sigurd Neighbors Weigh Power Plant (2008-09-08)
The question of whether to build a coal-fired power plant in the small Sevier County town of Sigurd has long-time neighbors taking different sides.
9/9/08: Media Ethics and the Campaign Trail (2008-09-08)
Sarah Palin's candidacy for Republican vice president has again raised questions of the media's role and behavior this election season. Should a candidate's personal life be off-limits or do reporters have an obligation to introduce politicians to the voting public? How does praise or criticism of the media become part of a campaign strategy? Doug is joined by Brooke Gladstone of On the Media, NPR's David Folkenflik and Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute's Ethics Group.
Book Review: The Elegance of the Hedgehog (2008-09-05)
Betsy Burton reviews The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary.
Utah Teens and Bristol Palin (2008-09-05)
The disclosure that vice-presidential candidate Sara Palin's unmarried teenage daughter is pregnant shocked the nation. KUER's Jenny Brundin set out to find what teens in Utah think about the issues her pregnancy has raised.
9/8/08: The 19th Wife (2008-09-05)
Ann Eliza Young was 24 when she married her prophet Brigham Young. By her account, she was his 19th wife, and when she filed for divorce in 1873, she made headlines in newspapers and tabloids around the country. Novelist David Ebershoff says those contemporary accounts remind him of reports he read on the polygamists in Eldorado, Texas. In his new book The 19th Wife, Ebershoff weaves together the two time periods to create a portrait of polygamy and its effect on the lives of those who live it.
Utah RNC Delegates Want Drilling (2008-09-05)
Utah delegates want the government to allow drilling in the Arctic National Wild Life Refuge, but Presidential candidate John McCain opposes the plan. Matt Laslo reports from St. Paul, Minnesota.
Utah Delegates Leave RNC Confident (2008-09-05)
Utah delegates say they are headed home from the national convention feeling a bit more confident with the Republican ticket than when they left. Sara Sciammacco reports from Saint Paul.
Utah Delegate's View of GOP Convention (2008-09-04)
Sean Reyes is attending his first national political convention as a Republican delegate.
9/5/08: Dead Lucky (2008-09-04)
Lincoln Hall likes to say that on May 25, 2006, he died on Mt. Everest. It was the one of the deadliest climbing seasons on the mountain, and when Hall collapsed shortly after summiting, he was pronounced dead and left behind. His story gets really interesting though the next morning, when he was found very much alive. Lincoln joined Doug earlier this year to tell his story. (Rebroadcast)
9/3/08: The Film Club (2008-09-03)
When film critic David Gilmour's son Jesse was 15 years old, he was in trouble and he hated school. David tried helping, but nothing seemed to work. That's when the two struck upon a deal: Jesse could drop out of school on one condition. He had to sit down with his father and watch three movies a week. Wednesday, David joins Doug to talk about the relationship between father and son - and about the life lessons that can be learned at the movies. (Rebroadcast)
9/4/08: Pets in America (2008-09-03)
Just a few days after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, people from around the country were sending half a ton of food - hourly - to the animal rescue center set up in Mississippi. The historian Katherine Grier says that Americans have developed a culture of kindness towards animals. We've enjoyed their company for hundreds of years and our relationship to pets reflects broader changes in the country. Thursday, Doug talks to Grier about Americans and their pets through the years.
Utah Dems Wrap Up Convention (2008-08-29)
Utah Democrats wrapped up their convention in Denver with a focus on bringing young voters into the party.
9/2/08: Nixonland (2008-08-29)
The writer Rick Perlstein says that American culture and politics "were forged in blood and fire." In 1964, the Democrat Lyndon Johnson won a land-slide victory over Barry Goldwater - an election that seemed to herald America's liberalism. But just eight years later, the tides had turned and Republican Richard Nixon held the presidency with a similarly large margin. Tuesday, Rick Perlstein joins us to talk about how the battle lines of American politics were drawn and what it means for us today.
9/1/08: Jorge Fierro and Rico Mexican Market (2008-08-29)
When owner Jorge Fierro gives a tour of Rico Mexican Market, he smiles when he shows you his tortilla making machine. There's a small wooden press -- hand operated by one of his 30 employees. Fierro started his business selling freshly cooked pinto beans at the Downtown Farmer's Market. Now Rico Brand carries over 125 products distributed throughout Salt Lake and Park City. Doug talks to Jorge Fierro about his commitment to the local economy, & about the delight of well-made food. Rebroadcast
Tom Hayden Compares 1968 and 2008 Conventions (2008-08-28)
Interview with Tom Hayden, anti-war activist from the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Orton Kids Blog from Denver (2008-08-28)
Will and Wes Orton, two boys from Utah, are among the bloggers at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Utah Priorities: Immigration (2008-08-28)
Utah voters put immigration on the list of their top priorities in a survey this election season. The Utah Foundation's Steve Kroes talks about their concerns with KUER's Jenny Brundin.
8/29/08: Final Salute (2008-08-28)
The journalist Jim Sheeler's new book is about how the country honors those killed at war, and it all begins with a knock at the door. The book is a collection of powerful and touching stories of the families that have to answer the door and cope with the news. It's also a profile of one of the men charged with that difficult mission called "casualty notification." Jim Sheeler joined us earlier this year to talk about the true costs of war. (Rebroadcast)
8/28/08: The New Victory Garden (2008-08-27)
During World War II, a grass-roots response to rationing took hold across the country. People began planting "victory" gardens, and this experiment in back yard farming would eventually produce almost half of the nation's food needs. Today, there's a movement to bring back the home garden to address modern day problems like climate change, the cost of energy and health issues. Thursday, we're talking about what new victory gardens could mean for individuals and for the country.
8/27/08: Mustang (2008-08-26)
The horse has figured prominently in the history and the myth of the American West. But today, where horses run wild, author Deanne Stillman says that dwindling protections and ever-encroaching civilization is threatening its very survival. Wednesday, Stillman joins Doug for a conversation about horses - from their return to America with the conquistadors - to their starring role on the frontier - to the peril Stillman says they face today.
Special Ed Teachers Harder to Find (2008-08-26)
Utah school districts are having an increasingly difficult time hiring qualified teachers for special education.
Racial & Ethnic Differences in Prenatal Care (2008-08-26)
In recent years, ethnic minorities and immigrant women have been making up a growing proportion of the mothers giving birth in Utah. And yet, their use of prenatal care, compared to the majority, presents a complicated and troubling picture. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report.
Utah Delegates and Bloggers Excited to Support Obama (2008-08-25)
Utah delegates talk about their reasons for representing the party at this year's national convention in Denver.
8/26/08: Dangerous Drinking on Campus (2008-08-25)
Over 100 leaders of universities across the country agree that binge drinking is a problem on our campuses. Westminster College President Michael Bassis is among them, and he's signed on to what's called "The Amethyst Initiative." It calls for a public debate about how we deal with dangerous drinking - including the current legal drinking age of 21. Tuesday, we're talking about the Amethyst Initiative and about what current research says is the best way to educate youth about alcohol.
Obama Opens Utah Campaign Office (2008-08-25)
Utah has been called the most Republican state in the nation. That's not keeping the Democratic Party from trying to make a contest of it.
8/25/08: A History of Political Conventions (2008-08-22)
Throughout their history, conventions have more than once turned into a circus. The 1924 Democratic Convention took 103 ballots - and some fistfights between governors - before a nominee was decided. The 1912 Republican Convention was so divisive, Taft and Roosevelt hurled brutal public insults at each other. Doug and political historian Byron Shafer have a civil conversation about the role conventions have played in the Presidential election process - and just what they do for democracy today.
Utah Priorities: Teacher Quality (2008-08-22)
A new research brief by the Utah Foundation looks at ways to assess the quality of teachers in Utah schools.
8/22/08: Sick Around the World (2008-08-21)
Washington post reporter TR Reid says when it comes to health care, the United States - the richest country in the world - is a fourth rate power. Reid is writing a book about health care around the world - and earlier this year he hosted a film for the PBS documentary series Frontline. Reid traveled to five wealthy capitalist countries trying to figure out how they do it - that is offer health care to everyone and for a heck of a lot less. (Rebroadcast)
Lawmakers tout oil shale (2008-08-21)
With state lawmakers encouraging them on, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and Congressman Rob Bishop touted oil shale yesterday as a way to solve the nation's energy woes. KUER's Jenny Brundin reports.
8/21/08: Gonzo - The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008-08-20)
The term "gonzo" was coined to describe Hunter S. Thompson's first-person literary approach to journalism. His reporting on everything from the Hell's Angels to the Kentucky Derby to presidential campaigns was always irreverent, frequently exaggerated, but never what you'd expect. In a new documentary, filmmaker Alex Gibney has created a striking portrait of Hunter S. Thompson, and Thursday he joins us, along with historian Douglas Brinkley, for a look at one of America's greatest mavericks.
Leonardo Facing SL City Skepticism (2008-08-19)
New management for the Leonardo will appear before the Salt Lake City Council Tuesday, hoping to persuade them to release public funding to help build an arts and science museum in the old City Library building. But as KUER's Jennifer Napier-Pearce reports, it's shaping up to be a tough sell.
8/19/08: The Legend of Colton H Bryant (2008-08-19)
In her new book, Alexandra Fuller writes about the simple life and heartbreaking death of a roughneck working on a Wyoming oil patch. "The Legend of Colton H. Bryant" explores the impact Wyoming's stark, rugged terrain has on a person's character and the effect of the oil and gas industry on rural communities. Fuller joins guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about one man's abbreviated life and the human costs of energy development. (Rebroadcast)
8/20/08: The Way of the World (2008-08-18)
In his new book The Way of the World, journalist Ron Suskind says that the United States government lost its moral compass in the lead up to war. The book itself has caused quite a bit of controversy. Suskind's allegations include the claim that the forgery of the letter linking al-Qaida to Saddam Hussein was ordered by the White House. Wednesday on RadioWest, Doug talks to Ron Suskind about his book and about what he sees as the nation's struggle to reclaim its moral authority.
Violent Crime Down, Property Crime Up in Utah (2008-08-18)
Crime and security are the sixth highest concern for Utah voters this year, according to a survey commissioned by the Utah Foundation. But in their latest report, crime is down 30 percent from 1995.
Downtown Mural Attracts Attention (2008-08-18)
You may have noticed a dog posing as a music conductor or a tiger spray painting down by the Rio Grande Depot. Jason Sparks has the details.
8/18/08: Live from Beijing (2008-08-15)
It's day eleven of the 2008 Olympics, and today on the program we're joined live by NPR correspondents Howard Berkes, Tom Goldman and Frank Langfitt from their vantage point in Beijing. We'll talk about some of the results thus far, about how the games are playing out, and about the process of reporting from China.
8/15/08: The Big Sort (2008-08-14)
You know the old saying: Birds of a feather flock together. The journalist Bill Bishop would say it's true. He says there's segregation going on in the country - and not just between red states and blue states. It's happening between towns and neighborhoods. People move, and when they do, they tend to gravitate towards communities that share their religious and political views. Bishop joins Doug to explain how our life-choices are dividing the nation. (Rebroadcast)
Affordable Housing Disappearing in Moab (2008-08-14)
Families living in a mobile home park are being told to leave. The owner of the land under their homes wants to sell it for a new resort.
Utah Foundation Transportation Study (2008-08-13)
Utahns are driving less, and the state of Utah is collecting less in motor fuel taxes. That poses new problems for building and maintaining roads in the state.
8/13/08: The Prodigal Tongue (2008-08-13)
Journalist and writer Mark Abley predicts that by 2015 half the world's population will be speaking - or at least learning - English. But as the language sweeps the globe, it's not just changing those it encounters - it's changing too. New words are being added at a "break-neck" rate from other languages, from hip-hop lyrics, from the blogosphere. Abley joins Doug Wednesday to talk about the journey English is taking and what the future of the language sounds like.
8/14/08: The Funeral Industry and Grave Choices (2008-08-13)
Americans are spending somewhere between 11 and 15 billion dollars a year on funerals. Of course, people want fitting memorials for their loved ones, but how much of what we spend is cultural and how much is reaction to marketing at our most vulnerable time? Thursday on RadioWest, Doug talks to journalist Mark Harris and others about the funeral industry in America. We'll talk about its history, where we are today and about alternatives to the modern burial.
Affirmation Seeks Another Meeting with LDS Church (2008-08-12)
Leaders of a gay Mormon support group want to sit down and talk with officials from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
8/11/08: The Billionaire's Vinegar (2008-08-11)
It all started with a bottle of French wine allegedly owned by Thomas Jefferson in the 1780s. Questions about the authenticity of the Jefferson bottles, which rattled the collecting establishment and launched a lawsuit, form the centerpiece of "The Billionaire's Vinegar: The Mystery of the Worlds' Most Expensive Bottle of Wine." On Monday, Doug talks with journalist Benjamin Wallace about the obscure world of rare wines and how he traced the controversy told in his best-selling book.
8/12/08: The Mormon Quest for the Presidency (2008-08-11)
Did you know there have been ten Mormons who have run for president of the United States? Tuesday on RadioWest, historians Newell Bringhurst and Craig Foster join us to tell the stories of the nine men and one woman who made their bid and failed. The book is called "The Mormon Quest for the Presidency."
Utah Graduate Student Posts Olympic Weblog (2008-08-10)
Zuzana Tomas is competing in the women's marathon for Slovakia at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Friends all over the world are following her experience thanks to her weblog.
Odyssey To Dance in Beijing (2008-08-08)
As thousands of athletes and fans from around the globe gather for tonight's opening of the Beijing Summer Games, seven Utah dancers are packing their bags, setting off on Sunday to join the Olympic festivities.
Lockhart's Final Deer Valley Performance (2008-08-07)
Utah Symphony music director Keith Lockhart made his last appearance at the Deer Valley Music Festival last week. KUER's Dan Bammes reports.
8/8/08: Band of Annuals (Rebroadcast) (2008-08-07)
If you had to characterize Band of Annuals, it would be alt-country, but the group appeals to an incredibly wide audience: indie rockers, head bangers, folk fans.
8/7/08: Love in Later Life (2008-08-06)
The word romance may conjure up youthful flirtation and physicality, but more and more people in the retirement set are finding love in later life.
Coal Mine Safety After Crandall Canyon (2008-08-06)
KUER's Jennifer Napier-Pearce speaks with Scott Matheson, Junior, who chaired the Utah Mine Safety Commission.
8/6/08: Crandall Canyon Remembered (2008-08-05)
At 2:48 a.m. August 6, 2007, the Crandall Canyon coal mine near Huntington, Utah collapsed, trapping six miners. Rescue efforts claimed another three men and in the ensuing months, the catastrophe spurred Congressional hearings and re-launched a national debate about mine safety.
WWII veteran of Hiroshima continues healing (2008-08-05)
Tomorrow marks sixty-three years since the world's first nuclear bomb attack killed more than 120,000 Japanese men, women and children. Yet even now, fears about a nuclear attack happening again remain high. That troubles one Utah man in particular. For him, the attacks that ended World War II brought anything but peace. KUER's Jenny Brundin reports.
8/5/08: Mountain Meadows - Part 2 (2008-08-04)
Documents recently released by the LDS Church shed new light on what led to the bloodshed in Mountain Meadows, Utah in 1857.
Salt Flat News (2008-08-02)
The Salt Flat News was a quirky desert newspaper - an experiment in existential journalism - that folded 35 years ago. But it's still very much alive in the mind of Richard Goldberger. KUER's Jenny Brundin has this portrait.
8/4/08: "Massacre at Mountain Meadows" (2008-08-01)
Since the 1857 slaughter of more than 120 men, women and children at Mountain Meadows, Utah, questions about why a group of Mormons settlers killed an unarmed emigrant party and how much influence Brigham Young had in the attack have swirled around the incident.
8/1/08: Ralph Nader (2008-08-01)
For over 40 years, Ralph Nader has been a force in American life. Nader's influence and legacy extends from seat belt safety to clean air and water standards to product labels.
7/31/08: "Bonk" (Rebroadcast) (2008-07-30)
The writer and journalist Mary Roach says that it took science a long time to get up the nerve to study human sexuality. (Rebroadcast)
Surviving an abusive childhood (2008-07-30)
The youngest son of a drug dealer, James Ballou grew up surrounded by rampant drug use, sex, violence and abuse. But the boy wasn't destroyed - he survived the destructive forces by embracing the philosophy that we are who we choose to be. KUER's Jenny Brundin spoke with Ballou about his new book, Soul Survivor.
7/30/08: "Bargaining for Eden" (2008-07-29)
In "Bargaining for Eden," author Stephen Trimble can be tough in his assessment of how billionaire Earl Holding acquired public land for a ski resort and made a deal to host the 2002 Winter Olympics there. But Trimble's own environmental philosophy was put to the test when he became a landowner and developer himself.
7/29/08: Turf War (2008-07-29)
It's no secret that Americans love their lawns. In fact, turf in the U.S. covers an area roughly the size of New York state. But as water becomes more scarce and chemical treatments more toxic, an anti-lawn movement is sprouting. Some are questioning whether we should keep our finely-manicured grass or plant gardens instead.
7/28/08: "Chasing Churchill" (2008-07-28)
A new PBS documentary explores the public itinerary as well as the public journeys of former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. On Monday, Doug talks with British writer and journalist Celia Sandys about her famous grandfather.
7/25/08: Valerie Plame Wilson (2008-07-24)
Friday, a conversation with Valerie Plame Wilson. She joined us earlier this year to talk about having her cover as a CIA operative blown in the political squabble over the justification for the war in Iraq. You all know the story by now. The disclosure spurred a federal investigation that led to the conviction of the Vice President's Chief of Staff. Plame Wilson has written a book about her experience called "Fair Game." (Rebroadcast)
7/24/08: The Bear Lake Monster (2008-07-23)
In 1868 stories of a strange creature in Utah's Bear Lake were blazing throughout the territory. Joseph Rich, the son of a prominent Mormon leader, wrote in the Deseret News: "the Indians say there is a monster animal which lives in the lake. They represent it as being of the serpent kind, but having legs about 18 inches long." Today we'll tell the stories of Utah's lake monsters and explain why they are so tempting to believe. (Rebroadcast)
Children and the 4-day work week (2008-07-23)
Since Governor Jon Huntsman announced earlier this month that 23,000 state workers will shift to four-ten-hour work days, it's been a scramble for some employees to figure out how to make the change work.KUER's Jenny Brundin reports.
7/23/08: Monet to Picasso (2008-07-22)
It's been called a "blockbuster" and a "once in a lifetime" event. With 74 masterworks from 19th and 20th century artists like Picasso and Gauguin, the Utah Museum of Arts has every reason to be proud. The exhibit comes from Cleveland, and Wednesday on RadioWest, Jennifer Napier-Pearce talks to curator William Robinson and to art historian Richard Brettell about the masters of European modernism - and the fascinating journey from impressionism to surrealism.
Downtown Theater Draws Mixed Reviews (2008-07-22)
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is poised to propose an $81 million investment in downtown: a new 2,400 seat Broadway-style theater. But some local arts groups are giving the proposal half-hearted applause.
7/22/08: The Uprising (2008-07-21)
Is there an uprising brewing in America? David Sirota thinks so. In his new book the author travels the country stopping in union halls, shareholder meetings for Exxon Mobil and to the Mexican border to chat with Minutemen. Sirota examines whether the populist uprising he sees on both the left and the right will transform into a full-fledged revolt - a prospect that terrifies Washington and Wall Street. He joins Jenny Brundin Tuesday to talk about his book, The Uprising.
7/21/08: Drilling for Energy in Utah (2008-07-18)
High energy prices are pushing new oil and gas development on public lands in the West. Drilling permits are being approved in areas some groups believe should be wilderness. Do we have to drill everywhere? How much difference will increased drilling make in prices at the pump, or America's independence from foreign suppliers? Dan Bammes looks at those questions with Utah Congressman Rob Bishop, Kent Hoffman from the BLM and Stephen Bloch from the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
7/18/08: Howard Hughes and the "Mormon Will" (2008-07-17)
In 1976, a handwritten will found in Salt Lake City left $150 million of Howard Hughes' fortune to a rural Nevada meat delivery driver, Melvin Dummar. Hughes' "Mormon Will" was declared a fraud by the courts, and Dummar lost everything, including his reputation. Former FBI agent Gary Magnesen has written "The Investigation," which reposes the central question: has Dummar been telling the truth all along? (Rebroadcast)
7/17/08: The Upside of High Fuel Prices (2008-07-16)
Is there any reason to think the current high price of gasoline is a good thing? Could today's fuel prices finally motivate the kind of conservation and technological innovation that American society has been slow to accept? KUER's Dan Bammes will look at the upside of high fuel prices with guests Chris Pummer, a business writer whose MarketWatch article on the issue prompted thousands of responses, and with financial planner John Bird from the Albion Financial Group.
7/16/08: Children of War (2008-07-15)
Millions of children grow up surrounded by war, and the number is growing each year. Two University of Utah researchers study how children's moral development is effected by the violence, lawlessness and deprivation in their lives. Is the future of these children just a bleak moral vacuum, or is there hope? Jenny Brundin talks to Cecilia Wainryb and Monisha Pasupathi about children of war.
7/15/08: Where Did I Leave My Glasses? (2008-07-14)
You've probably had this happen - you can't find your keys or don't remember the name of the person you just met yesterday - and you worry it's a sign of things to come. There are 78 million baby boomers in the US today, and memory loss is one of their biggest concerns. The journalist Martha Weinman Lear joined Doug to explain that what you're experiencing is universal and normal. (Rebroadcast)
7/14/08: The Last Days of Old Beijing (2008-07-11)
As Beijing prepares for the Summer Olympics, the narrow lanes and compact neighborhoods that once defined China's old city are giving away to high-rise apartments and modern shopping centers. Monday on RadioWest, author Michael Meyer joins Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about China's changing urban landscape and the price of progress.
7/11/08: The Hummingbird's Daughter (2008-07-10)
Journalist, poet and novelist Luis Alberto Urrea's novel "The Hummingbird's Daughter," is the story of a distant relative, Teresita Urrea. Famed throughout Mexico for the power to heal with her touch, the family ranch becomes a center of pilgrimage for the people and a source of concern for the government on the eve of the revolution. Urrea joined Doug to talk about his quest to find Teresita, and the book he offers her as a gift. (Rebroadcast)
7/10/08: Skinhead Confessions (2008-07-09)
TJ Leyden was 14 when he started propagating the gospel of hate. He covered his body in sinister tattoos, he stabbed and maimed people in the name of white power, and he recruited hundreds to his way of thinking. But then Leyden had an epiphany. Thursday on RadioWest Jennifer Napier-Pearce talks with Leyden about his remarkable transformation and the years he's spent trying to make amends.
7/9/08: Killer At Large (2008-07-08)
Look around the grocery store or movie theater and this will come as no surprise, but over the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in our waist lines in the United States. In fact, 2/3s of us are obese, and 17% of our children are overweight. A new documentary explores why Americans keep packing it on and what we can do about it. Wednesday on RadioWest, director Steven Greenstreet talks to Jennifer Napier-Pearce about his film Killer At Large.
7/8/08: Always a Cowboy (2008-07-07)
Historian Will Bagley echoes Mark Twain when he explains the similarities between 1929 and 2008: it may not be an exact repetition, but they do rhyme. There's a transportation crisis, corporate corruption and massive consumer debt. Bagley has just published a new biography of Utah's Judge Wilson McCarthy, a man whose life mirrors the social and economic changes of 19th and 20th century America. Will Bagley joins Doug Monday to talk about McCarthy and the lessons history offers for today.
Utah Wilderness Legislation (2008-07-07)
The Utah Redrock Wilderness Act has been introduced again in Congress, but it may not fare any better with Democrats in control than it did with Republicans.
7/7/08: Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan (2008-07-07)
Monday on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting our conversation with the writer and ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan about food and place. Nabhan has spent his life exploring the relationship of people to land and its native sustenance. So when he talks about preserving the agricultural heritage of rural America or the cuisine of traditional societies or our own biological connection to certain foods, he's talking about culture and its deep dependence on a dwindling natural world. (Rebroadcast)
7/7/08: Always a Cowboy (2008-07-06)
Historian Will Bagley echoes Mark Twain when he explains the similarities between 1929 and 2008: it may not be an exact repetition, but they do rhyme. There's a transportation crisis, corporate corruption and massive consumer debt. Bagley has just published a new biography of Utah's Judge Wilson McCarthy, a man whose life mirrors the social and economic changes of 19th and 20th century America. Will Bagley joins Doug Monday to talk about McCarthy and the lessons history offers for today.
7/4/08: So Help Me God (2008-07-03)
The debate over the relationship between church and state is nothing new in this country. In fact it's never really subsided. In his book "So Help Me God," theologian and scholar Forrest Church chronicles that very first battle in this ongoing culture war. It started as George Washington was preparing to take the oath of office. This piece of history provides some insight into the modern struggle. (Rebroadcast)
Wyomingites reflect on oil and gas development (2008-07-02)
A series of gatherings took place in Wyoming called the Weather Reports. It was the first time many had the chance to voice their worries and hopes about oil and gas development in the state.
7/3/08: Summer Reading 2008 (2008-07-02)
Today on RadioWest we're offering some help to those of you who haven't decided which books to take on summer vacation. Local book experts Betsy Burton of The King's English, Ken Sanders of Ken Sanders Rare Books and Catherine Weller of Sam Wellers Bookstore will bring their suggestions. We hope you'll join us with yours.
7/2/08: Working a 4-Day Week (2008-07-01)
There aren't a lot of progressive ideas coming out of Utah government these days, but Governor Jon Huntsman is implementing a ground-breaking idea to save energy - a four-day work week. Though other states have offered it to their employees, Utah is the first to make it mandatory for some. Wednesday on RadioWest, we'll talk about the plan and about the impact of the 4-day model on employees, customers and the bottom line.
7/1/2008: Are We There Yet? (2008-06-30)
Fuel prices may have you yearning for the days of good old family road trips: the license plate game, back-seat territorial wars and songs to pass the time. Historian Susan Sessions Rugh says that vacations were a time for strengthening family bonds. But her new book Are We There Yet? goes beyond nostalgia. Tuesday on RadioWest, Rugh joins Doug to talk about the changing patterns of family life, prosperity and the reasons this innately American ritual declined.
Terry Tempest Williams Reflects on Powder River Basin (2008-06-30)
Utah naturalist and author Terry Tempest Williams reflects on how oil and gas development has changed Wyoming's landscape in the Powder River Basin.
6/30/08: The Supreme Court's Second Amendment Decision (2008-06-27)
Last week, the US Supreme Court clarified a question about gun rights that has raged in this country for decades. Does the Second Amendment guarantee the right to bear arms to the individual? Monday on RadioWest, we'll talk about the decision and about the culture of guns in America.
Utah Government Moves to 4-Day Work Week (2008-06-27)
Utah's governor plans to try a 4-day work week for thousands of state employees.
Utah Government Moves to 4-Day Work Week (2008-06-27)
Utah's governor plans to try a 4-day work week for thousands of state employees.
Monet to Picasso Exhibit at Utah Museum of Fine Arts (2008-06-26)
74 masterworks covering 100 years of Europe's most magnificent artwork is on display at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.
6/27/08: A Strong West Wind (2008-06-26)
Gail Caldwell says the question of how we become who we are belongs not just to genes or geography, but to the entire symphony of culture. Caldwell - a Pulitzer Prize winning book critic - published a memoir called A Strong West Wind. She joined us back in 2006 to explain how place and art and love mold us all. (Rebroadcast)
Chaffetz Defeats Cannon in GOP Primary (2008-06-25)
Challenger Jason Chaffetz upset incumbent Republican Congressman Chris Cannon in Tuesday's Republican primary election.
6/26/08: Let Their People Come (2008-06-25)
Thursday we're rebroadcasting our conversation with development economist Lant Pritchett about his intriguing and controversial idea for helping solve global poverty. Ten years at the World Bank gave Pritchett a realization that the standard trade and aid solutions weren't enough. He says to the world's wealthiest economies: You really want to help impoverished people around the world? Let them in your country. (Rebroadcast)
6/25/08: Album Art in the Age of Vinyl (2008-06-25)
There are lots of good stories and some decent art in the images that adorned the album covers in the age of vinyl. CD covers still have art, but the experience is different. Among our guests today is Jann Haworth. She lives in Utah these days, but she also happens to have been one of the artists who created the iconic album cover for The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. She and others join us to talk about the relationship between art and music and its influence on a generation.
Jordan School Board Election (2008-06-24)
It's primary election day in Utah except in the Jordan School District, which is electing two new school boards.
6/24/08: Dooce.com (2008-06-23)
Heather Armstrong started her blog dooce.com back in 2001. She was making a lot of money as a graphic designer then and living the single life in Los Angeles. She lost her job because of her blog, married, moved to Utah and became a stay-at-home. And her blog has been there - baring all for those who would read - every step of the way. Tuesday, Armstrong is joining us to talk about writing her story in the blogosphere and about her new book, Things I Learned About My Dad.
6/23/08: The Age of American Unreason (2008-06-20)
The scholar Susan Jacoby says there is a "vast kingdom of junk thought" that has contributed to American ignorance and anti-intellectualism. It's not just the advent of the internet and other trappings of modern popular culture that has led to this decline. Jacoby argues that the trend has been going on for the past four decades. Monday on RadioWest, Susan Jacoby is joining us to talk about "The Age of American Unreason" and the threat it poses to the future of American democracy.
Bachauer Pianist Profile: Song Choi (2008-06-20)
Song Choi from Sandy, Utah is among the competitors at the Gina Bachauer International Young Artists Piano Competition in Salt Lake City.
6/20/08: Facing East (2008-06-19)
In a play by the poet and writer Carol Lynn Pearson - Alex and Ruth McCormick - devoted Mormons - stand in a cemetery after the funeral of their gay son who has committed suicide. They are trying to understand the life of their boy and their conflicting feelings of love for him and loyalty to their faith. Facing East is being performed in St. George, so we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Pearson. It's about the path she's cleared over time on the questions of homosexuality and religion.
Moving Bridges on I-80 (2008-06-19)
U-DOT has been building replacement bridges for I-80 for months at the 13th East interchange. Starting this weekend, they'll be moved into place. Project manager John Montoya talks about just how that is done.
6/19/08: Note by Note (2008-06-18)
There are a few places in the world where the creation of a fine instrument is a labor of love - a matter of craft more than mass production. In the new documentary "Note by Note," filmmaker Ben Niles follows the life of such a piano. It's a 9-foot concert grand - a Steinway with a character all its own. The film and the piano are in Utah this week - and Thursday on RadioWest we'll talk to Niles and others about craftsmanship, artisans and the relationship between artist and instrument.
State Spending Growth in Utah (2008-06-18)
A new Utah Foundation report shows little growth in state spending in recent years as a proportion of personal income.
6/18/08: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles (2008-06-17)
When the journalist Jennifer 8. Lee learned that fortune cookies weren't actually Chinese, she said it was like "learning I was adopted while being told there was no Santa Claus." Actually, many restaurant favorites like General Tso's Chicken or broccoli and lo mein have little to do with Chinese cuisine. Lee is with us on Wednesday to talk about the roots of Chinese food as we know it - and about just how American it really is.
6/17/08: Writing Nature (2008-06-16)
Nature writer David Gessner has a problem with, well, nature writing. He says that impotence and sanctimony and false romanticism pervade the genre. Gessner is awed by the loud and wild disorder of nature - and he wants to bring a sense of realism back into the way we see the world around us. Tuesday on RadioWest, David Gessner joins Doug to talk about his work and his recent essay - "My Green Manifesto."
6/16/08: Measuring the Health of Nursing Homes (2008-06-13)
End of life care is an industry - and not every nursing home is driven by the patients' best interest. In Sunday's Salt Lake Tribune, journalist Matt Canham reported on the hundreds of hours he spent combing the records of 91 private nursing homes in Utah. While many are doing a good job - the deficiencies of others are alarming. Canham joins us Monday to talk about what he's learned.
Republican Primary in Utah's 3rd District (2008-06-13)
Utah 3rd District Republican Representative Chris Cannon has faced challenges within his own party for most of his 7 elections, but this year's may be the toughest yet.
6/13/08: The Case for the Independent Farm (2008-06-13)
The downtown farmer's market begins a new season in Salt Lake City tomorrow - a good opportunity to talk about the condition of independent farms and the growing trend of community supported agriculture. Why do the striped beets on John Borski's little farm in Kaysville taste so good? What is it about Jamie Gillmor's Morgan Valley lamb that is so flavorful? It's more than just good soil and open range land. It has something to do with scale and community. (Rebroadcast)
Kyle's Fishing Adventure (2008-06-12)
KUER's Dan Bammes has this Father's Day postcard about a fishing trip with his stepson.
Republicans Plan Congressional Election Strategy (2008-06-11)
Republicans in Utah's Congressional delegation don't see a need to soft-pedal campaign messages this election year.
Computer Records Stolen from University Health Care (2008-06-11)
Backup tapes containing more than 2 million patient billing records were stolen from a courier taking them to a storage facility from the University of Utah hospital.
6/12/08: The Film Club (2008-06-11)
When film critic David Gilmour's son Jesse was 15 years old, he was in trouble and he hated school. David tried helping, but nothing seemed to work. That's when the two struck upon a deal: Jesse could drop out of school on one condition. He had to sit down with his father and watch three movies a week. David has written a book about the experience, and Thursday he joins Doug to talk about the relationship between father and son - and about the life lessons that can be learned at the movies.
Enterpreneurs Learn Business in Business (2008-06-10)
MBA students from some of the country's top business schools are learning entrepreneurial skills by running businesses at a program based in Park City, Utah.
6/10/08: Young@Heart (2008-06-10)
Singers in Young@Heart choir say their musical tastes run from Opera to Stage Musicals to Frank Sinatra. But members like 87-year-old Len Fontaine are still adventurous enough to take on punk anthems like the Ramones "I Wanna Be Sedated." The choir is the subject of a new documentary - and they're in Salt Lake tonight. Fontaine and others join Doug to explain how Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and David Bowie have written the soundtrack of their "Golden Years."
6/11/08: Nobody Knows - Blacks and the Mormon Priesthood (2008-06-10)
In June of 1978, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received the "Revelation on Priesthood" - granting all men in the church the priesthood regardless of race. Wednesday on RadioWest, Doug talks to the creators of a new documentary called Nobody Knows - The Untold Story of Black Mormons. We'll look at the history that led up to that change, and ask how black members see their position in the church these 30 years later.
6/9/08: The Nature of Compassion (2008-06-09)
In "Field Notes on the Compassionate Life," author Marc Ian Barasch explores the nature of compassion, what he calls "the x-factor that every faith exalts as a supreme virtue." RadioWest talks to Barasch about the fieldwork that took him to kitchen tables, maximum security prisons, political organizations and medical conferences. (Rebroadcast)
Black Mormons Look Back 30 Years After Priesthood Revelation (2008-06-06)
30 years ago this week, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints changed a long-standing policy preventing blacks from holding its priesthood. Even before the change, a group called Genesis was helping black Mormons to live their faith.
6/6/08: Rethinking the Fight Against AIDS (2008-06-06)
Recent antiretroviral medications are allowing those with HIV and AIDS to lead longer and healthier lives. But new data show there's a dark side to the optimism about living with AIDS. The number of Utahns newly infected with HIV is up in the first quarter of this year. Researchers and activists are left wondering - why the uptick and what can be done about it? Friday, guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce leads a conversation on the fight against AIDS.
Sounds of the Galapagos (2008-06-05)
KUER's Jenny Brundin recently returned from the Galapagos archipelago and brought back sounds of the wildlife and people who love it.
Immigration Debate Comes Back to Congress (2008-06-05)
Utah Representative Chris Cannon is among those who want to see Congress pass a new immigration bill before the election this fall.
6/5/08: Cowgirl and Rancher Heidi Redd (2008-06-05)
Thursday on RadioWest we're wrapping up our series of programs from Moab with a conservation with a true American original - Heidi Redd. About an hour south of Moab on the border of Canyonlands National Park, you'll find Heidi's home for the last 40 years, Dugout Ranch. About 10 years ago, worried about the prospect of development, she sold the ranch to the Nature Conservancy to preserve it. But that's only one part of the story of a remarkable life.
6/4/08: Moab - Art and Place (2008-06-04)
For years tourism has driven the economy of Moab, but residents are hoping that people see the place as more than just a playground for mountain bikers and four-wheelers. The landscape of the red rock desert of southern Utah provides another kind of inspiration - and an energetic arts community is emerging here. Wednesday we're talking about the influence of place - this place - on the life of an artist.
6/3/08: Moab: The New West? (2008-06-03)
Tuesday we're on location in the new Grand County library talking about how Moab is living up to the ideals of the New West. Environmentalist had hoped that the city would a new economic model, that it would shift away from industries like mining and cattle. Instead they envisioned a community that has as its center piece the beauty of the land and its remarkable terrain. A few decades into this experiment, locals say the results have been mixed.
Exploring the Colon (2008-06-03)
KUER's Jenny Brundin goes spelunkiing in a 20-foot inflatable replica of the human colon with the help of an expert guide, Dr. J.P. Hughes.
6/2/08: Amy Irvine's Trespass (2008-05-30)
The writer Amy Irvine joined us earlier this year to talk about her book called "Trespass." Four months after her father had committed suicide, Amy left Salt Lake City for the high desert town of Monticello. As a wilderness activist and apostate Mormon, she was the ultimate outsider in a community of Mormon ranchers. At its heart this book is an elegy to her father, to the desert and to the connection between body and nature. (Rebroadcast)
Youth Waves II-Andrea Flores (2008-05-30)
In the first piece for our continuing series "Youth Waves II," we hear about the fear and anxiety many students have over applying to college. Some kids have whole teams of people -- their parents and others -- guiding them through the application process: What tests to take, how to write an essay, which schools are the best. Andrea Flores isn't one of those kids.
Breaking Down Per-Pupil Spending in Utah (2008-05-29)
A new study from the Utah Foundation analyzes what Utah taxpayers for the money the spend on each student in public schools.
5/30/08: Spending Utah's Education Dollars (2008-05-29)
Utah ranks last in the nation in per pupil spending, but how exactly are those education dollars being spent and what is the real impact on students? A new report from Utah Foundation takes on the questions, and Friday, Dan Bammes and guests look at the results of the study.
5/29/08: The Fall of Conservatism (2008-05-28)
In his latest article for The New Yorker magazine, the journalist George Packer says that there's a reason the least conservative, least divisive Republican is the last man standing for the party's presidential nomination. Packer argues that conservatism is "dying before our eyes." Thursday, he joins Doug to look at the shift in the political party, and at the intellectual despair he says now exists among many Republicans.
5/28/08: Dead Lucky (2008-05-27)
Lincoln Hall likes to say that on May 25, 2006, he died on Mt. Everest. It was the one of the deadliest climbing seasons on the mountain, and when Hall collapsed shortly after summiting, he was pronounced dead and left behind. His story gets really interesting though the next morning, when he was found very much alive. Lincoln Hall is in Salt Lake City, and joins Doug to tell his story.
5/27/08: The Tricky Part (2008-05-23)
Tuesday on RadioWest, we're profiling the latest production by Plan B Theatre Company. Martin Moran's one-man play "The Tricky Part" is based on his experiences as a teen sexually abused by a man 20 years his senior. The work is a surprising journey through the complexities of Catholicism, desire and human trespass.
PTSD Scholar Speaks (2008-05-23)
KUER's Tasha Cook interviews Lynnette Averill, a doctoral psychology candidate who works with Utah veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has been awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study PTSD at the pre-eminent PTSD center in Australia.
5/26/08: We Refused to Die (2008-05-23)
In 1942 the Japanese army forced about 70,000 US and Philippino prisoners of war to march some 80 miles across the Bataan Peninsula on the way to a prison camp. More than 10,000 died or were summarily executed along the way. Among the survivors was Gene Jacobsen - who published a book about the ordeal. Jacobsen joined us back in 2004 to share his story of three and a half years as a prisoner of war. (Rebroadcast)
5/23/08: Kurt Andersen - Heyday (2008-05-22)
Earlier this year, Studio 360 host Kurt Andersen joined us. Aside from being a public radio personality, Andersen is also a critic, a columnist and a novelist. His latest book is an historical novel set in 19-century America. It's called Heyday - and it's the story of four people chasing their dreams at a time when America herself is still being dreamed-up. (Rebroadcast)
New Salt Lake City Economic Development Leader (2008-05-22)
Long-time downtown leader Bob Farrington will be Salt Lake City's new economic development director. KUER's Jenny Brundin has more.
Utah Veteran with PTSD Struggles, Gets Help (2008-05-22)
Monday is Memorial Day, a day to remember those veterans who have died while serving in the U-S military. It is estimated that more than 4-thousand have been killed while in Iraq and Afghanistan. While others return home alive, they are wounded from combat, not just with physical scars, but with deep psychological ones. These veterans live with what is known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. KUER's Tasha Cook has this profile.
5/22/08: Final Salute (2008-05-21)
More than 4,000 American soldiers have died in Iraq since the war began in March of 2003. Regardless of the politics, the number serves as a sobering reminder of the human sacrifice of war. In his new book Final Salute, journalist Jim Sheeler chronicles a year with Steve Beck - a Marine Major whose job it is to inform families of the death of their soldiers. Thursday, Jim Sheeler introduces us to the people that are paying the highest price in war.
Radioactive Waste from Overseas (2008-05-21)
U.S. Representative Jim Matheson insists he's not anti- nuclear power. But he wants to make sure the U.S. does not become a dumping ground for nuclear waste from foreign countries. His proposed bill got a hearing today in Congress. Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports from Capitol Hill.
Wild in the City (2008-05-21)
This winter, writer and photographer Stephen Trimble came face to face with a cougar on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. He writes about the experience in the current issue of The Wasatch Journal - and about a 12-year scientific research project involving 170 radio-collared cougars. Trimble talks with KUER's Jenny Brundin about the private land on the Valley's west side that makes for a healthy population of cougars and the deer they hunt.
5/21/08: The Vatican and LDS Baptisms for the Dead (2008-05-20)
Last month, the Vatican sent a letter to Catholic dioceses around the world. In it, they were told not to give parish records to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their genealogical holdings. The letter cited concerns for Catholic Church members' privacy and also with the "detrimental" and "erroneous" LDS practice of baptism for the dead. Wednesday, we'll look at the directive from the Catholic Church and at what is at stake for Mormons practicing their faith.
5/20/08: A Slight Discomfort (2008-05-20)
Jeff Metcalf is a writer, so when he discovered he had prostate cancer, that's how he worked his way through the experience. He set about organizing a clear story out of the more abstract jumble of desperation, humiliation and revelation. Today on RadioWest, we're playing excerpts from the latest incarnation of Jeff's story, it's a piece of radio theater. Jeff will join us to talk the work - it's call "A Slight Discomfort"
Veteran struggles, gets help (2008-05-16)
On Monday, the Veteran's Medical Center in Salt Lake City will host a seminar for the media on Battlemind, a self-assessment tool given to veterans when they return from war. The program wasn't around when Iraq war veteran Bryan Catherman came home. In his essay, he talks of his own struggles after coming home... and of the VA staff who've tried to help him.
5/19/08: The Thirteen American Arguments (2008-05-16)
Veteran political journalist Howard Fineman says that there are certain debates that have been with us since the founding of the nation. And thankfully, for Fineman, they defy resolution. In his new book, "The Thirteen American Arguments," Howard Fineman explores questions like Who is a "person?" and Who judges the law? Monday, he joins Doug to talk about how these arguments continue to define us and to keep us free.
Oil Shale Development in Utah (2008-05-16)
Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch told lawmakers on Capitol Hill they need to stop getting in the way of Utah's development of oil shale. Matt Laslo reports from our Washington bureau.
5/16/08: The Legend of Colton H Bryant (2008-05-15)
In her new book, Alexandra Fuller writes about the simple life and heartbreaking death of a roughneck working on a Wyoming oil patch. "The Legend of Colton H. Bryant" explores the impact Wyoming's stark, rugged terrain has on a person's character and the effect of the oil and gas industry on rural communities. Fuller joins guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about one man's abbreviated life and the human costs of energy development.
5/15/08: Conservation Biologist M.A. Sanjayan (2008-05-14)
Today on RadioWest the conservation biologist M.A. Sanjayan will join us. He's spent his professional life fighting for the concept of biodiversity, but he's pushing the environmental community to define the term in a broader way. Sanjayan is trying to get more racial diversity within the movement and he's integrating the fight for conservation with the struggle against global poverty. He says the common denominator is that need to connect with nature.
Australian Pianists Dazzle Utah (2008-05-14)
Two of Australia's top pianists are visiting Utah this week, dazzling concertgoers and school children.
5/14/08: The Big Sort (2008-05-13)
You know the old saying: Birds of a feather flock together. The journalist Bill Bishop would say it's true. He says there's segregation going on in the country - and not just between red states and blue states. It's happening between towns and neighborhoods. People move, and when they do, they tend to gravitate towards communities that share their religious and political views. Wednesday, Bishop joins Doug to explain how our life-choices are dividing the nation.
5/13/08: Investigating Crandall Canyon (2008-05-12)
George Miller, the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, has called for a criminal investigation into the Crandall Canyon Mine Disaster that killed 6 miners in Utah last August. At question is whether general manager Laine Adair and others "willfully misled" MSHA about the safety of the mine. Today on RadioWest, we're taking a look at what is known about the disaster and at what it reveals about coal mining in the country.
5/9/08: Einstein (2008-05-09)
Walter Isaacson's book on Albert Einstein is coming out in paperback next week, so today we're rebroadcasting our conversation with the biographer. Isaacson calls Einstein the paramount icon of our age, and his book weaves together Einstein's scientific thinking with his political beliefs and his complicated personal life. The thing that seems to tie it all together is imagination. The story, Isaacson says, is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom. (Rebroadcast)
5/12/08: Mark Twain and the American West (2008-05-09)
When Mark Twain wrote about his 1861 visit to the Utah Territory, he turned his caustic wit on its inhabitants and religion alike. His look at the Book of Mormon declared it "chloroform in print." Take out the phrases "and it came to pass" and "exceeding sore" he argued, and "[Smith's] Bible would have been only a pamphlet." Doug is joined by biographer Ron Powers to talk about his book Mark Twain: A Life and about Twain's contribution to the mythology of the West. (Rebroadcast)
Geothermal plant breaks ground (2008-05-09)
Ground will be broken today to build Utah's first geothermal plant in 20 years. A report on renewable energy in the Rockies found the state's geothermal potential is vast. KUER's Jenny Brundin speaks with Raser Technologies CEO Brent Cook.
Voters concerned about energy (2008-05-08)
Energy - and the cost of energy - has displaced public education as the most important issue, according to a new report by the Utah Foundation. The rising cost of fuel is central. But, as KUER's Dan Bammes reports, issues of energy supply, technology and conservation are also critical to the discussion.
Portraits of Utah Workers 1 (2008-05-07)
Today we begin a series of portraits of Utahns, the work they do every day and how they feel about it. David Thomlin is the lead molder at the family owned May Foundry and Machine Company in Salt Lake City. In a dark, noisy, and dirty hangar, Thomlin holds down an old fashioned industrial job - increasingly rare in today's high-tech world.
5/8/08: The Devil Whale (2008-05-07)
We continue our series on Utah music with the alternative folk band The Devil Whale. The Salt Lake City band - formerly known as Palomino - is very popular in Utah Valley. Provo club owner Corey Fox says their lead singer and guitarist Brinton Jones is "the most passionate front man on the scene." Doug talks to Jamie Gadette of the Salt Lake City Weekly and to Fox about the unique role Utah Valley plays in local music. We're then joined by the band - live with instruments in studio.
5/7/08: Flow - Access and Privatization of Water (2008-05-07)
Today on RadioWest we're talking about water: in particular, what some believe is an emerging global catastrophe over the world water supply. This is a story about the trend to privatize water systems, but it's also about polution, politics and economics. In the end, this is about access to clean water and it's effecting every country in the world. We'll profile a film being screened in Utah this week. It's called Flow: For Love of Water.
Mayors Plan Jordan River Renewal (2008-05-06)
The Jordan River touches a dozen municipalities, and they're all planning to work together to restore it.
Salt Lake City 29 Years Later (2008-05-06)
George Pence moved back to Salt Lake City after 29 years away, and reflects on what's changed -- and what hasn't.
5/6/08: Bonk (2008-05-05)
The writer and journalist Mary Roach says that it took science a long time to get up the nerve to study human sexuality. Even then much of that research went on behind closed doors in laboratories, Alfred Kinsey's attic and yes, brothels. Roach has written a new book called Bonk and Tuesday, she joins Doug to talk about the physiology of sex and about the stigmas that have made studying it so difficult.
A Universal Government-Private Health Care Plan Introduced (2008-05-02)
It could be the Holy Grail of health care reform: a plan that covers everyone and pays for itself. Turns out budget experts say it really is possible.
5/5/08: Healthy Americans Act (2008-05-02)
Utah Republican Senator Bob Bennett and Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden are co-sponsoring the Healthy Americans Act - an attempt to reform America's health care system. The legislation is getting a lot of attention for its bipartisan support - seven Democrats and seven Republicans are on board. Monday on RadioWest, Doug talks to Senator Bennett and others about the proposal and what it brings to the health care reform debate.
Health Care Reform: What's Possible? (2008-05-01)
A health care economist says comprehensive change is necessary, and he looks at what's politically possible.
5/2/08: The War We Deserve (2008-05-01)
The scholar Alasdair Roberts says that many Americans tell an oversimplified tale about the war in Iraq. They fault the president and his powerful cronies for everything gone wrong. The truth though, according to Roberts, is much more complicated, and the American public shares the blame. Friday, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Alasdair Roberts about the unrealistic demands we place on our government and how little we are willing to sacrifice to make them happen. (Rebroadcast)
5/1/08: Actor Mandy Patinkin (2008-04-30)
Later this month, the Tony and Emmy winner Mandy Patinkin will be in concert at the Browning Center for the Performing Arts in Ogden. Patinkin is known for his Broadway roles in musicals like Evita and Sunday in the Park with George and his television roles from Chicago Hope to Criminal Minds. To many, he remains legendary as Inigo Montoya, the swashbuckling swordsman in The Princess Bride. Thursday, Mandy Patinkin joins Doug to talk about his varied career, and his passion for stage and screen.
Congress takes up Washington County Land Bill (2008-04-30)
This week Congress heard mostly favorable testimony from county officials and environmentalists for what amounts to an uneasy peace agreement over land use in Southwestern Utah.
4/30/08: Picturing Joseph Smith (2008-04-29)
A daguerreotype has recently re-emerged that is raising some intriguing historical questions. The researcher S. Michael Tracy believes it to be the only known photo of the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. Others question its authenticity and it has raised quite a stir. What makes such an image so fascinating - and what would a real image of Smith mean to the faithful?
4/29/08: Valerie Plame Wilson (2008-04-28)
Tuesday on RadioWest Valerie Plame Wilson will join us to talk about how she responded to having her cover as a CIA operative blown in the political squabble over the justification for the war in Iraq. You all know the story by now. The disclosure spurred a federal investigation that led to the conviction of the Vice President's Chief of Staff. Plame Wilson is coming to Utah this weekend. She's written a book about her experience called "Fair Game."
4/25/08: The Millennials (2008-04-28)
Millennials - the generation born from 1982 to 2002 - are described by some researchers as selfish and entitled, and by others as compassionate and self-assured. Tuesday, Doug talks to Neil Howe, co-author of Millennials Rising, and then to Jean Twenge, author of Generation Me about the Americans who are coming of age in a world very different from that of their parents and grandparents. (Rebroadcast)
Group Opposes Washington County Lands Bill (2008-04-25)
A community group in southern Utah says the new bill to resolve federal land issues in Washington County ignores important community input.
4/28/08: From Faithful to Fanatical (2008-04-25)
Three weeks after the raid on the FLDS compound in Eldorado, Texas, questions about due process, religious liberty and the psychological underpinnings of sects remain in the headlines.
4/24/08: "Carmina Burana" (2008-04-24)
Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" embodies the explosive passions, drama and color of fate, fortune and life itself. The Utah Symphony Chorus is performing the piece this weekend.
Abstinence-based Sex Education Challenged (2008-04-23)
Members of Congress from Utah are among those who continue backing abstinence-based sex education in spite of research showing it doesn't work.
4/23/08: The Year of Living Biblically (2008-04-23)
Not touching unclean things or wearing clothes with mixed fibers were just two of the some 700 rules that A.J. Jacobs tried to follow as he lived an entire year according to the strict prescriptions of the Bible. The editor at large of Esquire tried to keep his rules in New York City of all places, and Thursday, Jacobs talks to Doug about his funny - and profound - journey. (Rebroadcast)
4/21/08: Aging in the 21st Century (2008-04-21)
Geriatric specialist Dr. Harry Lodge says that we humans have achieved staggering longevity. If you take care of yourself, you have a very good chance of living until you're 90, and it's the Boomer generation that's redefining aging in America. Lodge joins Doug to talk about the social and biological influences on aging, and what it means to "grow old" in the 21st century. (Rebroadcast)
4/22/08: House Lust (2008-04-18)
Have you ever attended an open house with no intention of buying? Would you rather shop for bathroom tile than for shoes? If the answer is yes, than the journalist Daniel McGinn says you may have "House Lust." You're not alone though. For many, the American dream of owning a home has become a sort of mania. Tuesday, McGinn is with us to explain "the arms race for square footage" that has come at such a high price.
Utah Activist Lobbies in DC (2008-04-18)
An activist from Utah did the rounds of Utah's Congressional delegation, hoping to keep radioactive waste from Europe from winding up in Utah.
4/18/08: Acts of Faith (2008-04-18)
Eboo Patel is American - and Muslim - and Indian. He grew up outside of Chicago dealing with racism and his own struggle to decide which of the three identities he would embrace. But Patel came to learn that the power to create change lies at the intersection of religion, ethnicity and nationality - not at the extremes. Doug spoke with Eboo Patel when he was in Utah last year about what he calls "the struggle for the soul of a generation." (Rebroadcast)
Health Care Reform Task Force Begins Work (2008-04-17)
KUER's Dan Bammes speaks to Republican State Representative David Clark about the legislature's health care reform task force.
4/17/08: Waiting for Hockney (2008-04-16)
For 10 years the aspiring artist Billy Pappas worked on one life-sized portrait. He had set out to reinvent realism - to invent a new art form. Thursday on RadioWest, Doug talks to filmmaker Julie Checkoway about her new documentary "Waiting for Hockney." Checkoway followed Pappas through what some might call his compulsive, eccentric process - and on his quest to meet the one person he felt could validate his work.
Public Participation Invited in Utility Case (2008-04-16)
A consumer advocate is urging public participation in a utility regulation case now before Utah's Public Service Commission.
4/16/08: Fresh Air's Terry Gross (2008-04-15)
Next week, NPR's Terry Gross is coming to Salt Lake City. What do you learn about people after you've done literally thousands of interviews? Today on RadioWest, we'll talk about the essence of a good interview. Terry's learned it's about preparation and trust, that you learn more about their lives from their weaknesses than from their strengths and to get it right you may have to break a few rules of polite behavior.
Senator Hatch Wants Radio to Pay the Players (2008-04-15)
Senator Orrin Hatch thinks radio stations need to pay performers as well as composers when they play music.
4/15/08: Pursuing Polygamy in Texas (2008-04-14)
In 1953, authorities arrested some 400 Mormon fundamentalists - including 236 children. Fast forward to this month - when more than 400 children from the FLDS community in Texas were taken into state custody. Tuesday, we'll talk about the recent raid and how it compares to earlier actions. At the heart of the matter remains an essential question: Is this life style a matter of religious liberty or a form of slavery for women?
4/14/08: Sick Around the World (2008-04-11)
Four in five Americans agree that the US health care system needs a "fundamental" change, but there are many differing opinions on what that change should look like. Veteran Washington Post journalist TR Reid has investigated health care in five other countries - the UK, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Switzerland. Monday, Reid joins Doug to talk about what we can learn from both the failures and success of these systems.
4/11/08: PostSecret (2008-04-10)
How well do you think you know your sister, your spouse or your best friend? Everyone has secrets. They may be painful or funny, but sometimes they just have to be told. Frank Warren has become a confessor of sorts. He collects anonymous postcards that reveal something about their creators and makes them public on his blog, PostSecret. Warren joins Doug for a look at the things we conceal and what those things can teach us about the human experience. (Rebroadcast)
RadioWest on XM (4/11/08): How to Be Idle (2008-04-10)
Tom Hodgkinson argues that the Western addiction to work has resulted in a lot of ill health, debt and anxiety. In his book How to Be Idle, he seeks to recover an alternative tradition - one that says not only is idleness good, but that it is essential for a pleasurable life. Hodgkinson joins Doug Fabrizio to make the case for doing less with your life. (Repeat)
4/10/08: The Ten-Cent Plague (2008-04-09)
After the end of World War II and before the television took over the American household, comic books were the most popular form of entertainment. But they were also shockingly irreverent. Churches denounced them, cities outlawed them, and even Congress held hearings on comic books and juvenile delinquency. In his new book, the writer David Hajdu says that before rock 'n roll rebelled - there was "The Ten-Cent Plague." Hajdu joins Doug to talk about comic books - and how they changed America.
4/9/08: Windy City (2008-04-08)
You know Scott Simon as the host of NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, and in his 30 some years with NPR, the Peabody-Award-winning correspondent has seen it all. Simon has put this experience together with his descriptive powers to create his second novel. It's called Windy City: A Novel of Politics. Wednesday, Scott Simon joins Doug to talk about politics, satire and creating fiction.
4/8/08: Listening Is an Act of Love (2008-04-07)
Independent radio producer David Isay worried that the stories collected for the Story Corps project would eventually get repetitive and would only be interesting to the people participating. The national oral history project is now in its fifth year though, and Isay says there's an "astonishing array" of stories. David Isay - whose documentary work has earned him five Peabody Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award and a MacArthur Genius Award - joins Doug to explain why listening is an act of love.
4/7/08: The Lost Ark of the Covenant (2008-04-04)
The Ark of the Covenant disappeared from the Temple in Jerusalem more than 2500 years ago, but still it's the subject of speculation, fiction and myth. The scholar Tudor Parfitt's life work has been tracking down the lost tribes of Israel, and in his new book, he takes on the great mystery of the ark. His journey took him from Israel to Egypt, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and even Papua, New Guinea. Monday, Parfitt talks to Doug about his quest for one of the world's most important artifacts.
4/4/08: The Last Duel (2008-04-03)
Honor is a curious concept, and until the mid-19th century, it was entirely proper for a gentleman to risk his life to defend it. In his book, "The Last Duel," BBC political correspondent James Landale recounts the true story of a Scottish merchant who fatally shot his banker in a duel in 1826. Landale joins Doug from London to reconstruct the social and cultural circumstances of dueling, and to explain why "honor" drove so many young men to an early death. (Rebroadcast)
337 Project to Morph Into Green Condos (2008-04-02)
The decorated but vacant building known as the 337 Project is about to become a new kind of condominium project using recycled materials.
4/3/08: NAACP Chairman Julian Bond (2008-04-02)
This Friday marks 40 years since civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, but did he die in vain? That's the question posed in a day of lectures sponsored by the University of Utah's College of Law. Julian Bond - Chairman of the NAACP - will come to Utah to be part of the commemoration. Today on RadioWest, he joins Doug to reflect on the modern civil rights movement.
4/2/08: The Eyes of Babylon (2008-04-01)
After serving in Iraq under the don't ask, don't tell policy, Jeff Key resigned his post in the Marines. He was proud to serve his country - but couldn't reconcile his reasons for joining the military to what he saw as an immoral war. Key has written a play about his experiences. It's called The Eyes of Babylon and it opens this week in Salt Lake City. Wednesday, Jeff Key joins Doug to talk about his service, and about his journey of conscience.
Utah Scientists Study Plants in Space (2008-04-01)
Today's astronauts tend a small garden for the sake of science and a little bit of food. Sheri Quinn reports future space missions will need to do some serious gardening.
4/1/08: The Book Bizarre (2008-03-31)
Tuesday, we're offering a list of bizarre books for this most foolish of holidays. From fake works like the book on silence - consisting of entirely blank pages - to serious tomes with titles like "Inquiry into the Medicinal Value of the Excreta of Reptiles," our team of local booksellers has seen it all. We hope you'll join us with your own "weird book" suggestions as well.
4/1/08: The Book Bizarre (2008-03-31)
Tuesday, we're offering a list of bizarre books for this most foolish of holidays. From fake works like the book on silence - consisting of entirely blank pages - to serious tomes with titles like "Inquiry into the Medicinal Value of the Excreta of Reptiles," our team of local booksellers has seen it all. We hope you'll join us with your own "weird book" suggestions as well.
3/31/08: Where Did I Leave My Glasses? (2008-03-28)
You've probably had this happen - you can't find your keys or don't remember the name of the person you just met yesterday - and you worry it's a sign of things to come. There are 78 million baby boomers in the US today, and memory loss is one of their biggest concerns. The journalist Martha Weinman Lear has just published a new book, and in it she explains that what you're experiencing is universal and normal. Lear joins Doug to talk about the what, when and why of normal memory loss.
3/28/08: Joe and Lee Bennion (2008-03-27)
For generations art has been an important part of life in Spring City, Utah. Last summer, we broadcast a series of programs from the community. The painter Lee Udall Bennion and her husband - the acclaimed potter Joe Bennion - joined us as to talk about the connection between art and place. (Rebroadcast)
Top Issues for Utahns (2008-03-27)
A Utah Foundation report released yesterday details the top issues and concerns of Utah voters. Its list of priorities can be a guide for candidates as they campaign and for voters when they cast their ballots this November. KUER's Tasha Cook has more on this report:
3/27/08: For God and Country (2008-03-26)
Former US Army Captain James Yee was a chaplain at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base ministering to detainees. Then in 2003, Yee was abruptly arrested, charged with espionage and thrown into solitary confinement. All criminals were eventually dropped. Yee is in Salt Lake City, and joins Jennifer Napier-Pearce to reflect on what justice, faith and patriotism mean in a post-9/11 world.
3/26/08: Happy Valley (2008-03-25)
It might be easy - and convenient - to think of drug users as people who come from the fringe of our society. Ron Williams knows differently though. As a father raising his daughter alone - he had to answer some tough questions from her about her mother. The truth was - Ron's ex-wife was addicted. His search for answers led to a new film called Happy Valley. Ron Williams and others join Doug in studio to talk about drug addiction in Utah.
3/25/08: Earth: The Sequel (2008-03-25)
Scientists often describe global warming in catastrophic terms: melting glaciers, storms on steroids, droughts, mass migration. But where many see only disaster, Fred Krupp sees hope. From investors tinkering in their garages to venture capitalists financing emerging low-carbon solutions, Krupp says the American entrepreneurial spirit can solve the global warming crisis. Krupp is coming to Utah, and today he joins Jennifer Napier-Pearce for a look at how the market can deal with global warming.
Couple Committed to Electric Cars (2008-03-24)
A 100 percent electric car is pretty cutting-edge in Utah ..there's a two-seater in Logan, a pick-up truck in Park City .and now, a West Capitol Hill family drives a 100 percent electric car that seats five. KUER's Jenny Brundin reports on those rarest of individuals who, upon seeing air pollution and reading about global warming, actually do something about it.
3/24/08: Let Their People Come (2008-03-23)
Economist Lant Pritchett spent more than 10 years at the World Bank. He's seen trade and aid dispersed to the world's most impoverished regions, and still the separation between rich countries and poor countries continues to grow. As a Mormon raised in Utah and Idaho, Pritchett sees migration as part of his culture. He also sees it as a solution to poverty. Pritchett joins Doug in studio to talk about his controversial idea - that opening national borders will benefit economies around the globe.
Uranium Taillings to Leave Moab by Truck (2008-03-21)
The high cost of rail transporation means tons of old uranium mill tailings will be moved out of Moab by truck.
3/21/08: American Brutus (2008-03-20)
Today on the program we're telling the story of John Wilkes Booth. Most everyone knows Booth as the man who killed Abraham Lincoln, but the historian Michael Kauffman says his plans were much larger than that. He planned to topple the entire Union government. Doug talks to Michael Kauffman about the background and motives of this "American Brutus." (Rebroadcast)
Utah's Delegation Reacts to Lobbying Rules Change (2008-03-20)
Recent changes in the rules for lobbyists are changing the culture in Washington. Not all members of Congress are pleased.
3/20/08: Reading Judas (2008-03-19)
Thursday on RadioWest, the scholar Karen King is joining us. Her book "Reading Judas" is just out in paperback. In it, King and co-author Elaine Pagels reflect on the recently discovered Gospel of Judas and what it reveals about Jesus' most misunderstood follower.
3/18/08: High Crimes on Everest (2008-03-18)
When the journalist Michael Kodas went to climb Mount Everest in 2004, he envisioned the project as an adventure piece. By the time he returned he had a crime story. Kodas discovered an atmosphere of corruption on Everest: petty thieves and con men, prostitutes, extortionists. Michael Kodas is coming to Utah this week. Tuesday on RadioWest he joins Doug to talk about the book he's written on the experience. It's an expose of a culture that exploit the grand impulse for adventure.
Help for Beekeepers in Farm Bill? (2008-03-18)
Utah is known as the Beehive State, but beekeepers here are watching their colonies disappear. There may get some help in the farm bill now before Congress.
3/19/08: The American Frontier in Music (2008-03-18)
If you could pick one piece of music that portrayed the American West - what would it be? The writer and cultural historian Joseph Horowitz says composers like Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson and Roy Harris defined the iconic West in music - and that it was lean and uncluttered: "as spare as the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and Mojave Desert." Horowitz joins Doug Wednesday for a portrait of the American Frontier in music.
3/17/08: The World Without Us (2008-03-17)
If the world were suddenly devoid of humans - not one soul left - what would happen to the planet? Though we imagine our structures built to last, it wouldn't take long for streets and buildings to crumble, and nature to move on quite happily. Monday on RadioWest, Alan Weisman takes us on a tour of "The World Without Us." (Rebroadcast)
3/13/08: The Autumn of Multitasking (2008-03-12)
Remember the promises made by the makers of the microchip? That connectivity would liberate us from an earthbound existence? In an essay for the Atlantic Monthly, the writer Walter Kirn described another scenario - the digital universe as an unsustainable investment of human energy. Thursday morning, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Kirn about multitasking and how it's actually dumbing us down.
3/13/08: The End of the Horizon (2008-03-12)
Thursday night, RadioWest is broadcasting live from the set of Plan B Theatre Company's newest production "The End of the Horizon." In 1934, artist and naturalist Everett Ruess disappeared in the rugged canyon country near Escalante, Utah. To this day, his fate remains a mystery. Utah playwright Debora Threedy's drama looks at the disappearance through the eyes of those who felt it most painfully - Ruess' family.
Waste from Italy Coming to Utah (2008-03-11)
Only one member of Utah's Congressional delegation is showing any concern about a plan to bring radioactive waste from Italy for disposal in Utah.
3/12/08: Learning to Lie (2008-03-11)
If you have children, you've probably been told a lie two: "I didn't hit my sister" or "Yes, I brushed my teeth." You may think that they'll outgrow this stage, but a recent survey found that 98% of teens lie to their parents. Wednesday on RadioWest, Doug is talking to the writer Po Bronson. Bronson's recent article in New York Magazine takes on kids and lying, and as it turns out - they're learning it from you.
3/11/08: Doris Kearns Goodwin (2008-03-10)
The Pulitzer-prize winning author and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin is coming to Utah this week. Goodwin served as assistant to Lyndon Johnson during his final year in the White House, and she's written on the Kennedys, the Roosevelts and Abraham Lincoln. Tuesday on RadioWest, Goodwin joins Doug to share what she's learned about vision and leadership from the presidents she has studied.
3/10/08: In Defense of Food (2008-03-07)
Years ago, writer and journalist Michael Pollan changed his diet with a simple garden and a few basic rules like eating your veggies and avoiding foods with unrecognizable ingredients. His most recent book is In Defense of Food and in it, Pollan says that what we're eating today isn't food at all and that the way we're consuming it isn't actually eating. Pollan is coming to Utah, and he joins Doug for a look at the out of control American diet.
Prison Education Programs Face Cuts (2008-03-07)
Utah's prison education programs will have to scale back after their budgets were cut by the legislature.
Utah Legislature Wraps Up General Session (2008-03-06)
The Utah legislature ended its general session yesterday. Many of its leaders describe the session as calm and well-organized.
3/7/08: Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2008-03-06)
As a mountaineer and avid outdoorsman, Aron Ralston had come to believe that what we do in life defines who we are. In April of 2003, this sense of adventure brought Ralston to a remote canyon in Southern Utah, where in one flash his wrist became pinned to the canyon wall. After days of trying to free himself, Aron Ralston severed his right arm with a dull multi-tool and saved himself. (Rebroadcast)
Utah Legislature Wraps Up General Session (2008-03-06)
The Utah legislature ended its general session yesterday. Many of its leaders describe the session as calm and well-organized.
Utah Legislature Wraps Up General Session (2008-03-06)
The Utah legislature ended its general session yesterday. Many of its leaders describe the session as calm and well-organized.
Education, Land Use and Liquor at the Legislature (2008-03-05)
In the final week of the legislative session, lawmakers were dealing with an omnibus spending bill, limits on town incorporations and Utah's unique liquor laws.
3/6/08: 2008 Legislative Wrap-Up (2008-03-05)
Utah's 2008 Legislative session ended Wednesday at midnight, so Thursday on the program, we're taking a look at the decisions your representatives made. We'll also talk about the atmosphere on the hill this year. Doug is joined by lawmakers and journalists who have been covering the session, and we hope you'll join us as well.
3/4/08: The Pentagon - A History (2008-03-04)
The Pentagon is one of the most enigmatic buildings in the world. 17 miles of corridors are in this thing. Just the building itself takes up 29 acres, and it was created in 17 months. Today on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Washington Post reporter Steve Vogel. We talked to him about the fascinating story of the Pentagon. It's not just about a building. It's also a broader history of the evolving role of the military in American life. (Rebroadcast)
Spending Bills "Bundled" in Final Days (2008-03-04)
Republican leaders in the Utah legislature are "bundling" bills for education programs. Educators say a better choice would be more funding for the basic school program.
3/3/08: The Zookeeper's Wife (2008-03-04)
Monday morning, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with the Doug talks to the poet and naturalist Diane Ackerman about her book The Zookeeper's Wife. It's the true story of Jan Zabinski and his wife Antonina, who sheltered 300 Jews in the Warsaw Zoo during World War II. (Rebroadcast)
3/5/08: Environmentalist Bill McKibben (2008-03-04)
The environmentalist Bill McKibben has been editing an anthology of more than 100 American nature writers. The project got him thinking about the act of writing and its relationship to environmental activism. "Each advance in environmental practice," says McKibben, "was preceded by a great book." Wednesday on RadioWest, Bill McKibben joins Doug to talk about his career as a leading advocate for the environment and about how the writing process has informed his thinking.
Scaled back domestic partnership registry advances; car insurance may go up (2008-03-03)
A significantly scaled back attempt to reign inn Salt Lake City's domestic partnership registry passed a Senate commitee today. And - hundreds of thousands of car-insurance holders may see their rates rise under a bill before House lawmakers.
3/3/08: Stories from the Heart of the Land (2008-02-29)
At 7:00 p.m. RadioWest presents a special live broadcast with radio producer Jay Allison. Allison joins Doug at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center to talk about his NPR series, "Stories from the Heart of the Land" and the profound and inspiring experience of humans in nature.
Utah Theater CenterStage (2008-02-29)
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is moving forward with his plan for a downtown arts district. KUER's Tasha Cook has more on this story.
2/29/08: Jane Goodall (2008-02-28)
Dr. Jane Goodall has revolutionized the world of science and the way we understand animals, and it is her empathy and spiritual connection to nature that inspired her work. Goodall will be in Utah next week, so we're rebroadcasting our conversation with her about the life lessons she has learned in the forests of Gombe and her message of hope. (Rebroadcast)
2/28/08: Band of Annuals (2008-02-28)
We're beginning a series of programs profiling local music, and we start today with a very popular local band called Band of Annuals. If you had to characterize them, it would be alt-country, but the group appeals to an incredibly wide audience: indie rockers, head bangers, folk fans. Band of Annuals will be in the studio today - with their instruments - talking about music and best of all playing some of it.
Education & Immigration At the State Capitol (2008-02-28)
Major changes in how Utah public schools will be funded and the push for statewide immigration reform bills were discussed at the State Capitol yesterday.
Budget Disappointments, Clean Air and Animal Torture at the Utah Legislature (2008-02-27)
The Utah legislature is making difficult funding decisions with a week left in the general session and revenue projections down.
2/27/08: HB 266 and the International Baccalaureate Program (2008-02-27)
Today we're trying to figure out what's behind the suspicion of a handful of Utah lawmakers to the United Nations. Concerns about the UN prompted a Senate committee last week to reject a bill that would provide funding for International Baccalaureate programs in high schools. These are voluntary programs that teach students international issues. Two parts to the program: that uneasy relationship between conservatives and the UN and the kind of education young people are getting about the world.
Legislative Bills Won't Change Much at UTA (2008-02-26)
A legislative audit found much to criticize at the Utah Transit Authority, but the bills meant to address those issues would make only a few changes.
Utahn starts orphanage in Africa (2008-02-25)
After witnessing harrowing abuse at an orphanage in Cameroon, 27-year-old Utahn Ryan Hansen helps the kids escape, and starts his own orphanage.
2/26/08: Amy Irvine's Trespass (2008-02-25)
Tuesday, Doug talks to author and conservationist Amy Irvine. She's just published a new book called Trespass: Living on the Edge of the Promised Land. It's a memoir of Irvine's move to the desert in the wake of her father's suicide and the struggle to find her place in the rural, conservative community. It's also an elegy though - to the rugged landscape of the Colorado Plateau and to our dwindling connection to the land.
2/25/08: Kick Like A Girl (2008-02-22)
The Mighty Cheetahs had two undefeated seasons under their belt, and the team's coach decided it was time to find these third-grade girls a little competition. So the Salt Lake City soccer team joined the boys division. Filmmaker and coach Jenny Mackenzie has created a short documentary of the season, and the result is a look at what sports help girls and boys learn about winning, losing and playing your best. Monday, Doug is joined by Mackenzie and others to talk about youth sports and gender.
Immigration bill, Money for IB programs killed (2008-02-22)
Money for gifted learning programs in Utah is in jeopardy because a state Senator believes such classes foster a quote United Nations agenda. Also on Utah's Capitol Hill yesterday a bill to strip the Board of Regents of its powers ..but first, KUER's Jenny Brundin reports on lawmakers efforts to crack down on illegal immigration before November elections.
Bills Targeting Unions, Road Safety and Higher Education (2008-02-21)
At the State Capitol yesterday, state lawmakers considered a bill that would affect unionizing efforts and measures that would transform career and technical training in Salt Lake Valley and attempt to ensure the safety of all Utah drivers.
2/22/08: A World in a Grain of Sand (2008-02-21)
Friday on RadioWest, we're broadcasting live from the University of Utah's Science and Literature Symposium "Measuring Scale." Doug talks to physicist Lisa Randall, poet Linda Gregerson and philosopher of architecture Sanford Kwinter about how size - from the tiniest of particles to the vastness of the cosmos - informs how they think about their work and our world.
Utah Lawmakers Contemplate Budget, Education Funding (2008-02-20)
Utah's legislature is looking at a major change in the way schools are funded, along with a much smaller budget surplus than they anticipated.
2/21/08: Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan (2008-02-20)
Thursday on RadioWest the writer and ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan will join us to talk about food and place. Nabhan has spent his life exploring the relationship of people to the land and its native sustenance. So when he talks about preserving the agricultural heritage of rural America or the cuisine of traditional societies or our own biological connection to certain foods, he's talking about culture and its deep dependence on the dwindling natural world.
2/20/08: Payday Lending and the Principles of Usury (2008-02-20)
Wednesday, we're talking about the high-cost debt industry in this country. In particular, we're focusing on payday lenders, who found a niche in places where there are a high number of working poor, minorities and elderly. Our guest is University of Utah law professor Christopher Peterson, who has just published an intriguing study that shows a link between what some regard as predatory loan places and conservative Christian populations like the Bible belt and the Mormon mountain west.
State Revenue Projections Down (2008-02-19)
The Utah legislature has a lot less money to work with than earlier projections anticipated, but the surplus is still substantial.
2/19/08: The Enemy at Home (2008-02-15)
Conservative thinker Dinesh D'Souza says that America has earned its bad reputation around the world. More specifically, he argues that it is the cultural left that bears the responsibility for anti-Americanism. D'Souza points to the decadence of American culture and a global campaign to promote secular values as the causes of 9/11. Tuesday, Doug talks to Dinesh D'Souza about his book "The Enemy at Home."
2/18/08: Presidential Courage (2008-02-15)
Monday on the program we're rebroadcasting our conversation with one of the country's leading presidential historians - Michael Beschloss. In his recent book, Beschloss has selected stories of American presidents who jeopardized their political careers, reputations, and even their lives to make the right decision. Beschloss writes: "Throughout our history it has been important for presidents to summon the courage to dismiss what is merely popular." (Rebroadcast)
Legislature Looks at Bullying, Immigration & Health System Reform (2008-02-15)
Utah's lawmakers deliberated yesterday over bills addressing school public safety, illegal immigration and health care system reform. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report:
Wilderness and Immigration (2008-02-15)
Many Utah legislators see comments by religious leaders in the debate over illegal immigration as having only limited influence.
Legislature Addresses School Safety, Health Reform (2008-02-14)
The Utah legislature took up the issue of bullying in schools. KUER's Tasha Cook looks at that and other action on Utah's Capitol Hill.
Legislature Looks at Bullying, Immigration & Health System Reform (2008-02-14)
Utah's lawmakers deliberated yesterday over bills addressing school public safety, illegal immigration and health care system reform. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report:
Legislature Looks at Bullying, Immigration & Health System Reform (2008-02-14)
Utah's lawmakers deliberated yesterday over bills addressing school public safety, illegal immigration and health care system reform. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report:
2/15/08: The 5 Browns (2008-02-14)
Imagine some of the greatest classical music climbing the charts with people streaming thousands of videos on the web - it's Stravinsky or Dvorak with a bullet. The albums by the extraordinary piano quintet The 5 Browns are immensely popular. These five siblings from Alpine, Utah joined us to tell their family story - and to talk about their collective and separate passion for music. (Rebroadcast)
New Duck-Billed Dinosaur Discovered (2008-02-13)
Utah paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species in Mexico. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report:
School Equalization and Immigrant Tuition (2008-02-13)
Battle lines were drawn between rich and poor school districts in the legislature, while the tuition break undocumented students get at Utah's public colleges could be disappearing.
Moab Group Wins 48-Hour Film Contest (2008-02-13)
An unlikely group of filmmakers had the winning entry in a YouTube contest sponsored by the Utah Arts Council.
2/14/08: Slam Dunks and No Brainers (2008-02-13)
Thursday on RadioWest, we're talking about American pop language. Leslie Savan is joining us - she's the author of the book Slam Dunks and No Brainers. Catch phrases and buzzwords, Savan explains - have a sort of glitz to them and when we use them, we draw on their power. And it's not just in our informal speech - advertisers, corporations and yes, even politicians use these colorful phrases to communicate. So like, whatever, you should totally check it out.
Great Salt Lake Drilling Could Threaten Art (2008-02-13)
Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty is among the world's best-known works of environmental art. A proposal to drill for oil in the Great Salt Lake less than five miles away has aroused a worldwide reaction.
2/13/08: The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2008-02-13)
Not everybody gets Daniel Johnston's art or his music. Some see him as a kind of savant genius, creating frail, melodic songs stripped of self-awareness or irony. Today we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Henry Rosenthal, producer of the acclaimed documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston." It traces the path of Johnston's life and explores the nature of his brilliance, which is both fueled and constrained by debilitating mental illness. (Rebroadcast)
Legislature Looks at Driving Privilege, Domestic Partners (2008-02-12)
The Utah legislature took up Salt Lake City's new Domestic Partners Registry along with driving privilege cards for undocumented immigrants.
2/12/08: Immigration and Compassion (2008-02-11)
This session, there are no less than 8 bills being considered by the Utah State Legislature dealing with immigration. Proponents argue that restrictions like revoking driving privilege cards for undocumented workers are just ways of enforcing the rule of law. But religious groups urge compassion. Tuesday on RadioWest, we're taking a look at the legislation and at how faith groups are thinking about reform.
2/11/08: Reagan and the Candidates (2008-02-08)
Since their first debate in early 2007, Republican candidates have been invoking the name of Ronald Reagan to prove their true conservatism. In a recent ad, the apparent Republican nominee John McCain says he was "inspired by Ronald Reagan" and that he "enlisted as a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution." Even Obama has compared himself to the iconic president. Monday on RadioWest, Doug talks to the biographer Lou Cannon about the real Reagan and about how today's politicians measure up.
Mitt Quits, Utah Reacts (2008-02-08)
Mitt Romney says he's suspending his presidential campaign, disappointing many supporters in Utah.
2/7/08: Meeting Resistance and Skin in Flames (2008-02-07)
Thursday there are two parts to the program, loosely connected by this theme: the unintended consequences that come when America tries to export its sensibilities to another culture. We'll talk about a powerful documentary that explores the resistance movement in Iraq. In the "them" and "us" of this war, the film is told from their perspective. Also we'll profile the latest production from the Salt Lake Acting Company. It's called "Skin in Flames." It's gripping, disturbing and hard to forget.
Legislators Oppose New Utah Wilderness (2008-02-07)
The development of land in Utah, especially public land, has long pitted wilderness advocates against energy developers and their allies in the legislature. KUER's Tasha Cook looks at a bill that incites this divide, and an anti-gang bill that is prompting debate over civil liberties.
2/8/08: Concert Pianist Leslie Howard (2008-02-07)
Leslie Howard is perhaps best known for his recording of the complete piano music of Liszt. The work took fourteen years to complete and was the largest recording project ever undertaken by a solo musician. Howard joined Doug in the studio (complete with piano) to talk about his career and his passion for music. (Rebroadcast)
Utah's Super Tuesday Primary (2008-02-06)
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were the winners in Utah's Super Tuesday presidential primary.
New President for Latter-day Saints (2008-02-05)
Thomas S. Monson met reporters in his new role as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Change Proposed for Utah Budget Process (2008-02-05)
Utah's unique state budget process is intended to avoid political logjams, but conservatives are proposing a controversial change.
2/6/08: Utah and the Presidential Primary (2008-02-05)
On Tuesday, 24 states including Utah held presidential primaries. Wednesday, we're live from the Caucus Room at the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics for a look at the results - and what they mean for Utah and the nation.
Big Changes at KRCL (2008-02-05)
KRCL started as a community radio station run by volunteers. Professional staff will now be doing many of those jobs as the station tries to gain a larger audience.
2/5/08: The Political Brain (2008-02-04)
Tuesday on RadioWest, as Americans in some 20 states head to the primaries, we're talking about the political brain. Psychologist Drew Westen joins Doug to explain the role emotion plays in the votes we cast. According to Westen, it sheds light on the success and failure of many candidates. When reason and emotion collide, there's no contest.
Mourners Remember Gordon B. Hinckley (2008-02-01)
A long stream of mourners has been filing past the casket of Gordon B. Hinckley, the late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
2/4/08: The Gen Y Vote (2008-02-01)
It may go against conventional wisdom about the Millennials, but a recent Time Magazine poll found that 7 out of 10 Americans under-30 are paying attention to the presidential race. And the candidates are taking notice. They're talking about issues like predatory student lending and global climate change - priorities for young voters. Monday, we're looking at the Youth Vote - and what difference it will make in the 2008 election.
Driving Privilege Cards Could Be Revoked (2008-02-01)
A legislative committee advanced a bill to revoke Utah's driving privilege cards for undocumented immigrants.
Utah Legislature Looks at Health Care Reform (2008-01-31)
A legislative committee advanced a bill that sets an ambitious agenda for health care reform in Utah.
2/1/08: Field Notes from a Catastrophe (2008-01-31)
Friday on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Elizabeth Kolbert. Kolbert is a staff writer for the New Yorker Magazine. Her reporting on the effects of global warming is regarded as the clearest and most extensive writing on the issue. Kolbert's book - called Field Notes from a Catastrophe - cuts through the political rhetoric to explain what science and studies are really telling us about climate change. (Rebroadcast)
Chelsea Clinton Campaigns for Mom in Utah (2008-01-30)
The 27-year-old daughter of Senator Hillary Clinton made a campaign stop in Utah prior to the Super Tuesday primaries.
1/31/08: The Geography of Bliss (2008-01-30)
Thursday on the program, the veteran NPR foreign correspondent Eric Weiner joins Doug to talk about his new book "The Geography of Bliss." After covering catastrophes in more than 30 countries, Weiner decided it was time to tell the other side of the story. So instead, he traveled the world trying to answer this question: What are the essential ingredients for the good life?
Carbon Dioxide Turns Oceans Acidic (2008-01-30)
Renowned oceanographer Marcia McNutt says industrial carbon emissions are not only melting the earth's ice but it's also making sea water more acidic and causing significant environmental damage.
Utah Set to Repeal Tuition Break for Undocumented Students (2008-01-30)
Undocumented students who attend Utah high schools qualify for resident college tuition under current law. But a legislative committee advanced a bill to repeal it.
1/29/08: Pornography (2008-01-29)
Tuesday on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting our conversation about pornography. The questions about it are usually related to the effects of sexually explicit photos and movies on women, on young people and on the culture at large. The journalist Debbie Nathan has written a book on the subject. In it, she goes beyond the moral apprehension and explores the broader questions. What is it exactly? Where does it come from? What are the real impacts of pornography? (Rebroadcast)
1/30/08: Twilight of the Books (2008-01-29)
When is the last time you read a book for leisure? A recent NEA report suggests that voluntary reading and reading proficiency are on the decline. But what would life like be like if people stopped reading? In his New Yorker Magazine article, the writer Caleb Crain suggests that literacy informs how we how we see the world and how we see ourselves. Wednesday, Crain joins Doug to talk about reading in America.
The Legacy of Gordon B. Hinckley (2008-01-29)
The President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints passed away on Sunday, January 27th. KUER's Jenny Brundin examines his legacy and where the church could be headed in the future.
Utah Tax Forms Help the Homeless (2008-01-29)
Utahns have a chance to help homeless people in their communities with a checkoff on their income tax forms. KUER's Jenny Brundin talks to the activist for whom the program is named.
1/28/08: The Legacy of President Gordon B. Hinckley (2008-01-25)
Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died yesterday at the age of 97. Today on the program, we're talking about the life and legacy of the man who led the church since 1995.
Matheson Encourages Transit Plans, Governor Considers Property Tax (2008-01-25)
House lawmakers signed off on an initial budget for Utah's public schools yesterday. And Congressman Jim Matheson gave legislators a reality check on road funding. Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. says he's willing to consider a property tax cut this legislative session, even though it's not in his budget.
1/25/08: Sundance - Man on Wire (2008-01-25)
Friday on RadioWest we're talking about an extraordinary film at the Sundance Film Festival. It's the adventure of Philippe Petit, who in 1974 managed to rig a cable on the very top of the World Trade Center and walk across the two towers. This was illegal mind you, and the film is more than a documentary. It's also been described as a kind of bank robbery film. It's also a very beautiful portrait of this strange obsession that is framed by death.
Mine Safety, Ticket Quotas at Utah's Capitol (2008-01-24)
A commission appointed to look into mine safety regulation in Utah issued its report yesterday, while lawmakers were looking at a prohibition on quotas for traffic tickets.
1/24/08: Sundance - Choke and Triage (2008-01-23)
Thursday on RadioWest, Doug is joined by author Chuck Palahniuk. His dark comedy Choke has been made into a film, and it premiered this week as part of the Sundance Film Festival's Dramatic Competition. We'll also look at the documentary Triage, which follows a humanitarian aid worker to some of the world's greatest tragedies.
Education & The State of the State (2008-01-23)
The six-week-long session of the Utah Legislature began this week. Yesterday, state lawmakers dove into their first full day of serious lawmaking and Governor Jon Huntsman presented his state of state address.
1/23/08: Sundance - The Linguists and Kicking It (2008-01-23)
Wednesday on RadioWest, we continue our coverage of the Sundance Film Festival. Kenneth Turan, film critic for The Los Angeles Times and NPR's Morning Edition will join us. We're also profiling two films. One is a documentary called Kicking It, which follows the players in a soccer competition designed for homeless people around the world. We'll also talk about The Linguists, the story of two scientists racing around the globe to collect endangered languages before they disappear completely.
Citizen Lobbyists at the Utah Legislature (2008-01-22)
Committed citizens have demonstrated they can have as much influence on members of the Utah legislature as highly-paid lobbyists.
Citizen Lobbyists at the Utah Legislature (2008-01-22)
Committed citizens have demonstrated they can often have as much influence in the Utah legislature as professional lobbyists.
Citizen Lobbyists at the Utah Legislature (2008-01-22)
Committed citizens have demonstrated they can have as much influence on members of the Utah legislature as highly-paid lobbyists.
Sundance Weekend (2008-01-21)
KUER's Tasha Cook shares the atmosphere and sounds of the Sundance Film Festival.
1/22/08: Sundance - Fields of Fuel (2008-01-21)
Tuesday on the program we're continuing our coverage of the Sundance Film Festival. Doug is joined by Josh Tickell - activist and director of the new documentary Fields of Fuel. In it, Tickell looks at explores the domination of the petrochemical industry and the growing interest in biodiesel technology.
1/21/08: Sundance 2008 (2008-01-21)
Monday, we begin our coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Doug is joined by Scott Renshaw of the Salt Lake City Weekly, and by the directors of the feature film Anywhere USA and the documentary Durakova: Village of Fools.
Sevier County Looks at New Coal-Fired Power Plant (2008-01-18)
Neighbors of a planned power plant in Sevier County, Utah have strong views on whether to build it -- or not.
Sundance Film Festival Kick Off (2008-01-18)
The 2008 Sundance Film Festival kicked off yesterday and continues through Sunday, January 27 in Park City.
Common Pesticide Turns Male Frogs Female (2008-01-18)
Professor Tyrone Hayes studies frogs, and he says a pesticide commonly used across the United States is having bizarre effects on amphibians.
Sevier County Looks at New Coal-Fired Power Plant (2008-01-18)
Neighbors of a planned power plant in Sevier County, Utah have strong views on whether to build it -- or not.
1/18/08: Reviving Ophelia (2008-01-17)
It's been more than a decade since Mary Pipher first published her influential work Reviving Ophelia, which explored the complicated lives of adolescent girls. At the time, she recommended a wholesale transformation of the culture, but today she says the volume of mixed messages and unrealistic expectations has only grown. Today on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting Doug's conversation with Pipher about that continuing struggle to save the selves of adolescent girls. (Rebroadcast)
1/17/08: Deer Hunting with Jesus (2008-01-17)
After 30 years building a middle-class life, the journalist Joe Bageant headed home to Winchester, Virginia. It was there he became reacquainted with the reality of the nation's underclass. They're his people, "the great beery, NASCAR-loving, church-going, gun-owning America that has never set foot in a Starbucks." And to understand the America we live in, you have to understand them. Joe Bageant joins us with his book "Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War." (Rebroadcast)
1/18/08: Richard Dutcher - Falling (2008-01-17)
Richard Dutcher made headlines as a "Mormon moviemaker," but his new film "Falling" may just break his last ties to his LDS audience. The film chronicles the mental and spiritual collapse of a Hollywood videographer, and Friday Dutcher joins Doug to talk about his film and his own journey away from faith.
1/16/08: 2008 Legislative Preview (2008-01-15)
Next week marks the start of Utah's 2008 Legislative session. Wednesday on the program, Doug is joined by observers and members of Senate and House leadership for a look at what to expect from the next six and a half weeks of lawmaking.
Candidates May Look at Western Issues as Campaign Moves West (2008-01-14)
Will the candidates for president be looking more closely at issues dear to Westerners as Western states hold their caucuses and primaries?
1/15/2008: What Is It About Mormonism? (2008-01-14)
Tuesday on RadioWest, we're asking whether the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney has revealed a form of religious bigotry in this country. Harvard professor Noah Feldman has been writing about the issue. He joins Doug to talk about how Mormon culture and religion are perceived by mainstream America - and what it means for the LDS Church's relationship with the Republican Party.
1/14/2008: Aging in the 21st Century (2008-01-11)
Geriatric specialist Dr. Harry Lodge says that we humans have achieved staggering longevity. If you take care of yourself, you have a very good chance of living until you're 90, and it's the Boomer generation that's redefining aging in America. Lodge joins Doug in studio to talk about the social and biological influences on aging, and what it means to "grow old" in the 21st century.
1/11/2008: Inventing Words (2008-01-10)
Have you ever been looking for just the right word, only to realize it doesn't exist in the English language? The 20th century humorist Gelett Burgess created so many words he published his own dictionary. Families regularly use special vocabulary to explain things like that noise Aunt Zelda makes when eating. Today, we're talking with the author Paul Dickson about words and what they reveal about the way we see the world. We're hoping you'll join us too with your own "familisms." (Rebroadcast)
1/10/2008: Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker (2008-01-09)
Salt Lake City's new mayor Ralph Becker was inaugurated this week, and he has some large shoes to fill. His predecessor was the most engaged, most controversial politician in these parts in years. But Becker is bringing his own political experience to the post - he served in Gov. Scott Matheson's administration and as Utah's House Minority Leader. Doug talks to Becker about his "blueprint" for the city, and about his personal vision for his new office.
1/9/2008: Kurt Andersen - Heyday (2008-01-08)
Wednesday on RadioWest, Studio 360 host Kurt Andersen will be in studio with Doug. Aside from being a public radio personality, Andersen is also a critic, a columnist and a novelist. His latest book is an historical novel set in 19-century America. It's called Heyday - and it's the story of four people chasing their dreams at a time when America herself is still being dreamed-up.
Day 1 for Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker (2008-01-08)
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker talks about his agenda on his first day in office.
1/8/2008: The Vertical Hour (2008-01-07)
This weekend, Pioneer Theatre Company opens David Hare's topical and provocative play "The Vertical Hour." The play centers on a debate between the American Nadia Blye, a former war correspondent, and her boyfriend's father - a doctor living in rural England. Tuesday on RadioWest, we're talking about the work, and about the political, but also deeply personal questions in an age of war and terrorism.
1/4/08: Renovating the State Capitol (2008-01-04)
Friday on RadioWest we're telling stories about the life of a grand old building. After a remarkable renovation which took 4 years and more than 200 million dollars, the state capitol is officially reopening today. It will give us an opportunity to talk about the process of the restoration, the history of the structure and the way buildings always give a place an identity.
1/7/08: The Medicated Child (2008-01-04)
More than 6 million children in the United States are taking powerful psychiatric drugs. In evaluating the risks and benefits of treating children with serious disorders - parents and doctors are confronted with potential side effects and with the little understood long-term impact. A new Frontline documentary explores these questions, and Monday, Doug talks to producer Will Cohen about "The Medicated Child."
Rocky Anderson Retrospective - Part 2 (2008-01-04)
Jenny Brundin concludes her look at Rocky Anderson's eight years as mayor of Salt Lake City.
Rocky Anderson Retrospective - Part 1 (2008-01-03)
Jenny Brundin looks back at Rocky Anderson's two turbulent terms as mayor of Salt Lake City.
Utah Refugee Voices: Tom Huynh (2008-01-02)
KUER concludes our series of stories called Utah Refugee Voices. This morning, the University of Utah's Mary Gould brings you the story of Vietnamese refugee Tom Huynh.
1/3/2008: Rocky Anderson's Impact on Salt Lake City (2008-01-02)
Wednesday on the program, Doug spoke with outgoing Salt Lake City Mayor Ross "Rocky" Anderson. Now it's your turn. We're joined by political observers and analysts for a look at what Anderson's 2 terms have meant for the city and the state - and we'll take your calls. What's your opinion of the last 8 years of city government?
Utah's Restored State Capitol Set to Reopen (2008-01-02)
Three years and $212 million later, Utah's restored state capitol is ready to host the public again.
1/2/08: Rocky Anderson (2007-12-27)
Love him or hate him - and that seems to sum it up for most - Rocky Anderson has had a profound influence on Salt Lake City and on the political and social landscape of the entire state. Anderson is in the last days of his term as mayor, and today on the program he'll join us to talk about his time in office and the next phase in a life of activism.
12/31/07: School of Rock (2007-12-27)
You've probably got your favorite songs, but what lessons have you learned from rock 'n' roll? For students at the Paul Green School of Rock in Salt Lake City and Sandy, it's about a lot more than sticking it to the man. School director Steve Auerbach says that it's about determination, reliability and team work - and what better way to do that than with a face melting guitar solo? Doug talks to Auerbach and to Paul Green about what rock has to teach its disciples. (Rebroadcast)
1/1/08: Desmond Tutu on Forgiveness (2007-12-27)
In 2002, Doug Fabrizio talked to Desmond Tutu about his role in helping South Africa heal from the brutality of apartheid. Tutu and others were faced with various paths to take, they chose forgiveness -- something Tutu says is an essential element of African conscientiousness. But justice also had to be dealt with. How does one forgive without forgetting? (Rebroadcast)
12/26/07: Snowstruck - In the Grip of Avalanches (2007-12-24)
This past weekend, Utah saw its first death of the avalanche season. It was just this sort of tragedy that led avalanche expert Jill Fredston to write "Snowstruck." Fredston has said she wanted to understand how her friend Todd died on Alaska's Tincan Mountain "when he had everything to live for." Fredston joined us in January to talk about the repercussions that follow living, working and playing in some of the world's most dangerous places. (Rebroadcast)
12/28/2007: Jane Goodall (2007-12-24)
Dr. Jane Goodall has revolutionized the world of science and the way we understand animals, and it is her empathy and spiritual connection to nature that inspired her work. Doug talks to Dr. Goodall about the life lessons she has learned in the forests of Gombe and her message of hope. (Rebroadcast)
12/25/07: Classic Christmas Stories (2007-12-24)
Today on the show, we're offering two great holiday stories: Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory" and Ron Carlson's "The H Street Sledding Record." It's become something of a tradition for us, and it's our gift to you. (Rebroadcast)
12/27/07: EO Wilson (2007-12-24)
Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with EO Wilson. Regarded as one of the great scientific minds of our time, Wilson has become the preeminent defender of the Earth's fragile biodiversity. To prevent what he believes could be the most devastating mass extinction of life since the dinosaurs disappeared, Wilson is proposing a truce between the two most powerful forces in the world today: science and religion. (Rebroadcast)
12/24/07: The Evolution of Christmas (2007-12-21)
We're not the first ones to gripe about how commercial Christmas seems to have become. As long as there's been a Christmas there have been debates about how it should be properly celebrated. Today on RadioWest we're asking the question: How did it get this way? Doug explores the evolution of Christmas in America with the historian Penne Restad of the University of Texas at Austin. (Rebroadcast)
12/21/07: Charlie Wilson's War (2007-12-20)
Today on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting our conversation with the late journalist George Crile. When the last Soviet soldier left Afghanistan in 1989, officials and operatives of the Central Intelligence Agency celebrated it as their victory. It was a maverick, liberal congressman from Texas - Charlie Wilson - who had got the US involved. We spoke with Crile in 2003 about the unintended consequences of a secret war. (Rebroadcast)
12/20/07: American Brutus (2007-12-19)
Today on the program we're telling the story of John Wilkes Booth. Most everyone knows Booth as the man who killed Abraham Lincoln, but the historian Michael Kauffman says his plans were much larger than that. He planned to topple the entire Union government. Doug talks to Michael Kauffman about the background and motives of this "American Brutus."
12/19/07: The First Christmas (2007-12-18)
Let's face it, 2000 years ago there was no such thing as Black Friday, inflatable lawn snow globes or even a Santa Claus. Whatever Christmas traditions - good and bad - have developed, the celebration is very different from its origins. In a new book, the scholars John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg strip away the sentimentality for a look at what the story means in the context of both the first and the twenty-first century. Crossan joins Doug Wednesday to talk about "The First Christmas."
Expansion Planned for Hindu Community Center (2007-12-18)
Utah's Hindu community is planning an expansion at its Sri Ganesha Temple in South Jordan.
12/18/07: The Millennials (2007-12-17)
Millennials - the generation born from 1982 to 2002 - are described by some researchers as selfish and entitled, and by others as compassionate and self-assured. Tuesday, Doug talks to Neil Howe, co-author of Millennials Rising, and then to Jean Twenge, author of Generation Me about the Americans who are coming of age in a world very different from that of their parents and grandparents.
12/17/07: The War We Deserve (2007-12-14)
In his article in the current issue of Foreign Policy, Professor Alasdair Roberts says that many Americans tell an oversimplified tale about the war in Iraq. They fault the president and his powerful cronies for everything gone wrong. The truth though, according to Roberts, is much more complicated, and the American public shares the blame. Monday, he joins Doug to discuss the unrealistic demands we place on our government and how little we are willing to sacrifice to make them happen.
Salt Lake County Budget Compromise (2007-12-14)
The budget dispute between Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Republican Salt Lake County District Attorney Lohra Miller and Republican County Council members ended Thursday. A compromise was struck after weeks of partisan wrangling.
12/14/07: Parallel Play (2007-12-13)
Friday on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting our conversation about Asperger's syndrome. It's a kind of mild from of autism which is just now coming to be understood. Our guest is Tim Page, the Pulitzer Prize winning music critic for the Washington Post. It wasn't until the year 2000 that Page was told he had Asperger's. He said the diagnosis came as a relief. He was able to explain his life spent, he says, living along-side, but distinctly apart from the rest of humanity. (Rebroadcast)
12/12/07: Missing Witness (2007-12-12)
They say most everyone has at least one book in them. There are a lot of us who carry around a plot line or a great character, but it's a small percentage who actually write the book, and a tiny fraction of those that are really any good. Salt Lake City lawyer Gordon Campbell had spent years getting his idea onto the page, and as it turns out, it's legit. By most accounts it's a really gripping novel. Wednesday on RadioWest, Campbell will join Doug to talk about his book and the story behind it.
12/13/07: The Year of Living Biblically (2007-12-12)
Not touching unclean things or wearing clothes with mixed fibers were just two of the some 700 rules that A.J. Jacobs tried to follow as he lived an entire year according to the strict prescriptions of the Bible. The editor at large of Esquire tried to keep his rules in New York City of all places, and Thursday, Jacobs talks to Doug about his funny - and profound - journey.
12/11/07: Adventures with Extremists (2007-12-11)
The British journalist Jon Ronson had always wondered whether the theories - or parts of theories - of conspiracy theorists were true. Ronson set out to settle the matter for himself. In his book, "Them: Adventures with Extremists," he explores a world of fringe dwellers, which includes Islamic fundamentalists, Ku Klux Klan members and Christian separatists. (Rebroadcast)
No Tax Cuts in Huntsman's State Budget (2007-12-11)
Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. took the wraps off his state budget for the coming fiscal year, with some big increases in spending and no tax cuts.
Utah Refugee Voices - Lydia Sequera (2007-12-07)
Utah Refugee Voices : Mary Gould brings you the story of Iraqi refugee Lydia Sequera, who begins with her memories of Baghdad.
12/7/07: The Lost Explorer (2007-12-06)
By today's standards, George Mallory and Sandy Irvine were ill-equipped to scale Mount Everest in 1924. But their tragic story of determination and exploration remains a model for climbers today. It's a story that took Conrad Anker to Everest 75 years later, and he describes finding Mallory's preserved body in a catchment basin with "a deep sense of awe and inspiration." Anker joined Doug last year to talk about the humility of knowing that the peaks are always stronger. (Rebroadcast)
12/6/07: Romney's "JFK" Speech (2007-12-05)
Mitt Romney is giving his "JFK Speech" on Thursday. Slipping in the polls with nearly a quarter saying they're reluctant to vote for Mormon candidate, Romney is formally addressing the issue of his religion. Doug talks to Ron Elving, senior Washington editor for NPR News, and Kirk Jowers of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics about the impact of Romney's remarks. Later in the program we hope you'll join us: should religion be a factor in considering a presidential candidate?
12/05/07: Handel's Messiah (2007-12-04)
Handel's Messiah has become closely associated with the Christmas season, but when it was first performed in 1742, it was during the Lenten season. Wednesday on RadioWest, we'll look at how it is the depressed composer wrote one of the world's most enduring pieces of music in just 24 days. Doug is joined by playwright and author Tim Slover for a biographical look at the oratorio.
12/4/07: Hunting for Conservation (2007-12-03)
In another time you had to kill or capture an animal to study or appreciate it, but the acquisition of a white rhino by BYU's Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum is raising questions about that intersection between hunting and conservation. Tuesday on the program, Doug talks to Robert Sullivan and others about the ethics of collecting specimen for education and research.
Randy Horiuchi Remembers Ed Mayne (2007-11-30)
Salt Lake County Council Member Randy Horiuchi remembers his friend, the late State Senator Ed Mayne.
Randy Horiuchi Remembers Ed Mayne (2007-11-30)
Salt Lake County Council Member Randy Horiuchi remembers his friend, the late State Senator Ed Mayne.
Randy Horiuchi Remembers Ed Mayne (2007-11-30)
Salt Lake County Council Member Randy Horiuchi remembers his friend, the late State Senator Ed Mayne.
12/3/07: Exploitation in Iraq (2007-11-30)
Private security companies employ nearly 50,000 people in Iraq, and many are non-US citizens recruited from third-world countries. In Sunday's Salt Lake Tribune, national security reporter Matthew LaPlante details the exploitation of these workers. Monday, LaPlante and others join Doug for a look at who is defending American assets in the Middle East - and what that means for human rights and for the US military.
Utah Refugee Voices - Loremo Kamanda (2007-11-30)
This morning, Mary Gould with the University of Utah's YourStory project brings you the story of Sudanese immigrant Loremo Kamanda.
11/30/07: Ira Glass of This American Life (2007-11-29)
This Sunday, Ira Glass of This American Life will be in Salt Lake City. So today on program, we're reairing the best of Doug Fabrizio's interviews with the popular radio host. (Rebroadcast)
Utah, Most Depressed in the Nation (2007-11-28)
Utah has the highest rate of depression in the nation. That's according to a new study from the non-profit Mental Health America.
11/29/07: A Conversation with Patrick Byrne (2007-11-28)
Thursday on the program, Doug is joined by the outspoken internet entrepreneur Patrick Byrne. Byrne is the CEO of the Utah-based Overstock.com, and more recently, he made headlines with his passionate support of school vouchers. You can call him a visionary or a provocateur, it won't matter. Byrne is determined to have his say.
Utah Refugee Voices - Russian Immigrant Galina Bakina (2007-11-27)
This morning, KUER starts a series of stories called Utah Refugee Voices. Meg Brady and Mary Gould with the University of Utah's YourStory program recorded the life stories of several refugees living in Utah. We begin with the story of Russian immigrant Galina Bakina.
11/28/07: Julia Sweeney - Letting Go of God (2007-11-27)
The actor and writer Julia Sweeney was once - in her words - a "happy Catholic girl." When she really started looking at her faith and its teachings though - it set her on a path to find answers to some of the most difficult questions. Sweeney will be in Utah this weekend and Wednesday she joins Doug to talk about her funny and moving stage show, her attempt to understand religion. She calls it, "Letting Go of God."
Bite Sized - Eritrean Coffee (2007-11-26)
For refugees from Eritrea, traditional coffee brings an opportunity to talk and remember.
11/27/07: How to Make a Conservative (2007-11-26)
How do you turn a political moderate into a red-meat social conservative? Mitt Romney was the Republican governor of the most liberal state in the Union, and now he's being repackaged by an army of consultants in an effort to galvanize his presidential campaign. Tuesday, Doug talks to the journalist Ken Silverstein about Mitt Romney and the making of a conservative.
11/26/07: The World Without Us (2007-11-20)
If the world were suddenly devoid of humans - not one soul left - what would happen to the planet? Though we imagine our structures built to last, it wouldn't take long for streets and buildings to crumble, and nature to move on quite happily. Monday on RadioWest, Alan Weisman takes us on a tour of "The World Without Us."
11/21/07: Empires of the Word (2007-11-20)
You remember that old Steve Martin joke? "It's like those French people have a different word for everything." You ever wonder how it is we've come to use the collection of words we do, and why they're so different from other places? Today Doug talks about the history of language with the scholar Nicholas Ostler. Ostler says that the story of the world is the story of its languages, and that story is constantly changing, adapting to culture, to power and to technology. (Rebroadcast)
Utah Lawmakers Are Cold to Global Warming Bill (2007-11-20)
A bill aimed at slowing down global warming is gathering momentum in the Senate. It would limit carbon emissions from burning oil, coal, and natural gas. As Eric Niiler reports from Capitol Hill, the plan is a hard sell among Utah lawmakers.
11/22-11/23: Third Coast Audio Festival (2007-11-20)
On Thursday, November 22nd and Friday, November 23rd, KUER brings you the Third Coast Audio Festival at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Doug Fabrizio returns with RadioWest on Monday.
11/20/07: The Long Walk (2007-11-19)
In 1864, the US military forced thousands of Navajos from their homes to march to an internment camp along the banks of the Pecos River. 2,500 died on the way, and over 8,000 were imprisoned at the Bosque Redondo for 4 years. A new KUED documentary explores the Navajo trail of tears and its legacy for native people. Join guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce for a look at The Long Walk.
11/19/07: Einstein (2007-11-16)
Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Walter Isaacson about his biography of Albert Einstein. Isaacson calls Einstein the paramount icon of our age, and his book weaves together Einstein's scientific thinking with his political beliefs and his complicated personal life. The thing that seems to tie it all together is imagination. The story, Isaacson says, is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom. (Rebroadcast)
11/16/07: Untangling the Web (2007-11-15)
Web is a decent way of explaining what the internet has become these days, a complicated maze where you can't tell the legitimate information from the commercial interests, the petty mischief, the exaggeration. Today on RadioWest we're talking with Joe Firmage, a native Utahn and something of an internet wunderkind. Joe is a technological visionary who has set his sights on the clutter of the digital age. There's a lot of information out there, just how much of it can you trust? (Rebroadcast)
11/15/2007: A Look at the Third Coast Audio Festival (2007-11-14)
Thursday on RadioWest, we're profiling some of the winners of the this year's Third Coast Audio Festival from Chicago Public Radio. We're talking to veteran producers from the US and Canada and this year's Best New Artist. Think of it as Sundance for radio. Join Doug for a preview of these some amazing stories.
Legislator Plans New Effort Against Illegal Immigration (2007-11-13)
Bills aimed at deterring illegal immigration have often failed in the Utah legislature, but a state senator from St. George says he's ready to try again.
11/14/07: Billion Dollar Baby (2007-11-13)
Just how far do you have to go to be a "good" parent? When is it enough with the knee pads, the music lessons and the shopping trips? Wednesday on RadioWest, we're profiling Salt Lake Acting Company's new production Billion Dollar Baby. Doug is joined by playwright Julie Jensen and others for a look at the obsessive parent.
11/13/07: The Mysterious Papers of John V Long (2007-11-12)
Tuesday on RadioWest - a real life murder mystery from the old West. John V Long was a confidant and scribe of Mormon leader Brigham Young, but he fell from grace, was excommunicated from the LDS Church, and finally found dead in a drainage ditch in 1869. Doug is joined by historian Will Bagley, rare book dealer Ken Sanders and church historian Ron Barney to explore what Long's newly discovered papers tell us about life in the early days of the Utah territory.
Utah Coalition Fights for Clean Air (2007-11-12)
The goal of improving Utah's air quality has brought together an unusual coalition.
Minority Students Look at U of U (2007-11-12)
University of Utah graduate student Thoong Tan Trong looks at her experience as a student of color at the University of Utah.
11/12/07: Changing America's Schools (2007-11-09)
Reformer and scholar Linda Darling-Hammond says that bureaucratic solutions to weaknesses in the country's education system will always fail. She argues that instead of handing down solutions from "on-high," the school system will improve by focusing on things like high teacher quality and student equity. Monday, we're broadcasting live from the Utah Education Policy Forum, where Darling-Hammond joins Doug to talk about her ideas for change.
11/9/07: Oil on the Brain (2007-11-08)
In the past month, gas prices in Salt Lake City have gone up about 24 cents a gallon, and with the holidays approaching you may be doing a double-take when you fill up your tank. Friday, we're rebroadcasting Doug's conversation with the journalist Lisa Margonelli. She's written a book that explores the vast world connections that make up the oil industry, and she says the price you're paying may actually be ridiculously cheap given the impacts of this complicated, global industry. (Rebroadcast)
11/8/07: N*W*C (2007-11-08)
Today on RadioWest, we're profiling a stage production. We could probably come right out and tell you the title, but it includes words that are difficult to say or print. They're offensive words, packed with the history and baggage of racial discrimination. Three men are touring Utah this month with their theater piece - N*W*C, and they join Doug to talk about the language of race.
Utah Rejects School Vouchers, SLC Elects Becker (2007-11-07)
Voters overwhelmingly rejected Utah's broad-based school voucher law in yesterday's election, while voters in Salt Lake City chose State Representative Ralph Becker as their new mayor.
11/7/07: Andy Warhol's Dream America (2007-11-07)
Andy Warhol created some of the most recognizable American art - from the still life of the Campbell's soup can to portraits of the rich and famous like Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and John Wayne. The Utah Museum of Fine Arts is currently exhibiting a collection of Warhol prints, and Wednesday Doug is joined by a panel of experts to talk about Warhol's life and work.
11/6/07: The Autumn of the Multitaskers (2007-11-05)
Reaching for his cell phone with a newly delivered picture message, the author Walter Kirn swerved off a snowy two-lane highway and landed in a steep embankment. It was then that he began to rethink the usefulness of technology like the refrigerator-TV set and the camera-phone. In this November's Atlantic Monthly, Kirn writes about multi-tasking and Tuesday he joins Doug to talk about how doing so much is dumbing us down.
President Clinton Visits Utah (2007-11-05)
President Bill Clinton visited Utah yesterday. He was campaigning for his wife, Hillary, in her run for the Democratic Party nomination. KUER's Tasha Cook reports:
Becker vs. Buhler (2007-11-02)
The voters of Salt Lake City will choose their next mayor on Tuesday. The two men vying to lead Utah's capital are Ralph Becker and Dave Buhler. KUER's Tasha Cook has this election preview.
11/5/07: Doubt (2007-11-02)
John Patrick Shanley has said that he didn't want to write an issue play. His Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Doubt centers around a nun who suspects the parish priest of having an inappropriate relationship with one of her young students. But even though the setting is ripped from the headlines, Shanley's "parable" as he calls it, goes deeper. Monday, Doug talks to Shanley and others about the play, and about questions of faith, trust and moral uncertainty.
11/2/07: This I Believe (2007-11-01)
Do you think you could express what it is you believe in three minutes? Fifty years ago, Edward R. Murrow asked Americans to write short statements of personal belief for the radio series, This I Believe. NPR has revived that program and now KUER and the Community Writing Center is giving you the chance to be part of that experience. We're rebroadcasting a conversation with the producers of the series and sharing some of the tape from that era. (Rebroadcast)
Utah's School Voucher Debate (2007-11-01)
KUER's Dan Bammes looks at the potential impacts of Utah's school voucher program on real schools and real families.
10/31/07: Halloween Radio Hour (2007-10-31)
Wednesday is Halloween, and members of the Plan B Theatre Company will join us to present our third annual live broadcast of radio theater. Utah playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett has created two original plays - Lavender and Exile - based on ghost stories from Salt Lake City.
Proposition 1 Drawing Some Criticism (2007-10-31)
Salt Lake City voters go to the polls next Tuesday to vote on one of the most expensive bonds in city election history. It's a $192 million bond to pay for new police and fire headquarters, an emergency operations center, a west-side fire center, and a public-safety center in the Sugarhouse neighborhood. Law enforcement officials say the projects are critical to the city's future public safety needs.
11/1/07: Author Edward P Jones (2007-10-31)
Author Edward P Jones spent some 10 years mulling over his novel "The Known World." So when he sat down to write it, the manuscript was finished in only three months. The work also earned him a 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Jones' most recent book is a collection of short stories, All Aunt Hagar's Children, and in it, he shows the same commitment to craft and history and an insight into the human condition. Edward P Jones is in Salt Lake City, and joins us in studio to talk about his work.
10/30/07: The Battle for Peace (2007-10-30)
In 2003, as General Tony Zinni waited to speak to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he recounts listening to the "planners" from the Defense Department testify. What horrified him was that there was no plan - no answer to the complexities that America faced in Iraq. In "The Battle for Peace," the former Commander in Chief of CENTCOM lays out his approach to stabilizing the Middle East. He joined Doug to talk about that vision, and about America's role in world politics. (Rebroadcast)
Transit Tax (2007-10-30)
In addition to municipal officers and the statewide referendum on school vouchers, voters have less than a week to find out as much as they can about a range of other ballot issues. Kerry Bringhurst reports from Logan about an issue facing voters in several counties of northern Utah -- an array of tax increases to help pay for transportation.
10/29/07: Utah's School Vouchers Referendum (2007-10-27)
Have Oreo Cookies and the mantra "full of flaws" got you flummoxed? With just over a week to Election Day, Jennifer Napier-Pearce leads a panel of journalists in a conversation about Utah's Referendum 1. The debate is a heated one, and Monday, we'll cut through the rhetoric for a look at the pros and cons of school vouchers.
Researchers Change Sexual Orientation in Nematodes (2007-10-26)
University of Utah researchers studying tiny roundworms have been able to change their sexual orientation. The research may tell us more about how genes control behavior.
10/26/07: Something in the Air (2007-10-25)
As a mass medium radio is not even a century old, and yet it's been through its share of life cycles. The Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher says American radio, like the country it speaks to, is ever adapting. Still you've got to wonder what the information age is going to do to radio. Today on the program - has radio lost its way? Marc Fisher and others will join us to talk about the history and the future of the medium, and whether it can survive this latest assault. (Rebroadcast)
10/25/70: When Madeline Was Young (2007-10-24)
After 9/11, novelist Jane Hamilton didn't think it seemed important to write the typical domestic novel. She was thinking about politics and war, and about the ways families deal with those realities. Her latest novel, When Madeline Was Young, is the story of the Macivers: Aaron and Julia, their children, and Aaron's first wife, who because of a tragic accident, has the brain capacity of a 7-year-old. Hamilton joins us to talk about compassion, love and the challenges that face each generation.
10/24/07: The Very Hard Way (2007-10-23)
Wednesday we're rebroadcasting our conversation with the writer and boatman Brad Dimock. His latest book details the extraordinary life of a very ordinary man, Bert Loper. Loper was one of the grand old men of the Colorado, known to have covered more water than any riverman of his time. But there are really two story lines in the Loper tale. One of them is the birth and evolution of river running itself. Dimock is coming to Salt Lake as part of the Utah Humanities Book Festival. (Rebroadcast)
10/23/07: Mothers Who Know (2007-10-22)
Earlier this month at the LDS Church's General Conference, the head of the Relief Society Julie B. Beck praised the power in motherhood. She encouraged women not to postpone having children, and equated nurturing with homemaking. Her words re-ignited a controversy about the role of Mormon women, and within hours, LDS blogs were inundated with responses. Tuesday on RadioWest, Doug talks to LDS women about Beck's remarks and what those say about women's position in the LDS Church and culture.
10/22/07: Acts of Faith (2007-10-19)
Eboo Patel is American - and Muslim - and Indian. He grew up outside of Chicago dealing with racism and his own struggle to decide which of the three identities he would embrace. But Patel came to learn that the power to create change lies at the intersection of religion, ethnicity and nationality - not at the extremes. Eboo Patel is in Utah, and joins Doug in studio to talk about what he calls "the struggle for the soul of a generation."
"Exposed" Looks at Downwinders' Experience (2007-10-19)
Mary Dickson didn't start out with the intention of writing a play about the consequences of exposure to fallout from nuclear weapons tests.
10/19/07: Miracle in the Andes (2007-10-18)
In 1972 a chartered plane carrying members of a Uruguayan rugby team crashed on a 12,000 foot glacier in the Andes Mountains. In his book which candidly recounts the 72 day ordeal, Nando Parrado says his every moment was filled with visceral fear. But weeks into the experience he also came to a kind of epiphany. He realized he had to take the experience one step, one moment, one breath at a time. Doug spoke with Parrado about his improbable story of survival. (Rebroadcast)
Plans for Mountain View Corridor Challenged (2007-10-18)
Residents of Lehi are challenging the planned route of a huge new freeway.
10/18/07: Salt Lake Mayoral Debate (2007-10-17)
The most recent polls show mayoral candidate Ralph Becker leading his opponent Dave Buhler in the race to lead Salt Lake City. But with just under 3 weeks to Election Day, the contest is heating up. Thursday on RadioWest, Becker and Buhler join Doug to explain their vision for Utah's capitol.
10/17/07: A Woman in Charge (2007-10-16)
Hillary Rodham Clinton has already helped to define one presidency. The Yale Law School graduate was instrumental in the triumphs and trials of her husband's political career in Arkansas and in the White House. Now Senator Clinton may be poised to shape another presidency, but this time it would be her own. Wednesday Doug is joined by Carl Bernstein, author of the new biography A Woman in Charge.
Training Rescue Dogs (2007-10-16)
Rescue dogs and their trainers challenge a very dark night in southern Utah.
Minority Students Reflect on U Experience (2007-10-15)
KUER continues a series of commentaries by students of color on diversity at the University of Utah.
10/16/07: Exposed (2007-10-15)
Between 1951 and 1992, the US Government tested 928 nuclear bombs in the Nevada desert, and Utah and its unsuspecting residents were downwind. Over time, scientists started to make connections between incidents of cancer and contamination from the fallout of those tests. Utah writer Mary Dickson has created a new play that looks at the human consequence of nuclear testing, and it's a very personal story. Mary Dickson joins Doug to talk about her own family's experience and about being "Exposed."
10/15/07: Cheney's Law (2007-10-12)
Dick Cheney has been in Washington for some 34 years, and in that time, he says he's seen administrations "[trade] away the authority of the president to do his job." In a new Frontline documentary, producer Michael Kirk looks at Vice President Cheney's efforts to expand the power of the presidency. It's an effort that some view as the most ambitious in American history. Monday, Kirk joins Doug for a conversation on "Cheney's Law."
WaterWise Utah: WaterWise in Industry (2007-10-11)
As part of our Waterwise Utah series, we explore how consumers are cutting their water consumption by investing in drought-tolerant plants. KUER's Tasha Cook looks at the business of garden centers and nurseries.
Utah Water Laws Discourage Conservation on Farms (2007-10-11)
Utah's water laws don't provide much reason for farmers to conserve.
10/12/07: Muses, Madmen and Prophets (2007-10-11)
For much of history, those who heard voices were thought of as having a connection to the supernatural world: Socrates, Moses & Joan of Arc. People still hear voices today, but now it's explained as a trick of the human psyche or as a disease. After his own father struggled with voices, the journalist Daniel Smith set-out to understand the phenomenon. Smith joined Doug earlier this summer to talk about the history, the science and the meaning of auditory hallucinations. (Rebroadcast)
10/11/07: Charting the Course of the Bear River (2007-10-10)
The Bear River is the main source for the Great Salt Lake, and on its journey from the high Uinta Mountains through three Western States, the water is used for habitat, farms, electricity, recreation, lawns and homes. Craig Denton has written a new book, and in it, he describes how Urban Utah's thirst for water will chart the course of the river. Thursday on the program, Denton joins Doug as part of Water Wise Utah.
10/10/07: Nobel Prize Winner Mario Capecchi (2007-10-09)
Mario Capecchi is persistent. He learned the trait early in life surviving as an orphan on the streets of war-torn Italy. He practiced it in the mid-80s when the National Institutes of Health told him his research was "not worthy of pursuit." But his persistence has paid off. This week, Capecchi and two others were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work in genetics. Wednesday, Mario Capecchi joins us for a conversation about science, his research and the determination to succeed.
U Geneticist Wins Nobel in Medicine (2007-10-09)
University of Utah genetics researcher Mario Capecchi has won the 2007 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.
Taking The Pledge (2007-10-09)
So far, more than 4,000 Utahns have pledged to rip their strip, according to a local water conservation group - the Utah River's Council. In the first of a special series for Water-Wise week - KUER's Jenny Brundin profiles a couple of rippers to see how they fared.
10/8/07: A Long Way Gone (2007-10-08)
At 12 years old, Ishmael Beah's life became horribly entangled in Sierra Leone's civil war. He became a refugee, and within a year was forced into the government army. But after living through and committing truly terrible acts - Beah was sent to a rehabilitation center and eventually made his way to the United States. He's written a memoir called "A Long Way Gone," and in it, he reveals the life that as many as 300,000 child soldiers are living throughout the world today. (Rebroadcast)
10/9/07: So Help Me God (2007-10-05)
The argument over the relationship between government and religion is as old as the country itself. From the presidency of George Washington to that of James Monroe - a battle waged between those who saw God as the legitimate ruler of men and those who valued liberty above all else. In his new book, historian and theologian Forrest Church looks at the beliefs of the earliest presidents, and Tuesday he talks to Doug about how those beliefs formed our nation.
10/5/07: The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas (2007-10-05)
Davy Rothbart is a collector. As the creator of Found Magazine, he regularly brings to life items that have been tossed and forgotten. His acclaimed book "The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas," along with his pieces for "This American Life," follows a similar vein. The collection of stories grew out of road trips and small towns, capturing the oddity, poetry and dignity of everyday life. (Rebroadcast)
Mine Disaster Hearings (2007-10-04)
Families of the miners killed in the Crandall Canyon coal mine disaster took their concerns to Congress yesterday.
10/4/2007: Paula Poundstone (2007-10-03)
When Paula Poundstone describes Joan of Arc as "called by God and driven to drink," there's a natural segue to the comedian's own battle with alcoholism. In her latest book, Poundstone faces her life head-on by looking at the lives of seven historical figures. Paula Poundstone will perform this weekend in Salt Lake City, and Thursday she joins Doug to talk about comedy, public radio and rebuilding a life.
10/3/07: The Book of Vice (2007-10-02)
You know Peter Sagal as host of Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me, but would you have recognized him in a gambling hall or a strip club? Well, if you're about to protest that you wouldn't actually go to strip club - never fear: the Harvard-educated NPR host has written a book to take you there. It's called The Book of Vice, and Wednesday on RadioWest, he joins Doug to share what he learned about sinful behavior and the places it's practiced.
10/2/07: Brooke Gladstone On the Media (2007-10-01)
In 1995, Brooke Gladstone took on a rare beat in broadcast journalism - she started reporting on the media itself. Now she is co-host and managing editor of NPR's On the Media, heard weekly on KUER. Brooke Gladstone is in Salt Lake City, and joins Doug in studio for a look at the media universe today.
10/1/07: May it Please the Court (2007-10-01)
It's the first Monday of October, the traditional date when the US Supreme Court goes back into session. Today on RadioWest, we're celebrating by playing back some of the arguments recorded in the country's most powerful courtroom -- among them the case that clinched the fate of Richard Nixon, Roe vs. Wade and the argument that decided the election in 2000.
9/28/07: Poet Mark Strand (2007-09-28)
Mark Strand has been described as a poet of simple words. But his body of acclaimed work is playful and mysterious - a voyage through the sound of language. The Pulitzer Prize winner and former US Poet Laureate is in Utah this week, and joins Doug Friday in studio.
9/27/07: Raising LaVaughn (2007-09-27)
Utah has a bit of a reputation for shall we say "unique" names. Collectors have come up with gems like LaVaughn for a girl and DeLoyal for a boy. But the author Lauren Wattenberg says that the country as a whole is following the trend. Parents are choosing monikers that help their children stand out from the crowd - for better or worse. Lauren Wattenberg is the author of "The Baby Name Wizard," and joins us today to help us kick off KUER's Fall Fund Drive.
9/26/07: Fundamentalist Mormonism (2007-09-26)
Polygamist-sect leader Warren Jeffs was relying on an argument made by his attorneys that his trial for arranging the marriage of an under-aged girl was really about religious persecution. Yesterday, a jury dismissed the idea and convicted him on two felony charges. The jurors said the case was really about the age of the bride: she was 14 at the time. We're talking about the case and about the fallout of the verdict. We're also looking at the history and the future of fundamentalist Mormonism.
9/25/07: Ken Burns' "The War" (2007-09-24)
Veterans of World War II are dying at a rate of 1,000 a day. It was their first hand accounts, the deeply personal narratives of those who lived through the war that acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns set out to capture. It's not the story told by generals or historians, but by the men and women who were on the ground. Today on RadioWest, we're broadcasting Doug's interview with Burns about "The War."
9/24/07: Sanitizing "The War" (2007-09-24)
Responding to PBS stations' worries about language content in his new documentary "The War," Ken Burns created a version that expunged the twice used "f-word" and the few "s-words." KUED is running the edited version during prime-time, and the full version during the "safe harbor" after 11 p.m. Monday, Doug is joined by author Jeremy Lipschultz and others for a look at the FCC, its vague rules about indecency, and the careful balance between defining obscenity and protecting the First Amendment.
9/21/07: An Evening of Charlie Chaplin (2007-09-22)
RadioWest's Host Doug Fabrizio talks to NPR film critic Bob Mondello, Hunter Hale of the Organ Loft and organist Blaine Gale about the silent film era and the work of actor Charlie Chaplin.
9/21/07: An Evening of Charlie Chaplin (2007-09-22)
RadioWest's Host Doug Fabrizio talks to NPR film critic Bob Mondello, Hunter Hale of the Organ Loft and organist Blaine Gale about the silent film era and the work of actor Charlie Chaplin.
9/21/07: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder (2007-09-20)
Guest host Teresa Jordan is joined by childhood development author Richard Louv to talk about his book Last Child in the Woods. Kids today have little hands on contact with the natural world, they learn in school about global warming and acid rain, but many have never seen a bunny hop through the woods. Does it matter? Saving our children from Nature Deficit Disorder, today on RadioWest. (Rebroadcast)
Nuclear Power Plant Debate (2007-09-20)
A legislative committee has taken up a controversial piece of legislation that would pave the path for a nuclear power plant in Utah. Testimony focused on the risky economics of the venture.
9/20/07: Building Green (2007-09-19)
This Saturday, 9 houses and a new condominium development will be featured in the 3rd annual Green Home Tour in Salt Lake and Park City. Building green is a growing trend, and Thursday on RadioWest, Jennifer Napier-Pearce looks at what exactly being "green" means. What materials and systems can people use to improve the efficiency of their living space, and is it affordable for the average home owner?
Utah-DC Bill Dies (2007-09-19)
A bid to give Utah and the District of Columbia new voting representation in the House failed in the Senate today. As Todd Zwillick reports from our Capitol Hill Bureau, Utah may now have to wait several years to get another representative.
9/19/07: Five Skies (2007-09-18)
Utah native Ron Carlson's new book is the story of three men on a plateau in Idaho who are building a giant ramp for a TV motorcycle stunt. They're your stereotypical, taciturn men of the West, but throughout the story they each reveal themselves in cautious yet profound ways. It's Carlson's first novel in 30 years, and it's been called "bluntly beautiful and unnerving." Ron Carlson is in Logan this week, and joins Doug from the campus of Utah State University.
The Mathematics of Sea Ice (2007-09-13)
A University of Utah mathematics professor is studying how water moves through sea ice in Antarctica.
9/14/07: Heartsblood (2007-09-12)
In an age that is in natural historian David Petersen's words "increasingly urbanized, denatured, domesticated, and virtualized," why do so many people still engage in the ancient ritual of hunting? For Petersen, it is a love - a sacred game that places the human animal squarely at the heart of nature. As the West enters the Fall hunting season, Petersen talks to Doug Fabrizio about the ethics and responsibilities of the modern hunter. (Rebroadcast)
Becker & Buhler Win Primary Election (2007-09-12)
Ralph Becker and Dave Buhler will face each other in the general election as candidates for mayor of Salt Lake City.
9/13/07: Moonlight and Magnolias (2007-09-12)
Gone With the Wind is one of the most enduring films in American Cinema. The 1939 classic had a record-breaking budget of some $4 million dollars, three years advance publicity - and a screenplay that was essentially written in 5 days. It's the stuff of Hollywood legend, and the focus of Salt Lake Acting Company's new production, Moonlight and Magnolias. Thursday on RadioWest, we're looking at the play, and at David O Selznick's vision of what a film could be.
9/12/07: Inventing Words (2007-09-11)
Have you ever been looking for just the right word, only to realize it doesn't exist in the English language? The early 20th century humorist Gelett Burgess created so many words he published his own dictionary. Families regularly use special vocabulary to explain things like that noise Aunt Zelda makes when eating. Today, we're talking with the author Paul Dickson about words and what they reveal about the way we see the world. We're hoping you'll join us too with your own "familisms."
9/11/07: The Right to Vote (2007-09-10)
Salt Lake County's Clerk Sherrie Swensen is hoping 25 to 30% of registered voters turn out for Tuesday's state-wide primary election. Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar says such low numbers show that our democracy has become lethargic, and that the act of voting is not greatly prized. Keyssar is coming to Utah this week, and today he joins Doug to talk about this hard-won right. It's about race and class and the meaning of democracy in contemporary life.
"Demolition Derby" Looks at Dementia, Caregiving (2007-09-07)
Weber State University dance professor Erik Stern has turned his experience caring for his parents into an exploration of the experience of dementia in the elderly.
9/7/07: Beethoven's Ninth (2007-09-07)
Harvard Professor Thomas Forrest Kelly says Beethoven's Ninth Symphony has become the most famous piece of classical music in Western culture. But he says to really appreciate it, you have to try and hear it in the same audiences did when it was first performed in Vienna in 1824. Professor Kelly joined us in March to explain what his Ninth Symphony reveals about Beethoven's genius.
9/10/07: The Zookeeper's Wife (2007-09-07)
Monday, KUER will carry gavel to gavel coverage of the Congressional hearings on the war in Iraq. At 7:00 pm, Doug talks to the poet and naturalist Diane Ackerman about her newest work, The Zookeeper's Wife. It's the true story of Jan Zabinski and his wife Antonina, who sheltered 300 Jews in the Warsaw Zoo during World War II. Ackerman is the author of the best-selling A Natural History of the Senses, and her compassion and respect for the natural world inform this very human narrative.
SLC Mayor Candidate Profiles: Keith Christensen (2007-09-06)
Jenny Brundin looks at former Salt Lake City Council chair Keith Christensen as part of KUER's series of candidate profiles.
Utah Senators Defend MSHA at Mine Safety Hearing (2007-09-06)
MSHA chief Richard Stickler came in for some harsh criticism at a Senate hearing on the Crandall Canyon mine disaster, but not from Utah's two senators.
9/6/07: Remembering JD Williams (2007-09-05)
Monday evening, JD Williams died in his Salt Lake City home. Williams, who taught politics at the University of Utah for some 40 years, was mentor to numerous local and national politicians and a passionate example of service to the community. His friend and student Sharlene Linford said he taught everyone the importance of character. For Williams, being a good person was the foundation for being a better citizen. Thursday, we remember JD Williams, and his lasting impact on Utah and the nation.
9/5/07: Jesus Camp (2007-09-05)
Today on RadioWest, we're talking with director Rachel Grady about the powerful documentary film Jesus Camp. The film follows a group of young people to an evangelical Christian camp, where they're guided or taught or indoctrinated - depending on your perspective. The idea is to create a battalion of Christian soldiers, in what they describe as a battle to take back America for Christ. The film can be disturbing, but it's also a very human portrait of kids and what they believe.
SLC Mayor Candidate Profiles: Dave Buhler (2007-09-05)
Dave Buhler chairs the Salt Lake City Council... and he's often been at odds with the current mayor. Dan Bammes has this profile.
9/4/07: Blood and Thunder (2007-09-04)
Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with the writer Hampton Sides. His book Blood and Thunder is about the epic conquest of the American West. It's a story with heroes and villains - at the center of it all is Kit Carson, the legendary trapper, scout and soldier. Doug talked to Sides about the conflict between Manifest Destiny and the actual lives of the people in the West. (Rebroadcast)
SLC Mayor Candidate Profiles: Ralph Becker (2007-09-04)
State legislative leader Ralph Becker is among the candidates running for mayor of Salt Lake City.
Listening to a Lunar Eclipse (2007-09-04)
What do you hear during a total eclipse of the moon? Sheri Quinn was listening last week.
SLC Mayor Candidate Profiles: John Renteria (2007-09-04)
Long-time Latino activist John Renteria has tossed his hat into the already crowded ring of Salt Lake City mayoral candidates. What has set him apart from the pack so far have been his run-in with the law and his passion for promoting west-side issues. KUER's Tasha Cook reports:
SLC Mayor Candidate Profiles: J.P. Hughes (2007-08-31)
The primary election to narrow the field of candidates for mayor of Salt Lake City is September 11th. KUER's Jenny Brundin profiles candidate J.P. Hughes.
SLC Mayor Candidate Profiles: Jenny Wilson (2007-08-31)
The race for mayor of Salt Lake City is officially non-partisan. But city voters haven't elected a Republican to lead Utah's capital city in more than three decades. Mayoral contender Jenny Wilson, who is the daughter of one former Democratic mayor of Salt Lake City, is hoping that, with enough support, she'll be able to continue that tradition and her family's own. KUER's Tasha Cook reports.
9/3/07: Thank You for Arguing (2007-08-30)
The writer Jay Heinrichs says that Americans aren't argumentative enough. Not really. Nothing particularly artful about the shouting that passes for argument in public discourse these days. But for Heinrichs, a proper argument is an art and quite an ancient one. Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation about the art of rhetoric. This isn't a fight. Rhetoric, Heinrichs says, is the essential skill of leadership and the better we do it, the more civil our society. (Rebroadcast)
8/31/07: Dancing in the Streets (2007-08-30)
The topic for today's RadioWest is joy. The acclaimed writer Barbara Ehrenreich will be our guest to talk about a particular kind of joy - communal joy. The kind that's been expressed throughout the ages when large groups of people have gathered to feast and to dance. Ehrenreich found that dancing has been a critical part of the way humans evolved and thrived, but overtime for various reasons we've resisted this part of our nature. But why? Her book is called Dancing in the Streets. Rebroadcast
8/30/07: School of Rock SLC (2007-08-29)
You've probably got your favorite songs, but what lessons have you learned from rock 'n' roll? For students at the Paul Green School of Rock in Salt Lake City and Sandy, it's about a lot more than sticking it to the man. School director Steve Auerbach says that it's about determination, reliability and team work - and what better way to do that than with a face melting guitar solo? Doug talks to Auerbach and to Paul Green about what rock has to teach its disciples.
8/29/07: September Dawn (2007-08-28)
On September 11, 1857, pioneers traveling from Arkansas to California stopped to rest in present day Washington County, Utah. In what is now known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, 120 people were killed by the Mormon Militia and Paiute Indians. 150 years later, and the question of who gave the orders is still creating controversy. A new fictional account of the tragedy opened this weekend and Wednesday, Doug is joined by historians and film experts for a look at its portrayal of the events.
8/28/07: Kids and Junk Food (2007-08-28)
What did you send with your kid to eat today or what are you expecting she'll get from the cafeteria or the vending machine. Nutrition expert Margo Wootan says young people will get nearly half of their calories at school and their options can be limited. Today on RadioWest, we're talking about kids and junk food. The stakes are obvious. Nearly a quarter of all teens are now classified as obese or at risk of becoming overweight, but what exactly do you do about it?
8/27/07: The Rhetorics of Religious Violence (2007-08-24)
The title of Michael Cobb's book on the rhetoric of religious violence may induce a wince or two. It's called God Hates Fags. Still, the words may not be as provocative as the ideas he explores. Cobb gets the title from the ugly language used by some extreme religious organizations. But instead of dismissing that language, Cobb is recommending gay people learn to understand its place in American culture and to actually adapt it for their purposes. (Rebroadcast)
8/24/07: Pleasurable Kingdom (2007-08-23)
What's going on when a dog wants to endlessly dash after a Frisbee on the lawn. A lot of us assume that while it may look fun, for an animal there's got to be more to it than that. But the researcher Jonathan Balcombe says that in fact the animal kingdom is rich with pleasure. And we're not just talking domestic pets. Balcombe says iguanas, sparrows, even Moray eels seek out pleasure. We talked with Balcombe last May when he made the case that animal enjoy themselves. (Rebroadcast)
8/23/07: Empires of the Word (2007-08-22)
The scholar Nicholas Ostler has written a history of our world through the prism of the languages that we speak. Today, there are between six and seven thousand language communities, and their stories range from conquering nations spreading culture across the globe to small groups struggling for survival. Nicholas Ostler is with us Thursday for a look at our history - and our future - through the words we speak.
8/22/07: Parallel Play (2007-08-21)
Though some support groups refer to it as "neurodiversity," a life lived with Asperger's Syndrome is - in the words of Tim Page - lived "alongside, but distinctly apart from, the rest of humanity." It wasn't until his mid-40s that Page, the Pulitzer-prize winning classical-music critic for The Washington Post, was diagnosed with Asperger's. Wednesday on RadioWest, Doug talks to Tim Page about the preoccupations, the social isolation and even the advantages of this autistic condition.
Small Satellite Conference (2007-08-21)
The 21st annual small satellite conference at Utah State University in Logan recently ended. Throughout the week, attendees from the military, academia, aerospace industry and government agencies and even children--gathered to share ideas and explore emerging spacecraft technologies. Producer Sheri Quinn has this report.
8/21/07: America's Constitution (2007-08-21)
Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation about America's Constitution. The scholar Akhil Reed Amar calls his book about America's founding document a biography. It's more than an exploration or an interpretation of what the Constitution says. Amar is trying to explain why it says it. He joined us to talk about how the 8,000 words of the Constitution reflect the story of America. (Rebroadcast)
8/20/07: Burning Man (2007-08-17)
Next week, thousands will find their way to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for the annual Burning Man experience. The temporary city has become an artistic mecca, where free expression and experimentation are the order of the day. But the festival is also highly organized, with staff and volunteers providing emergency services, building infrastructure and cleaning it all up at the end of the week.
8/17/07: Border Crossers and a New America (2007-08-16)
Writer and journalist Charles Bowden traveled some 7,000 miles documenting the experience of the thousands of illegal immigrants who make their way across the border of the southern United States. It's a dark portrait, but also humane and completely honest.
Communities Keep Hope for Mine Rescue (2007-08-15)
As the days go by, the coal mining communities of central Utah are trying to maintain hope that six trapped miners wilol be rescued alive.
8/16/07: Jon Ronson (2007-08-15)
The British journalist Jon Ronson had always wondered whether the theories - or parts of theories - of conspiracy theorists were true. Ronson set out to settle the matter for himself. In his book, "Them: Adventures with Extremists," he explores a world of fringe dwellers, which includes Islamic fundamentalists, Ku Klux Klan members and Christian separatists.
8/15/07: Mine Safety (2007-08-14)
The history of coal mining is fraught with cave-ins and accidents, and, as events unfolding at the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah show, excavating the riches of the planet remains a dangerous business.
Miners' Families Cling to Hope (2007-08-13)
It's been more than a week since a mine collapse trapped six miners in central Utah.
8/14/07: Einstein (2007-08-10)
Albert Einstein. Although not everyone could tell you what it means, most people could recite his equation E=mc2 and refer to his Theory of Relativity. The Nobel Prize winning Physicist remains one of the world's most recognizable geniuses, who pushed past the boundaries of classical science. With new access to his personal letters, biographer Walter Isaacson tells the story of Einstein - a story of passion, curiosity and rebellion.
8/13/07: Solomon's Temple (2007-08-10)
Some 10 centuries before the birth of Jesus, King Solomon is said to have built his temple in Jerusalem. It was a place of holy reverence - of communion between God and man - that has remained fixed in the imagination of Judaism, Christianity and Islam throughout history. Even today, 2,000 years after its final destruction, the temple remains central in religious worship and political discourse throughout the world.
8/10/07: Walking it Off (2007-08-09)
Friday on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Doug Peacock about his memoir Walking it Off. When Peacock returned from Vietnam, he wondered if he would ever be able to live a fully human life. Then he discovered the wilderness of the American West and he met Edward Abbey. Abbey would come to mythologize Peacock as George Washington Hayduke in his classic book The Monkey Wrench Gang, but he also helped his friend reconcile his love of the wild with his love of family and home.
Coal Mine Rescue Day 2 (2007-08-08)
Seismic activity has completely shut down efforts to reach six miners, and frustrated rescuers say it could take up to a week to reach the men if they're still alive. The men are trapped 15-hundred feet underground in the Crandal Canyon mine in the rugged forests of central Utah. The news was hard for residents of the region's mining towns, who say all they can do is wait, hope and pray.
8/9/07: Meltdowns and the Public Eye (2007-08-08)
Tuesday morning, Crandall Canyon Mine owner Robert Murray became angry, defensive and emotional while talking to reporters about the collapse that has left six Utah miners trapped underground. While the stress public figures feel during crises is immense, decorum remains the watch word. The careers of politicians, athletes and celebrities have often hinged on how they handled themselves following a "meltdown." Thursday, Jennifer Napier-Pearce and guests talk about self-control in the public eye.
8/8/07: Feeling the Real Estate Squeeze (2007-08-07)
Home prices in Utah have been appreciating rapidly, even as the mortgage industry is reeling from the impact of sub-prime loans and tighter credit. The net effect could be fewer families in Utah who are able to buy homes - and fewer homeowners who will be able to sell their properties quickly and easily. On this edition of Your Personal Economy, Dan Bammes and guests look at the impact of rising home prices and tighter lending.
Coal Mine Rescue in Utah (2007-08-07)
Crews worked through the night trying to reach six miners missing since a Utah coal mine collapsed on Monday morning.
8/7/07: The Art of Food Criticism (2007-08-06)
How do you judge your experience at a restaurant? Is it the ambiance, the service, the wine list or the culinary adventure? Vanessa Chang is the new restaurant reviewer - or "pro-eater" as she calls herself - at the Salt Lake Tribune. Chang says that with each review, she's trying to bring the reader "the entire experience." Tuesday on RadioWest, we're joined by a panel of area food critics to talk about the beauty of writing on food and the role of the reviewer in the dining community.
8/6/07: The Case of the Vanishing Bees (2007-08-03)
Even if you don't take your morning toast with honey, a third of the food you eat was produced thanks to the industrious insect the honey bee. So when beekeepers around the country are losing up to 70% of their hives due to Colony Collapse Disorder, it's worth taking notice. The Beehive State itself hasn't seen anything like that kind of devastation, but with no clear cause for the problem, Utah's beekeepers aren't taking it lightly.
Utah Hosts International Harp Festival (2007-08-03)
Harpists from around the world converged on Salt Lake City in August to showcase jazz and pop music on their instruments.
8/3/07: Talking Right (2007-08-02)
Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg argues that conservatives aren't just better at framing political debate or finding the best catch phrase, but that they've actually been able to capture the language of everyday political discussion. For proof, Nunberg says, don't listen to Fox News or Limbaugh, listen to how liberals themselves talk. (Rebroadcast)
8/2/07: Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars (2007-08-01)
A camp filled with refugees from a bloody civil war may seem an unlikely place for music to flourish. But when Reuben Koroma and Franco met one another in the Kalia Refugee Camp, the sounds they made provided a welcome distraction for their countrymen. Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars played from camp to camp, back in their home in Freetown, and eventually in the United States.
8/1/07: Reauthorizing CHIP (2007-07-31)
Families and child advocates are anxiously watching a political battle taking place this week in Washington - one that will decide whether 3 million more children will have health insurance. Observers call it the most significant health care debate in a decade, and it's pitted Utah's Republican senators against President Bush and Utah's Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services. Wednesday, Jenny Brundin and guests look at the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program.
7/31/07: Freeheld (2007-07-30)
For 25 years, Lieutenant Laurel Hester served the citizens of Ocean County, New Jersey and gained the respect of her peers and commanders. Her dying wish - to have her death benefits awarded to her same-sex partner - sparked a debate being echoed in communities across the country. Jennifer Napier-Pearce is joined by award-winning documentary filmmaker Cynthia Wade for an examination of the of the controversy surrounding partner benefits.
7/30/07: Technology and Politics (2007-07-27)
Last week, 2.6 million viewers tuned in to watch a new kind of political debate. CNN and YouTube received some 3,000 questions from video bloggers for the Democratic presidential candidates. Conventional wisdom says that the internet is revolutionizing politics and the public's access to their representatives. Guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce is joined by Mother Jones reporters Josh Harkinson and Daniel Schulman for a look at the truths and the myths of "Politics 2.0."
7/27/07: The Gospel According to the Simpsons (2007-07-26)
Creator Matt Groening told CNN that the difference between The Simpsons and other animated movies is that they have no penguins. Well, there is one penguin, but after 20 years of the ever-growing franchise, there must be something else to account for its popularity. The town of Springfield is about us - about Middle America, and scholars have used it to study media, culture and even religion. (Rebroadcast)
Aging Out of Foster Care (2007-07-25)
Teens aging out of Utah's foster care system numbered more than three hundred last year alone. When these children leave foster care at age 18, they face daunting obstacles. They lack family support. They have no place to live. They have almost no money. Most are poorly-prepared to live on their own. KUER's Tasha Cook reports.
7/26/07: Spam Wars (2007-07-25)
How much time does it take you each morning to slog through the stack of emails promising you weight loss, riches from the Nigerian bank account of a recently deceased prince or huge discounts on watches? Technology writer Danny Goodman reports that as much as 80% of e-mail traffic is unsolicited - and unwanted. Goodman joins us to talk about how spam figures into technology, economy and the law, and about how spammers use human nature to exploit the world's email system.
7/24/07: Joseph Smith - Rough Stone Rolling (2007-07-20)
Richard Bushman's biography of Mormon founder Joseph Smith has been called the best book written about this extraordinary man. Bushman himself is a believer, and while he doesn't pretend he isn't invested in the crucial question of whether Smith was a visionary or a fraud, as an historian he's more interested in trying to understand the mind of Joseph Smith and how he came to believe he spoke for God. (Rebroadcast)
7/23/07: Flower Confidential (2007-07-20)
When you get them or give them, it's hard to think of flowers as a commodity or a product. Amy Stewart says they may be emotional and impractical, but we Americans buy more flowers than we do Big Macs. In her book Flower Confidential Stewart explores the business of cut flowers. It's a big business by the way. In the process she wonders whether flowers are losing their identity if not just their scent along the way. (Rebroadcast)
7/25/07: White Light/Black Rain (2007-07-20)
When the US dropped atomic bombs on Japan in August of 1945, 210,000 people were vaporized. Of those who survived, some 200,000 are still living today. But they're stigmatized and known as Hibakusha: people exposed to the bomb. The Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki has created a powerful documentary. It's the story of the A-bomb - not from the perspective of politicians and historians - but in the words of the people who have lived more than 60 years with its consequences.
7/20/07: The Female Brain (2007-07-19)
Trying to parse the differences between men and women has always been dicey territory. This is why Dr. Louann Brizendine's book is so controversial. Brizendine says the thing that makes a woman different from a man isn't culture or the environment, it's her brain. Girls, she writes, arrive in the world hard-wired as girls. Today on RadioWest we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Dr. Brizendine, talking about her book called The Female Brain. (Rebroadcast)
7/19/07: The Pentagon (2007-07-18)
The Pentagon stands with the White House as one of the most recognizable symbols of the United States government. It was constructed in a mere seventeen months, and has been the headquarters of the Department of Defense from World War II through September 11th and its aftermath. Washington Post military reporter Steve Vogel joins Doug to tell the story of this enigmatic building, and the history of modern America that it embodies.
7/18/07: Infidel (2007-07-17)
In 2004, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh began a documentary that Ali has said was about defiance - "about Muslim women who shift from total submission to God to a dialogue with their deity." They knew it was dangerous, and in November of that year, van Gogh was killed for it. Ali was raised in Somalia and fled to Europe to escape what she saw as the brutality of Islamic culture.
7/17/07: Remedies for the Teacher Shortage (2007-07-17)
Here are the key working questions for the latest report from the Utah Foundation: Why do teachers stop teaching in Utah and what will encourage them to stay? Teachers in the state are leaving the profession in alarming numbers at a time when a tidal wave-like surge of students are about to rush into the system. Today on RadioWest, we're examining the report's conclusions and recommendations. We'll also talk about the political environment under which this discussion will play out.
Splitting School Districts (2007-07-16)
Utah's former governor questions the proposals to split Granite and Jordan school districts.
Milford Flat Wildfire (2007-07-13)
The biggest wildfire in Utah history will have far-reaching consequences for ranchers.
7/16/07: King Lear (2007-07-13)
King Lear is considered one of William Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. If you head to the Utah Shakespearean Festival this season, you'll see a very different version of the play than what audiences enjoyed in the 17th century though. Naham Tate was poet laureate of England, and in 1681 he rewrote King Lear to have a happy ending with both the king and his faithful daughter surviving.
7/13/07: Huck's Raft (2007-07-12)
In his landmark book Huck's Raft, the historian Steven Mintz offers the first comprehensive history of American childhood. He traces the transformation of the way we have perceived children - from the sinful creatures of the Puritan era to today. Mintz argues hovering parents now impose too many demands on kids, and have stripped from them the freedom to discover the world, as well as themselves. Steven Mintz joins Doug to explain the history and direction of American childhood. (Repeat)
7/12/07: Identifying with the Party (2007-07-12)
Are you happy with your political party? Not everyone is. Salt Lake City mayoral candidate Keith Christensen had been a life-long Republican until a few days ago when he announced he wanted out. He didn't switch parties; he now sees himself as an independent. Thursday on RadioWest, we're talking about the two-party political system ... well, the two major parties. Does it still work? Do people still feel connected to their party? What brings them into the fold in the first place?
Bear River Dam Opponents Turn to Poetry (2007-07-11)
Poetry was the tactic of choice for a group opposing construction of a dam on the Bear River in southern Idaho.
7/11/07: The Nature of Wildfire (2007-07-10)
As more than 300,000 acres burn in central Utah, we're talking about the nature of wildfire. The Milford Flat Fire is the largest in Utah's recorded history, and lives and homes remain at risk with only some 10% of it contained. Doug talks to author George Wuerthner and to former fire fighter and poet C.L. Rawlins about the the role these fires play in the natural - and in the developed - world.
7/9/07: Stradivari's Genius (2007-07-09)
Antonio Stradivari created instruments that gave the world their rich and unique sound for hundreds of years. Doug Fabrizio talks with author Toby Faber about Stradivari's enduring work, and we're joined by Utah Symphony Concert Master Ralph Matson playing a 1702 Lord Borwick Stradivarius - courtesy of Peter Prier and Sons Violins. (Rebroadcast)
7/10/07: God and Empire (2007-07-09)
The lessons of non-violence and social justice attributed to Jesus Christ were born in the context of Roman hegemony. They were aimed at ordinary people, powerless against a great empire. In his new book, New Testament scholar John Dominic Crossan poses a critical ethical question for today's lone superpower: Is the United States the new Rome? Crossan talks to Doug about the parallels he sees, and about winning peace not through military victory, but through equal treatment of all people.
Tabernacle Choir Out-Sings Cicadas (2007-07-09)
The invasion of cicadas that took over Chicago this year couldn't drown out the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
7/6/07: Starving for Time (2007-07-03)
You probably imagine your life better than that of a medieval peasant, but consider this: Americans work more on average than a laborer in the Middle Ages. Even to judge by today's standards, we still work 350 more hours a year than our contemporaries in Europe. Americans are starving for time, and this famine poses a real threat to our health, our relationships and our communities. (Rebroadcast)
7/5/07: Brian Kershisnik - Painting from Life (2007-07-03)
What does it mean when galleries sell out of an artists' work before an exhibit even opens? In the case of Utah artist Brian Kershisnik, it speaks to a unique ability to portray the abstract qualities of life on the canvas. The Curator of Exhibitions at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts calls Kershisnik's work bitter, sweet, awkward and graceful - words that might best sum up the moments of human experience.
7/3/2007: Presidential Pardons (2007-07-02)
Whatever you think about President Bush's decision to commute the sentence of Lewis Scooter Libby yesterday, he was within his rights to do it. Today on RadioWest, we're exploring the history and reach of the presidential pardon power. The question isn't just whether he could do it, but whether he should. Is it a presidential prerogative or an abuse of power?
7/4/2007: Presidential Courage (2007-07-02)
Wednesday on the program we're rebroadcasting our conversation with one of the country's leading presidential historians - Michael Beschloss. In his recent book, Beschloss has selected stories of American presidents who jeopardized their political careers, reputations, and even their lives to make the right decision. Beschloss writes: "Throughout our history it has been important for presidents to summon the courage to dismiss what is merely popular." (Rebroadcast)
Woman Bids to be First to Solo Row Across Pacific (2007-07-01)
If the winds and tides are just right next week, British rower Roz Savage will launch from the San Francisco harbor, bidding to be the first woman to row across the Pacific Ocean alone - a two year journey. She wants to prove that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. And it won't be the first time - last year she rowed the Atlantic alone. KUER'S Jenny Brundin caught up with Savage in Utah on her way to California, and filed this profile.
Journey to an Internment Camp (2007-06-29)
Tomorrow at the Topaz Internment Site, there will be a ceremony to recognize its designation as a National Historic Landmark. It's one of ten camps that were constructed throughout the United States. KUER's operations manager Michael Havey is half-Japanese a third generation Japanese American whose family was interned for three years during World War II in the Amache Camp in Colorado.
7/2/07: What to Read This Summer (2007-06-29)
Just in time for your 4th of July, we've gathered up Salt Lake's local, independent booksellers for a look at the summer's best reads. Doug is joined by Ken Sanders of Ken Sanders Rare Books, Catherine Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore and Betsy Burton and Margaret Brennan-Neville of The King's English Bookshop.
Bite Sized - Sushi (2007-06-28)
Beth Hoffman's series on food continues with a session on sushi with Chef Tosh Sekikawa.
Sundance Economic Impact (2007-06-28)
Utah hosts one of the world's premier independent film festivals. The Sundance Film Festival not only adds cachet to Utah's image, it also brings in millions of dollars in hard cash to the state.
6/29/07: Your Personal Economy - Making Money with Your Hobby (2007-06-28)
Some things we do for fun and others we do for money. But many people have hobbies that pay, although it's rarely enough to support a family. On this edition of Your Personal Economy, we'll hear from some people who make money from their passions and talk about how to do it without interfering with your day job. John Bird from the Albion Financial Group joins KUER's Dan Bammes in the studio to talk about hobbies that make money on Radio West.
6/28/07: Sicko (2007-06-27)
The new film Sicko may present some typical Michael Moore theatrics, but in it, Moore poses some important questions about health care in the United States. Who are we as a nation if we allow 44 million people to go uninsured? Thursday, we'll look at Canadian politician and icon Tommy Douglas who fought for universal coverage in the early 1960s. Some 50 years later, and the United States remains embroiled in a similar debate.
6/27/07: Japanese Film Festival (2007-06-26)
This week, the Salt Lake City Film Center is hosting a Japanese Film Festival, and we're taking the opportunity to talk about the Japanese experience in film and Japanese film making. Doug talks to producer and local filmmaker Barry Rosenbush about American Pastime, which deals with a family interned in Topaz Camp during World War II. Then, we profile the extraordinary 50 year career of Akira Kurosawa, whose masterpieces include the 1954 classic, Seven Samurai.
6/26/07: The Whole World Over (2007-06-25)
Julia Glass published her first novel at the age of 44 and with it won the National Book Award. So where does a sophomore writer go next? Glass told the Detroit Free Press that she set out to find a new point of view - to create something "consciously different." Julia Glass will be in Salt Lake city this weekend, and Tuesday she joins Doug to talk about her book The Whole World Over. It's a story of the accidents - and the choices - that define the loves in life.
Childhood Asthma and Genomics (2007-06-22)
Asthma is one of Utah's most persistent and troubling health problems, especially for children. Air pollution is widely blamed for this respiratory ailmnent. But it's more complicated than that. Health researchers are now looking at the complex interplay between genetics and the environment. KUER's Tasha Cook reports.
Childhood Asthma and Genomics (2007-06-22)
Asthma is one of Utah's most persistent and troubling health problems, especially for children. Air pollution is widely blamed for this respiratory ailmnent. But it's more complicated than that. Health researchers are now looking at the complex interplay between genetics and the environment. KUER's Tasha Cook reports.
6/25/07: Muses, Madmen and Prophets (2007-06-22)
For much of history, those who heard voices were thought of as having a connection to the supernatural world: Socrates, Moses & Joan of Arc to name just a few. People still hear voices today, but now it's explained as a trick of the human psyche or as a disease. After his own father struggled with voices, the journalist Daniel Smith set-out to understand the phenomenon. Monday, Smith joins Doug to talk about the extraordinary, strange and sometimes frightening aspects of auditory hallucinations.
6/22/07: EO Wilson (2007-06-21)
Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with EO Wilson. Regarded as one of the great scientific minds of our time, Wilson has become the preeminent defender of the Earth's fragile biodiversity. To prevent what he believes could be the most devastating mass extinction of life since the dinosaurs disappeared, Wilson is proposing a truce between the two most powerful forces in the world today: science and religion. (Rebroadcast)
6/21/07: The Battle for Peace (2007-06-20)
In 2003, as General Tony Zinni waited to speak to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he recounts listening to the "planners" from the Defense Department testify. What horrified him was that there was no plan - no answer to the complexities that America faced in Iraq. In Zinni's book "The Battle for Peace," the former Commander in Chief of CENTCOM lays out his approach to stabilizing the Middle East. He joins Doug to talk about that vision, and about America's role in world politics.
6/20/07: US Business and Immigration (2007-06-19)
The Senate is currently considering a bill that would overhaul immigration to the United States. There are currently some 12 million undocumented workers living in the country, and the legislation includes an increased budget for border security and a temporary worker program. The questions raised by this legislation aren't just about the immigrants themselves; the US economy has come to rely on the labor immigrants supply.
6/19/07: Creating Non-Fiction (2007-06-19)
Spring time is as good a time as any to hear a story, and today on the program we're sharing three essays. They're the winners of the non-fiction contest for the Writers at Work conference which is going on this week. Doug is joined by the authors to talk about the form and the process of revealing the truth of their own lives. What do you leave in, what do you leave out and how do you deal with that temptation to tidy things up? Then, we'll hear excerpts of the stories themselves.
A Refugee Remembers Iraq (2007-06-19)
Kamal Bewar is a Kurdish refugee from northern Iraq. He remembers his experience coming to a country he knew little about.
6/18/07: A View to Kill (2007-06-15)
Every year, Americans eat some nine billion chickens in the United States. That's ten times what we were consuming 50 years ago, and it's a volume that means farms are looking for quick and efficient ways of processing the birds. NPR investigative reporter Daniel Zwerdling followed the life and death of an industrialized chicken, and the story he tells in this month's Gourmet Magazine may have you looking at the drumstick a little differently.
Inmates Become Master Gardeners (2007-06-15)
Three inmates in the Cache County Jail have completed Utah State University's Master Gardener program.
Inmates Become Master Gardeners (2007-06-15)
Three inmates in the Cache County Jail have completed Utah State University's Master Gardener program.
Vision Dixie (2007-06-14)
Residents of the fastest-growing community in the United States are charting their own future through a planning process called Vision Dixie.
6/15/07: Wait, Wait! (2007-06-14)
The cast and crew of NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me are in Salt Lake City again this week to create their "oddly informative news quizzes." Last time they were in Utah, we sat down with Peter Sagal for a look at the job of a political satirist. We also talked to the official Wait, Wait limericist Philip Goedicke. He judged our first and only limerick contest - which poked a bit of fun at our own great state. (Rebroadcast)
Violinists gather for Stadivarius International Competition (2007-06-13)
There's always been a mystique surrounding the most famous of Italian violins, those crafted by Antonio Stradivari 300 years ago. For centuries, scientists and violin makers have tried to duplicate the excellence of his craftsmanship, without success. Some of the finest young classical violinists in the world are gathering in Utah this week to play these violins.
6/14/07: Yoga - the Musical (2007-06-13)
Thursday on RadioWest, we're talking about yoga and how it has been practiced throughout its 6,000 year history. A new piece of musical theater by SB Dance Company satirizes the way yoga has come to be practiced in American popular culture. This isn't a new criticism though. For centuries people have disputed the motives of practitioners.
6/13/07: Oil on the Brain (2007-06-12)
The nozzle at your local gas station doesn't just connect you to the pump - it connects you to the world at the other end of the pipe. Journalist Lisa Margonelli set out to explore that world, and it led to interviews with gas station owners, truckers, drillers, oil billionaires, Venezuelan villagers and Chinese automobile designers. Margonelli joins Doug to explain how Utah's $3.21 gasoline may actually be ridiculously cheap given the impacts of this complicated, global industry.
6/12/07: Great American Speeches (2007-06-11)
Ronald Reagan was called the "great communicator." 20 years ago today, he stood at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!" With those words, he delivered a strategic message that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. That's what great speeches do - they persuade others to take action. Today on the program political scientist Tim Chambless is joining us for a look at some of the greatest moments in American rhetoric.
Polar Photographer (2007-06-11)
David C. Schultz has been to the Arctic and the Antarctic pursuing his unique vision.
Sound Converts Waste Heat to Electricity (2007-06-08)
A research team at the University of Utah is demonstrating techniques for converting waste heat into electric power.
6/11/07: Are Mormons Christians? (2007-06-08)
Last month, a televangelist based in Tampa, Florida told his followers that "if you vote for Mitt Romney, you are voting for Satan!" Many Evangelicals in the country simply don't believe that the LDS Church is a Christian denomination. A recent Pew Research Center poll indicated that 30% of the public are less likely to support a Mormon for president. Monday, we're asking the very straight-forward question: Are Mormons Christians? For that matter, who is a Christian, and who gets to decide?
6/8/07: Imagining Jesus (2007-06-07)
When you think of Jesus, chances are the image that comes to mind isn't that of a typical 1st Century Jewish peasant. Christians since the 3rd Century have been creating their own representations - from allegories borrowed from pagan motifs to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed portrait that is pervasive across the globe today. Doug talks to David Morgan about how different cultures have represented Jesus and about how the picture we recognize today came to be. (Rebroadcast)
6/7/07: Mouth Sounds with Fred Newman (2007-06-06)
Today on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our conversation with Fred Newman. Fred does sound effects for Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. But he's no foley artist - no old shoes or creaky doors or coconuts for him. Newman does it all - the plops, the sizzles, the clicks - with his voice. He explained to Doug how he came to understand how the voice works and how sounds connect us to the world we live in. (Rebroadcast)
Learning How to Walk - Again (2007-06-04)
Marcela Torres recently moved to downtown Salt Lake City and rediscovered the pleasure of walking.
6/5/07: Communicating Nature (2007-06-04)
Communication professor Julia Corbett has noticed a trend in the way the media and we as individuals talk about nature. Look at car commercials, for example, and you'll be told that nature is a distant place that requires monumental effort to reach. Corbett says we've forgotten that our environment includes our back yards, and our city streets, and us. She joins Doug to explain how we talk about nature, and what that says about our relationship to the natural world.
6/4/07: Untangling the Web (2007-06-01)
Monday on RadioWest, we're talking to Joe Firmage, an internet wunderkind who says the World Wide Web is getting out of hand. While it may indeed have democratized how information is published and shared, the he says the internet has also become significantly cluttered. So Firmage has created ManyOne.net, which he hopes will deliver a trust-worthy guide to the body of human knowledge found on-line. Firmage joins Doug in studio to look at just how it is he plans to untangle the web.
Utah Gas Prices (2007-06-01)
Members of the Utah delegation have mixed reactions when it comes to tackling soaring gas prices. Matt Laslo from our Capitol Hill bureau reports.
6/1/07: John Amaechi - Man in the Middle (2007-05-31)
You've probably heard a similar story. A young boy with dreams of being a star athlete overcomes poverty, abandonment and abuse in order to make it big. John Amaechi's journey to professional basketball has yet another layer of courage to it though. All the while, he had to hide his sexuality from the hypermasculine world of the NBA. But during his two seasons with the Utah Jazz, Amaechi slowly began to build an honest life for himself.
Utah Hopes to Eradicate Japanese Beetles in Orem (2007-05-31)
The state of Utah hopes to keep Japanese beetles from spreading out of the neighborhood where they were first found last year, and that means sacrifices for some families who live there.
Roller Coaster Physics (2007-05-30)
Do high school students find physics more interesting when they're studing the motion of rides in an amusement park?
5/31/07: The Crowd Gone Wild (2007-05-30)
Salt Lake Tribune Sports Columnist Gordon Monson had a simple word for Monday night's home crowd at the EnergySolutions Arena: "classless." As the Jazz lost to the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of their Western conference NBA playoff, fans heckled the refs at every whistle and threw objects onto the court. Psychologists say it's not because the fans are bad people. Certain defense mechanisms kick in when the spectators feels their team is being treated unjustly. They take it personally.
5/30/07: Presidential Courage (2007-05-29)
President Andrew Jackson once said, "I was born for the storm; the calm does not suit me." The office of the President of the United States may indeed require a particular personality, but the leaders who have stood out have done so for the courage. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan may not have been saints, but they each took certain political risks in order to make difficult changes.
5/29/07: The Mother of Waters (2007-05-29)
Tuesday on RadioWest, we're talking about one of the world's great rivers, the Mekong, which makes its way some three thousand miles from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea. Our guide is Mick O'Shea, the first person to navigate the entire river. He's in Utah today to raise awareness about the threat on the Mekong Basin posed by a Chinese dam project. O'Shea says it's one of the most significant ecological crises of the Mekong's 50 million year history, and few are aware of the stakes.
Memorial Day at Utah's Fort Douglas (2007-05-29)
KUER's Tasha Cook sends this audio postcard of Memorial Day observances at Utah's Fort Douglas.
Voucher Confusion Deepens (2007-05-25)
Whether or not Utahns will actually be voting on school vouchers in this November's election sunk deeper into already murky water yesterday. Governor Jon Huntsman announced he would not hold a special legislative session to help clarify the issue. Voucher proponents meantime - petitioned the courts to step in and sort the matter out. KUER's Jenny Brundin has the story.
5/28/07: Mormonism and Popular Culture (2007-05-25)
Monday on RadioWest, we're exploring the way religion - in particular the Mormon religion - is portrayed in popular culture. We're using as a kind of case study an episode from the animated program South Park called "All About the Mormons?" which takes on the most sacred accounts of the church's origins. Our guests will explain why there's more here then just satire. It's also about belief, faith and the view outsiders have of the fantastic stories that are part of most religions. (Rebroadcast)
5/25/07: Road Trips (2007-05-24)
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, creating one of the greatest public works projects in history and a significant development in American culture. As you prepare for your Memorial Day weekend - Whether your journey takes you on the highway or down a meandering side-road -- we're rebroadcasting our conversation about some unforgettable trips and about the appeal of the open road. (Rebroadcast)
Ballet West Has New Artistic Director (2007-05-24)
Adam Sklute hasn't found a place to live yet, but the new artistic director for Ballet West is already on the job, meeting with dancers, donors and civic leaders. Sklute was recently named to the post after an 8-month intensive international search from a pool of 38 candidates. Sklute came to Ballet West by way of the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago where he was an Associate Artistic Director, and a dancer for many years. He says he'd like to create a new vision of dance in the American West.
Job Corps Providing Opportunity (2007-05-23)
A strong economy has left vacancies for young people at one of the largest job corps centers in the nation.
5/24/07: Joe and Lee Bennion (2007-05-23)
In 1977, Joe and Lee Bennion took their honeymoon in Central Utah and when they came upon Spring City, they knew they had found their home. 30 years later, the couple continue to live and work in town - using the environs as inspiration for Joe's pottery and Lee's painting. Thursday on RadioWest, we wrap-up our week in Spring City with a conversation with the Bennions. Doug talks to Joe and Lee about art, process, and their relationship with their community.
5/23/07: Historic Preservation (2007-05-22)
The town of Spring City, Utah was added to the National Historic Register in 1978, and the town boasts some splendid examples of architecture from the mid to late 19th and early 20th centuries. As Spring City prepares for its annual Heritage Day home tours, we're asking questions about historic preservation. What is it about these buildings that make them worth saving? What does "preservation" mean in a living community? Join us for a live broadcast from Spring City Hall.
5/22/07: Spring City, Utah (2007-05-21)
This week, RadioWest is live in Spring City, Utah. On Tuesday, we begin our conversations with a portrait of the town. Settled by Mormon pioneers in 1852, Spring City remains uniquely well-preserved in architecture and charm. In 1978, the entire town was listed as a National Historic District, and throughout the years has become home to many regionally and nationally recognized artists. Join Doug for a look at the history, economy and character of this rural Utah town.
337 Project Art Appealing but Temporary (2007-05-18)
An office building set for demolition is the canvas for dozens of artists in Salt Lake City.
5/21/07: The History of Free Speech (2007-05-18)
The Bill of Rights became part of the US Constitution in 1791, but the battle to define and protect free speech has been an ongoing one. There were campaigns to suppress smut like the work of George Bernard Shaw in the late 19th century. Upton Sinclair was arrested in 1923 for reading the First Amendment on Liberty Hill. Still today, the Patriot Act has served as fuel for the ongoing debate about what it means to express ourselves in a democracy.
5/18/07: Jorge Fierro and Rico Mexican Market (2007-05-18)
When owner Jorge Fierro gives a tour of Rico Mexican Market, he smiles when he shows you his tortilla making machine. There's a small wooden press -- hand operated by one of his 30 employees. Fierro started his business selling freshly cooked pinto beans at the Downtown Farmer's Market. Now Rico Brand carries over 125 products distributed throughout Salt Lake and Park City. Doug talks to Jorge Fierro about his commitment to the local economy, & about the delight of well-made food. Rebroadcast
Utah & No Child Left Behind (2007-05-16)
Congress is debating the reauthorization of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act this year. That's the federal law mandating that all of the nation's children read and write at grade level by 2012. One big battle looms over children with limited English skills and whether they should be tested in their own language. Jodi Breisler reports from our Capitol Hill bureau.
5/16/07: Pleasurable Kingdom (2007-05-16)
As our relationship with animals has developed over the course of time, we've generally come to recognize that creatures experience pain and stress. But what of pleasure and happiness? Dr. Jonathan Balcombe argues that positive feelings are evolutionarily adaptive, and he says that contrary to popular myth, survival and pleasure are actually quite compatible. Thursday, Balcombe is joining us to talk about how animals enjoy themselves, and what that means ethically for both science and society.
Utah & No Child Left Behind (2007-05-16)
Congress is debating the reauthorization of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act this year. That's the federal law mandating that all of the nation's children read and write at grade level by 2012. One big battle looms over children with limited English skills and whether they should be tested in their own language. Jodi Breisler reports from our Capitol Hill bureau.
Utah & No Child Left Behind (2007-05-16)
Congress is debating the reauthorization of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act this year. That's the federal law mandating that all of the nation's children read and write at grade level by 2012. One big battle looms over children with limited English skills and whether they should be tested in their own language. Jodi Breisler reports from our Capitol Hill bureau.
Utah & No Child Left Behind (2007-05-16)
Congress is debating the reauthorization of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act this year. That's the federal law mandating that all of the nation's children read and write at grade level by 2012. One big battle looms over children with limited English skills and whether they should be tested in their own language. Jodi Breisler reports from our Capitol Hill bureau.
5/16/07: A Long Way Gone (2007-05-15)
At 12 years old, Ishmael Beah's life became horribly entangled in Sierra Leone's civil war. He became a refugee, and within a year was forced into the government army. But after living through and committing truly terrible acts - Beah was sent to a rehabilitation center and eventually made his way to the United States. He's written a memoir called "A Long Way Gone," and in it, he reveals the life that as many as 300,000 child soldiers are living throughout the world today.
Senator's Shakespeare (2007-05-14)
Utah Senator Bob Bennett took the stage in a production of Romeo and Juliet -- and he didn't even have to wear tights.
5/15/07: Tanning and Your Skin (2007-05-14)
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million cases annually. And it's not just the summer sun that's placing us at risk. With tanning beds, people are keeping their "golden glow" throughout the year. Doctors warn though that any exposure to UV radiation increases a person's risk of cancer. Tuesday on RadioWest, we'll talk about the price of tanning and about the social and cultural values we place on our complexion.
5/14/07: Dancing in the Streets (2007-05-11)
Lord Byron wrote that to have joy, one must share it. "Happiness," he said, "was born a twin." As a species, we have long celebrated communal expressions of joy - from ancient festivals and rituals to today's revelry at sporting events. Acclaimed author Barbara Ehrenreich has written a new book called Dancing in the Streets, and Monday she's with us to talk about how joy has helped humans create social bonds - and may be the key to a more peaceable future.
Mother's Day (2007-05-11)
This Sunday is Mother's Day and this morning, we bring you an essay from a local writer - Peta Owens-Liston. She's the mother of two young boys a mother who has come to understand that her sons' questions and observations have made her life much richer.
Recovering Frogs in Utah (2007-05-10)
Nine years ago Bruce Babbitt, then Secretary of the Interior, stood in the Provo River on a windy, cold day in April looking for the Columbia Spotted Frog. He couldn't find one - so had to hold a plastic bull frog for his photo op.
5/11/07: Political Literacy (2007-05-10)
Jeffrey Nielsen believes that the way to rejuvenate a democracy is one person, one household, and one community at a time. To do this, he has created The Democracy House Project which aims to get people thinking and talking about politics in their own community. The idea is for individuals to host these political literacy workshops in their home; Nielsen has described it as a kind of multi-level marketing scheme for democracy. (Rebroadcast)
5/10/07: Pocahontas Revealed (2007-05-09)
From grade school lessons to Disney characters, most Americans have some mental image of Pocahontas. But even beyond the romantacized notions, historians characterize her as bold, vivacious and very, very smart. This week, the PBS series Nova premiered a new documentary "Pocahontas Revealed." As America remembers the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Doug talks to the show's writer and director about the realities of one our nation's most enduring heroines.
Utah Graduation Rates (2007-05-09)
A national policy, research and advocacy organization publishes a study analyzing the achievement gap and the economic benefit of pursuing a secondary school education in Utah. KUER's Tasha Cook interviews the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education.
5/9/07: Coal-Fire Power in Utah (2007-05-08)
A group of local doctors recently proposed a list of prescriptions to address Utah's dirty air. Topping the list is a moratorium on new coal-fire power plants in the state, but supporters of proposed facilities like one in Sevier County argue that new plants are safe and a boon to the local economy. Wednesday, we'll look at the politics of coal in Utah and at coal's impact on people and communities.
5/8/07: Love Song to Glen Canyon (2007-05-08)
When the Glen Canyon Dam was built, 186 miles of the Colorado River flooded and the Lake Powell Reservoir was born. Katie Lee has called it the "damning of an Eden unequaled." Lee is an author, folk singer, poet and river runner and at 87, she continues to mourn the river that formed her. She joins Doug, along with Ken "Seldom Seen" Sleight, to talk about Glen Canyon and about lives dedicated to environmental activism.
5/7/07: The Thirteenth Tipping Point (2007-05-07)
British scientist John Schellnhuber has identified 12 tipping-points that, if triggered, would likely initiate sudden changes across the planet. From the deforestation of the Amazon to the melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, each is tied into a global environmental system that could experience a catastrophic domino effect. Journalist Julia Whitty joins Doug with details of Schellnhuber's findings, and to explain the one factor that could change the tide. (Rebroadcast)
Utah's Quest for 4th Seat Advances (2007-05-04)
Last month the House okayed a bill that would award Utah a fourth Congressional seat. Now the plan moves to the Senate. Yesterday, the package scored the support of two key senators. Chad Pergram reports from Capitol Hill.
Dance Community Awaits Koester Debut (2007-05-04)
University of Utah dance professor Stephen Koester makes his Utah debut, causing a stir in the dance community. Robin Sussingham reports.
Bennett Backs Bi-Partisan Health Care Bill (2007-05-04)
Utah Republican Senator Robert Bennett joined forces with Democrats to introduce a bill that provides health insurance to all Americans. As Jodi Breisler reports, it's a rare bi-partisan effort in a Congress that's deeply divided.
5/4/07: The Elephant in the Living Room (2007-05-03)
It's the elephant in the living room. 99% of American households own a television, and the typical schoolchild spends as much time watching TV as she does in class. But before you throw your set (or, let's be honest - sets) out the window, Dimitri Christakis has some suggestions for making TV work for your family. Pediatrician Christakis talked to Doug about how parents can take charge of their children's viewing and make it a beneficial part of their life. (Rebroadcast)
5/3/07: Talk Radio (2007-05-03)
This week's smackdown between Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and radio host Sean Hannity has offered as much hype as you would ever want in this state. And like it or not, all this buzz is a credit to the popularity or infamy of conservative talk radio. Thursday on RadioWest, we're tracing the history and the emergence of the genre that made people like Hannity and Limbaugh influential in the realms of politics and discourse.
5/2/07: Salt Lake City Mayor's Race, Part IV (2007-05-01)
Wednesday, RadioWest concludes its series of conversations with Salt Lake City Mayoral Candidates. We're live at the Hinckley Institute of Politics with middle-school teacher Robert Comstock, surgeon JP Hughes and Centro Civico Mexicano Director John Renteria.
5/1/07: Blood and Thunder (2007-04-30)
In his book "Blood and Thunder," Hampton Sides records the birth of the American West in all its vividness and brutality. It's a tale with many heroes and many villains, and at the center of it all is Kit Carson - the legendary trapper, scout and soldier. Hampton Sides will be in Park City next week, and Tuesday he joins Doug to talk about Manifest Destiny, the fate of the Navajo and the complicated history of the region.
4/30/07: "The Mormons" (2007-04-27)
A new documentary produced by award-winning filmmaker Helen Whitney ("Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," "John Paul II: The Millennial Pope") explores the richness, complexities, and controversies of the Mormon story. Doug returns April 30th with Helen Whitney and the new American Experience documentary "The Mormons."
Challenges to Minority Cultures in China (2007-04-27)
Doug Fabrizio reports on China's efforts to present minority ethnic cultures to visitors from around the world.
BYU Grads Stage Alternate Commencement (2007-04-27)
Vice-President Dick Cheney was warmly received on the Brigham Young University campus yesterday by all but a handful of students. They put together their own "alternative commencement" as a protest against the war in Iraq.
4/27/07: David Halberstam (Rebroadcast) (2007-04-26)
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist David Halberstam died this week in Menlo Park, Calif. In this archive edition of RadioWest, Doug talks with Halberstam about society, history and cultural change.
4/26/07: Utah's Fraying Social Safety Net (2007-04-25)
A new report shows many Utahns are struggling to find and pay for health care, housing and education, and concludes the situation isn't getting any better.
Women Journalists from the Middle East Visit Utah (2007-04-25)
KUER's Jenny Brundin talks to two women journalists from the Middle East on a visit to Utah.
4/25/07: Living Downtown (2007-04-24)
With hundreds of new condos and apartments under construction, thousands more people soon will be calling Salt Lake's downtown home. Will they find the amenities they need? And how will the influx change the city's core?
New Utah Law Restricts Teen Tanning (2007-04-24)
A new Utah law goes into effect next week requiring parents' permission for minors to use indoor tanning salons.
Bite Sized - One World Cafe (2007-04-23)
Beth Hoffman continues her series on food with a look at a cafe where there are no prices on the menu.
4/24/07: Regulating Wi-Fi (2007-04-23)
Wireless Internet connections - Wi-Fi - make accessing the Internet easy. But are open wireless networks a public convenience or a hazard to children?
House Votes to Give Utah, DC New Seats (2007-04-20)
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to give the District of Columbia voting representation in Congress as well as adding a 4th seat for Utah.
4/23/07: Wealth v. Happiness (2007-04-20)
In the American vernacular, saying someone is successful often translates into saying someone is rich. But does that make one happy? In his latest article published in Mother Jones magazine, journalist Bill McKibben argues the economy's demand for constant global growth has eroded local relationships and, in turn, pleasure and satisfaction. Guest host Jenny Brundin speaks with McKibben about economics, contentment and living in a material world.
4/20/07: "Believe" and the Culture of Multi-Level Marketing (2007-04-19)
"Believe," a new comedy being released in theaters Friday, spoofs the MLM industry, its regulators and the mindset that anyone can succeed in an MLM. Guest host Robin Sussingham talks with director Loki Mulholland about the film and Taylor about the cultural influences that draw people to MLMs.
4/19/07: Facing East (Rebroadcast) (2007-04-18)
An LDS couple faces the suicide of their gay son in Plan B Theatre Company's production of "Facing East."
4/18/07: Responding to Violence (2007-04-17)
This week's deadly shootings at Virginia Tech serve as painful reminders of the need to prepare for emergencies as well as prevent them. How should institutions respond to catastrophes? And how can society work to prevent such brutal outbursts? Guest host Dan Bammes explores the outward and inward responses to violence with University of Utah Environmental Health and Safety Director Marti Shaub, Bill Woodward of the Center
4/17/07: Patrick Seale (2007-04-16)
Journalist Patrick Seale covered war, peace, social upheaval and diplomacy from Algeria to Iran. Now a respected author and consultant, Seale uses his 30 years of experience in the region to comment on the reconstruction of Syria, negotiations between Israel and Palestine, and war in Iraq. Tuesday guest host Jenny Brundin talks with Seale about the current turbulent conditions in the Middle East and the prospects for peace.
4/16/07: 2030 Transportation Plan (2007-04-13)
With Utah's population expected to balloon by 2 million people by 2030, transportation planners think they've figured out the fastest -- and cheapest ways -- of getting folks from point A to point B. But some advocates think the plan leans too heavily on roads and not enough rails. Guest host Jennifer Napier-Pearce reviews the draft 2030 Regional Transportation Plan with Chuck Chappell of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Marc Heileson of the Sierra Club, and others.
4/12/07: Rounding Third (2007-04-12)
There's an age-old struggle going on in bleachers and on sidelines around the country. Parents and teachers may talk a good game saying that sports are about building character and learning fundamentals - but then there is winning. Playwright Richard Dresser saw it when he coached his son's team, and the result was "Rounding Third," which has just opened at Salt Lake Acting Company. Today we'll talk about the play and about a culture which, like it or not, is obsessed with success.
A Utah Soldier Remembers Dachau (2007-04-12)
62 years ago, Joel Shapiro visited the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau just after its liberation.
4/13/07: This is Your Brain on Music (2007-04-12)
Daniel Levitin spent over a decade producing music, and he met many talented musicians that just never rose above obscurity. This led him to questions like why some songs move us while others leave us cold. Today, Levitin is on the faculty of Psychology at McGill University, and he's written "This is Your Brain on Music." Wednesday he talks to Doug about how the human brain and music interact and how the process gives rise to thoughts, feelings and the experience of beauty. (Rebroadcast)
50-State Tour Honors Fallen Brother (2007-04-11)
Kristy Kruger lost her older brother to a roadside bomb in Baghdad. She's touring the country now, singing in his memory.
Long-Term Care for Utah's Elderly: Part II (2007-04-10)
Dr. Robert Kane is one of the nation's leading experts on long-term care of the elderly. He discusses with KUER's Tasha Cook the failures of the health care system in addressing the needs of one of the nation's fastest growing populations.
4/11/07: Salt Lake City Mayor's Race, Part III (2007-04-10)
RadioWest returns to the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics for part III for our look at the race for Salt Lake City mayor. Wednesday, Doug is joined by two more candidates -- Utah State Representative Ralph Becker and Salt Lake City Council member Dave Buhler.
Long-Term Care for Utah's Elderly: Part I (2007-04-09)
KUER's Tasha Cook interviews Dr. Rosalie Kane on the challenges faced by families taking care of elderly parents.
4/10/07: Open Window (2007-04-09)
Writer and director Mia Goldman's feature debut is the story of Izzy, who is working to rebuild her life and her relationships after being raped. "Open Window" draws on Goldman's own painful experience, and she sees in her work a message to anyone who has experienced a seemingly immutable event. Goldman is in Salt Lake City this week, and joins Doug and others to talk about the repercussions of sexual assault and about the choices we as individuals make in the aftermath of trauma.
4/9/07: Starving for Time (2007-04-06)
You probably imagine your life better than that of a medieval peasant, but consider this: Americans work more on average than a laborer in the Middle Ages. Even to judge by today's standards, we still work 350 more hours a year than our contemporaries in Europe. Americans are starving for time, and this famine poses a real threat to our health, our relationships and our communities.
4/6/07: Jonestown (2007-04-05)
On November 18, 1978, over 900 members of the Peoples Temple died in a mass suicide/murder. Jim Jones had led his followers across the US and eventually to Guyana. The goal was to build a society based on racial equality and justice. Stanley Nelson's film Jonestown examines the fear and manipulation that bound the community. Doug Fabrizio talks to Nelson, along with survivor Hue Fortson and family member Rebecca Moore, about the life and death of the Peoples Temple. (Rebroadcast)
4/5/07: A Prescription for the Air You Breathe (2007-04-04)
According to a panel of area doctors, there's a growing health risk that is leaving many Utahns sick and dying. The Utah Physicians for Healthy Environment held a press conference this past Monday to offer what they're calling "prescriptions" for the effects of pollution in the state. These include controls on new and existing coal-fired power plants, speed limit reductions and auto taxes based on a car's MPG.
4/4/07: Salt Lake City Mayor's Race, Part II (2007-04-03)
Wednesday on RadioWest we continue our series on Salt Lake City's mayoral candidates from the Hinckley Institute of Politics. We'll talk with Meghan Holbrook, former state Democratic Party Chairperson, and with Nancy Saxton who is serving her second term as Salt Lake City Council Member for District 4.
Whirling Dervishes Celebrate Rumi (2007-04-03)
Sufi Muslims around the world are marking the 800th anniversary of Rumi's death this year.
4/3/07: Something in the Air (2007-04-02)
Where have you gone with your radio? For many of us, it's the first sound we hear in the morning and our companion throughout the day. Radio reaches more than just the individual though. Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher says that as radio blossomed in the 50s and 60s, it offered America a shared experience and became the "birthing room of the counterculture." Tuesday, Doug talks to Fisher, along with local radio experts, about the history - and the future - of the airwaves.
Bite Sized - Passover (2007-04-02)
Beth Hoffman continues her Bite Sized series on food with a look at a Seder for seniors at Salt Lake's Jewish Community Center.
4/2/07: Cheney at the Y (2007-03-30)
Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at Brigham Young University on April 26, and the reaction on campus might come as a surprise to outside observers. A group of students, alumni and faculty are calling for the invitation to be retracted. They say that Cheney fails to represent things that are virtuous, lovely, or of good report. Monday on RadioWest, Doug talks to biographer Lou Dubose about Cheney and to BYU faculty and staff about the controversy.
3/30/07: All I Did Was Ask, Fresh Air's Terry Gross (2007-03-29)
What do you learn about people after you've done literally 1000s of interviews? Doug spoke with NPR's Terry Gross about the essence of a good interview. Terry's learned it's about preparation and trust, that you learn more about their lives from their weaknesses than their strengths, and that to get it right you may have to break a few of the rules of polite behavior. (Rebroadcast)
3/29/07: Sunday (2007-03-28)
The Seventh Day. Ever since God rested on it and sanctified it, the Sabbath has held a unique place in Western culture. Think about your Sunday memories. Are they of dressing up for church or dinner with your family? Maybe Sunday conjures up images of the newspaper or football games. Historian Craig Harline has traced Sunday from Babylonia to the Superbowl, and joins Doug in studio to talk about the rituals and habits that set the day apart.
3/28/07: The Last Duel (2007-03-27)
Honor is a curious concept, and until the mid-19th century, it was entirely proper for a gentleman to risk his life to defend it. In his new book, "The Last Duel," BBC political correspondent James Landale recounts the true story of a Scottish merchant who fatally shot his banker in a duel in 1826. Landale joins Doug from London to reconstruct the social and cultural circumstances of dueling, and to explain why "honor" drove so many young men to an early death.
3/27/07: House of Rain (2007-03-26)
Chaco Canyon has been called the Las Vegas of the 11th Century. It was the bustling cross-roads of the Anasazi people, who excelled in architecture, art, commerce and engineering. But by around 1250, the city was abandoned, creating one of the great unsolved mysteries of our past. What happened to the Anazasi and their rich culture? Craig Childs talks to Doug about his new book "House of Rain."
Vote on 4th Seat Delayed in House (2007-03-23)
An amendment on gun control in the District of Columbia sidetracked a bill that would give Utah a 4th seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
3/26/07: Speaking of Faith (2007-03-23)
Krista Tippett believes that most people - whether they are spiritual or secular - want religion to be a constructive and nurturing force in our communities rather than a symbol of our culture's worst divisions. It was this desire for a civil, journalistic discourse that led Tippett to create her popular radio program, "Speaking of Faith." Now she's written a book by the same title that describes her "adventure of conversation."
3/22/07: From Radio to TV with This American Life (2007-03-22)
Thursday night, the television version of Ira Glass' This American Life premiered on Showtime. During this year's Sundance Film Festival, Ira was in Utah promoting the new series. He joined Doug - along with Director Chris Wilcha and Director of Photography Adam Beckman - to talk about how you translate compelling radio into good TV. (Rebroadcast)
Task Force Addresses Teacher Shortage (2007-03-21)
A task force has come up with a list of creative solutions for solving Utah's shortage of qualified teachers.
3/22/07: PostSecret (2007-03-21)
How well do you think you know your sister, your spouse or your best friend? Everyone has secrets. They may be painful or funny, but sometimes they just have to be told. Frank Warren has become a confessor of sorts. He collects anonymous postcards that reveal something about their creators and makes them public on his blog, PostSecret. Thursday on RadioWest, Warren joins Doug for a look at the things we conceal and what those things can teach us about the human experience.
3/21/07: Freshly Scrubbed Films (2007-03-20)
Some of Utah's video buffs are anxious to watch a wide variety of movies - as long as they meet a certain standard of appropriateness. Last year though, the US District Court decided that movies edited by companies like the now-defunct CleanFlicks are in violation of copyright law. Demand for the service remains, and Logan-based Flix Club has stepped in to fill the void under a "fair-use" loophole.
Bite Sized - Community Supported Agriculture (2007-03-19)
Beth Hoffman continues her series Bite Sized with a visit to a farm that's part of a community-supported agriculture system.
3/20/07: The Very Hard Way (2007-03-19)
Bert Loper met his first love when he was 24 years old. He had lived a hard life - abused, orphaned, roaming from one backbreaking job to another. But when he came upon the Colorado River, his life would ever after follow its flow. Biographer Brad Dimock has written a new book about Loper. Tuesday, he joins Doug to tell the story of early river running in the West and of a man that encapsulated the spirit of the Colorado.
Mommy Monologues: A Man's View (2007-03-16)
Norm Elliott raised his son as a single parent. His view was part of the Mommy Monologues during Women's Week at the University of Utah.
Mommy Monologues: A Man's View (2007-03-16)
Norm Elliott raised his son as a single parent. His view was part of the Mommy Monologues during Women's Week at the University of Utah.
3/19/07: The Mommy Myth (2007-03-16)
The "perfect mother" June Cleaver had it easy. She didn't have to live up to the ideals of motherhood in the 21st century. If you judge moms by today's media standards, they are meant to be power-house career women, Martha Stewart-like home-makers, and passionate lovers. Susan Douglas, author of The Mommy Myth, says it's impossible. She joins Doug on Monday to uncover the myths and the realities of motherhood.
Vest Pocket Coalition Surveys Mayoral Candidates (2007-03-15)
A group representing small business in Salt Lake City has surveyed the candidates for mayor.
3/16/07: Murderball (2007-03-15)
Next week, Salt Lake City will play host to the 2006-2007 Wheelchair Rugby Mountain Sectionals. It's an intense, extremely physical sport played by over twenty countries in the Paralympics. Friday on RadioWest, we're rebroadcasting our profile of an award-winning documentary. "Murderball" paints an unsentimental portrait of a ferocious sub-culture - and the quadriplegic athletes who have imperfect bodies, but a complete drive to win. (Rebroadcast)
Future of the Washington County Land Bill (2007-03-14)
Members of Utah's Congressional delegation may try again to pass a bill proposing new wilderness and public land sales in Washington County -- but not yet.
3/15/07: The Iraq Effect (2007-03-14)
Thursday on RadioWest, conservative pundit William Kristol is with us. We're looking at the war in Iraq and asking what it is meant to accomplish and whether it is succeeding at those goals. A recent study in Mother Jones Magazine found an alarming increase in terrorist attacks worldwide since the start of the war. Later in the program, Doug is joined by the study's co-author to break down the details and to explain what they mean about the success and failure of George W. Bush's war on terror.
The Coming Age Wave in Salt Lake County (2007-03-13)
Salt Lake County's demographics are different from the rest of Utah. In the future, caring for the elderly will impose as much of a burden as educating children.
Translators Say U.S. Isn't Keeping Up (2007-03-13)
Speakers at a national conference of translators say the United States isn't keeping up with the need for trained linguists.
3/14/07: Salt Lake Mayor's Race, Part I (2007-03-13)
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, this year's race for Salt Lake mayor is shaping up to be the most expensive the city has ever seen. Rocky Anderson is not seeking another term and ten candidates are vying for the office. Wednesday on RadioWest, we begin a series of conversations with the top contenders. Doug is joined by Salt Lake County Council Member Jenny Wilson and businessman Keith Christensen live at the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
The Mommy Monologues (2007-03-12)
The University of Utah presents The Mommy Monologues as part of Women's Week on campus.
3/13/07: No One Makes It Alone (2007-03-12)
In his memoir "No One Makes It Alone," Judge Andrew Valdez traces his journey from poor, fatherless paperboy to respected judge in Utah's Third District Juvenile Court, and honors his mentor, businessman Jack Keller, along the way. Doug talks with Judge Valdez about his life, his accomplishments and his on-going commitment to helping troubled youth. (Repeat)
3/12/07: Thank You for Arguing (2007-03-09)
Author Jay Heinrichs says that Americans aren't argumentative ... but that they should be. It's not about fighting though, it's about rhetoric. The art of persuasion used to be at the core of education and according to Heinrichs, "the better we do it, the more civil our society is." Jay Heinrichs has a new book on the history and the strategies of rhetoric, and joins Doug to explain what orators from Cicero to Homer Simpson can teach us about skillful discourse.
3/9/07: Mr. Conservative (2007-03-08)
1964 presidential candidate Barry M. Goldwater was known as Mr. Conservative. But while denouncing liberals and communists and advocating limited government, free enterprise and a strong defense - some of his positions would shock the right today. In their HBO documentary, director Julie Anderson and producer CC Goldwater not only profile the 30-year career of a hugely influential US Senator, but also the distance the country has traveled since his time. (Repeat)
Congress Could Give Utah At-Large House Seat (2007-03-08)
A plan to give the District of Columbia voting representation in Congress has changed once again.
3/8/07: Jim Harrison - Returning to Earth (2007-03-07)
Literary legend Jim Harrison has been capturing beauty and a zest for life with his poems, novels and essays for more than 40 years. He's written about the spiritual pleasures of the natural world and the physical pleasures of the body in works like Saving Daylight, Legends of the Fall, and The Raw and the Cooked. Jim Harrison has recently published his ninth novel Returning to Earth, and in it looks from the good life to the good death.
3/7/07: HB236 - Gay Clubs in Utah Schools (2007-03-06)
Utah lawmakers are worried about the moral well-being of high school students. This year, they passed a bill that would give school administration broad control over the types of clubs that are formed in schools. The bill is aimed at banning gay-straight alliances, and now sits on the Governor's desk. Opponents are hoping for a veto, arguing that the clubs provide support for teens facing challenging emotional issues.
Bite Sized - A Passion for Cheese (2007-03-05)
Beth Hoffman's series on food visits a cheese tasting in Salt Lake City.
3/6/07: An Ordinary Man (2007-03-05)
During the Rwandan genocide in 1994, hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina refused to succumb to the madness that surrounded him. Instead, he protected more than 1200 Tutsis and Hutu moderates who were in danger of losing their lives to homicidal mobs. Rusesabagina's actions were the subject of the film "Hotel Rwanda." Now he's written his autobiography. It details the inner life of a man who found a vast reserve of courage ... an "Ordinary Man" who became a hero.
3/5/07: Beethoven's Ninth (2007-03-02)
Chances are, you've heard the finale from Beethoven's Ninth many times. Ode to Joy is common in cartoons and commercials and is still played to mark pivotal events like the fall of the Berlin wall. Its premiere 183 years ago was entirely different though. The musicians who first performed it had only rehearsed three times. Musicologist Thomas Kelly is coming to Utah to talk about Beethoven, Then and Now, and joins us for a look at the First Night of the Choral Symphony.
3/2/07: 2007 Legislative Wrap-Up (2007-03-01)
Utah's 2007 legislative session closed late Wednesday evening. It was a relatively quiet session because of a large budget surplus that lawmakers were willing to spend. Friday on RadioWest, Dan Bammes is joined by the University of Utah's Matthew Burbank, Salt Lake Tribune reporter Matt Canham and Richard Piatt of KSL for a look at the victories and failures on Capitol Hill.
Utah Legislature Wraps Up Session (2007-03-01)
The Utah legislature ended its general session at midnight with good feelings all around -- helped in part by a huge surplus that fueled unprecedented state spending.
No Veto for Radioactive Waste Bill (2007-02-28)
Governor Jon Huntsman has chosen not to veto a bill that takes regulation of a radioactive waste landfill out of the hands of elected officials.
3/1/07: EO Wilson (2007-02-28)
The biologist EO Wilson has been described as "one of the 20th century's greatest thinkers" and "Darwin's natural heir." Wilson himself often says he just never outgrew "the bug phase" that most children go through. The Harvard Professor Emeritus believes in the truth of nature and science, and that this truth holds the key to improving the human condition. EO Wilson is in Salt Lake City, and joins Doug in studio to talk about saving nature - and in turn ourselves.
Guns & Gratitude in the Utah Legislature (2007-02-27)
A compromise bill on concealed weapons at Utah's public colleges could be in trouble, while legislators grumble over teachers' responses to their pay raises.
2/27/07: Flower Confidential (2007-02-26)
What do hospital rooms, dining room tables, high school proms and funerals have in common? Americans like to say it with flowers, buying around 10 million stems per day. In her new book Flower Confidential, Amy Stewart follows our quest for bigger, more beautiful and cheaper blooms. The journey takes her around the globe, and on Tuesday, Stewart joins Doug to talk about what is gained and lost in this mass commercialization of nature.
2/26/07: The Concealed Weapons Debate (2007-02-23)
As four gun-related bills wind their way through Utah's Capitol Hill, the community is still trying to make sense of the February 12 Trolley Square shooting. Gun-rights advocates feel that greater citizen access to concealed weapons could prevent such tragedies, while critics argue that it's ready access to firearms that lead to this sort of incident. Monday on RadioWest, we'll hear from both sides of this divisive issue, and ask what role American culture plays in fueling the debate.
No Divine Strake, Tax Reform Moves Ahead (2007-02-23)
Many Utahns are applauding the decision by the Department of Defense to cancel plans for a weapons test called 'Divine Strake.
2/23/07: A History of Doubt (2007-02-22)
Surveying the history of doubt is for author and historian Jennifer Michael Hecht "like seeing a map upside down." It's a bit disorienting because we tend to study our world through its moments of certainty. Doubt though is what drives us forward. As Hecht argues "every time you ask a question, you've got to come up with an answer." Jennifer Michael Hecht was in Utah last year, and she joined Doug to explain how doubt is just as vibrant as belief in its prescriptions for a good life. Rebroadcast
Teacher Shortage, Student Clubs & IIlegal Immigration (2007-02-22)
Among the legislation taken up at the Utah state capitol yesterday were education bills that deal with the shortage of teachers and that limit the creation of student clubs. Legislators also heard from U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report.
2/22/07: Jorge Fierro and Rico Mexican Market (2007-02-21)
When owner Jorge Fierro gives a tour of Rico Mexican Market, he smiles when he shows you his tortilla making machine. There's a small wooden press -- hand operated by one of his 30 employees. Fierro started his business selling freshly cooked pinto beans at the Downtown Farmer's Market. Now Rico Brand carries over 125 products distributed throughout Salt Lake and Park City. Doug talks to Jorge Fierro about his commitment to the local economy, and about the delight of well-made food.
Immigrant Tuition Issue Returns to Legislature (2007-02-21)
The issue of resident tuition at Utah's public colleges for children of undocumented immigrants is back on the agenda in the closing days of Utah's legislative session.
Lawmakers Reject Lobbyist Gift Ban (2007-02-20)
Utah lawmakers have once again rejected a ban on gifts from lobbyists.
Bite Sized - Tet Celebration (2007-02-20)
Beth Hoffman continues her food series Bite Sized with a look at the role food plays in a Vietnamese New Year celebration.
2/21/07: Alone Together (2007-02-20)
Sociologist Paul Amato has some good news for people worried about the health of American marriages. The divorce rate is leveling off, marital violence is declining and couples are reporting fewer problems. Yet married couples are actually spending less time together - they've got separate friends and they're even taking separate vacations. Wednesday on RadioWest, we'll look at how this adaptable institution is responding to major social changes.
Seat Belts, Tax Credit for Green Cars, Rally on Energy Solutions (2007-02-18)
Lawmakers take up measures on wearing seat belts, how to get people to pay child support, how students can form school clubs, and how to encourage people to buy fuel efficient cars. But first, KUER's Jenny Brundin reports on a rally of citizens on Capitol Hill, urging Governor Jon Huntsman to veto one bill in particular.
More Concealed Weapons Permits Could Follow Trolley Shootings (2007-02-16)
In the wake of the Trolley Square shootings, more Utahns could be applying for concealed weapons permits.
2/20/07: Flock of Dodos (2007-02-16)
At the heart of our country's current political division is the debate between Evolution and Intelligent Design, and for biologist Randy Olson, it's become a downright circus. How can it be that nearly 150 years after Darwin published his theories, less than half of Americans believe in evolution? Olson set out to try to understand both the condescending scientists and extremist intelligent designers, and ended up with a witty film that asks who will eventually prove to be the bigger Dodos.
2/19/07: Father Abraham (2007-02-16)
Abraham Lincoln is often portrayed as a moderate whose main mission was to keep the country united. Biographer Richard Striner sees him not as a politician who only pragmatically freed the slaves though, but rather as a visionary political ethicist who from the beginning of his career strove for justice and human equality. Doug Fabrizio talks to Striner about his interpretations of Lincoln's speeches and writings. (Rebroadcast)
2/16/07: God Grew Tired of Us (2007-02-15)
25,000 Sudanese boys - displaced and orphaned by a brutal civil war - wandered between Sudan and Ethiopia for almost five years. Children ranging in age from three to thirteen years banded together to fight the hardships of starvation, exposure, wild animals, and war. Doug talks to filmmaker Christopher Quinn about his Sundance documentary "God Grew Tired Us." (Rebroadcast)
Waste, Traffic and Recycling (2007-02-15)
A busy day at the Utah legislature looking at bills on electronic waste recycling, radioactive waste regulation and changing Utah's traffic laws.
2/14/07: Trolley Square - The Community Reacts (2007-02-14)
Everyday on RadioWest we try to find some concrete way of talking about an issue or an event that seems to mean something. But sometimes, you just can't get past the gut reaction part. Take Monday's tragic shooting at Trolley Square. What was the meaning in that? What was the issue you would work into questions or answers? Today we're putting the story into perspective: how are people reacting now that they have had time to think?
2/15/07: The Rhetorics of Religious Violence (2007-02-14)
When Matthew Shepard was buried, silent activists in angel costumes with seven-foot high wings shielded mourners from picket signs that read "God Hates Fags" and "Fags Die, God Laughs." Shepherd was murdered in a violent hate crime in Wyoming in 1998. Silence may be one strategy for countering messages of hate, but in his new book, author Michael Cobb argues that the gay community has actually assumed religious rhetoric to respond to violence done against it.
Trolley Square Shooting (2007-02-14)
The fallout from the shooting at the Trolley Square shopping center continued yesterday. On Monday night, the mall was the site of apparently random killings by an 18-year-old man. Six people died, including the gunman, who ended his shooting spree only when police killed him. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report.
Utah's Surplus Gets Even Bigger (2007-02-13)
New revenue estimates give the Utah legislature even more money to spend as the general session winds down.
Utah's Surplus Gets Even Bigger (2007-02-13)
New revenue estimates give the Utah legislature even more money to spend as the general session winds down.
House Backs Off Legal Fight on Abortion (2007-02-13)
The Utah House chose not to challenge Roe vs. Wade with a bill criminalizing abortion.
Bite Sized - Hot Chocolate Survey at Alta Ski Resort (2007-02-12)
At Alta Ski Resort, every parent knows hot chocolate is a key element to the kids' ski day. Beth Hoffman made the rounds there with a group of hot chocolate experts.
2/13/07: News War (2007-02-12)
There's a war going on within the US borders; the battle ground is your newspaper, your car radio, and all the places where you get your information. It's a "News War" and it's between the government and the media for control of the national agenda. Tuesday evening, Frontline begins a new four-part series that examines the political and legal forces challenging the mainstream media and the press' reaction.
2/12/07: Mitt Romney's 2008 Bid for President (2007-02-09)
It's the great American promise: any of us - rich or poor - can grow up to be president. And, it doesn't hurt if you're Episcopalian or Presbyterian either. Those two denominations account for half of the US Presidents. But don't try to predict too much by Mitt Romney's religion. His Mormonism may be a bigger deal to Latter-day Saints than to other Americans. When he makes his bid official Tuesday, Romney will be more interested in talking about economic revival than in his faith.
Utah Legislature Approves Soccer Stadium Deal (2007-02-09)
The Utah legislature has agreed to spend $35 million to help build a stadium facility for the Real Salt Lake soccer club.
Study Shows Increased Prevalence of Autism (2007-02-09)
A 14-state study shows the prevalence of autism-related disorders is more common that previously thought.
Legislators Ponder Income Tax Plan (2007-02-08)
A new income tax proposal meant to give a break to both wealthy and low-income taxpayers was on Wednesday's agenda at the Utah legislature.
2/8/07: Climate Change in Park City (2007-02-08)
If you're looking for a tangible way of understanding the consequences of a warming planet, think about a ski season that begins sometime after Christmas and lasts -- if you're lucky -- until President's Day. Doug talks to researchers about a new study that looks at the impact of global climate change on Utah's ski industry and on the identity of the West.
2/9/07: Three Cups of Tea (2007-02-08)
In 1993, Greg Mortenson failed in his attempt to climb K2 and became separated from his group in Northern Pakistan. He stumbled into a remote village, where he was nursed back to health. His vow to repay the people by building a village school soon became a crusade, and Mortenson has since built 55 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. His book, Three Cups of Tea, tells the story of his attempts to reach across the cultural divide and make a difference in the world through education. Rebroadcast
Legislature Asked to Support Soccer Stadium (2007-02-07)
After Salt Lake County rejected tax funding for a soccer stadium in Sandy, Utah's governor is trying to get a similar plan through the legislature.
Researchers Pursue Clean Coal Technology (2007-02-06)
Researchers at the University of Utah are looking for ways to generate power from coal without contributing to global warming.
DORA Moves Ahead in Utah Legislature (2007-02-06)
The Drug Offenders Reform Act, or DORA, picked up strong backing in the Utah state senate.
2/6/07: Arvol Looking Horse (2007-02-06)
Arvol Looking Horse is the White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle Keeper and a spiritual leader of the Lakota-Dakota-Nakota Nation. Understanding the sacred rites of indigenous peoples has given Mr. Looking Horse a unique perspective on global issues -- issues of peace, the environment and human rights. He is in Salt Lake City this week, and joins Doug Fabrizio in studio, along with Forrest Cuch, Director of Utah's Division of Indian Affairs. (Rebroadcast)
2/7/07: Utah Drivers (2007-02-05)
Every 10 minutes, there is a motor vehicle crash in Utah. It probably doesn't surprise you. You've seen the idiot driver talking on his cell phone or speeding past you or going much slower than you. In fact, 80% of you firmly believe that you drive better than most others on the road. So, how do Utah drivers (including you) compare with the rest of the country?
2/5/07: Sexsting (2007-02-02)
This past weekend, Salt Lake Acting Company opened its production of Sexsting. It's the story of the relationship between a suspected Internet predator and an FBI agent posing as a young girl. Playwright Doris Baizley created the piece with criminal defense attorney Susan Raffanti - adding insight into questions about intent, responsibility and the double-edged nature of the information age. Baizley, Raffanti and others join Doug to talk about production and the issues it raises.
Legislature Could Change Opening Day (2007-02-02)
The leadership of the Utah legislature appears ready to change its opening day to avoid the yearly conflict with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
2/2/07: Political Columnist Molly Ivins (2007-02-01)
The political columnist Molly Ivins insisted didn't think George W Bush is stupid or mean, and she didn't hate him. But she did understand him. She put his life, his public persona, even his policies in context and fixed them all to a place: Texas. Molly Ivins died this week in Austin after a 7 year battle with breast cancer. We talked with her back in 2004 about George W. Bush, but also her life and her role in the American conversation about politics. (Rebroadcast)
Power & Authority & The Utah Legislature (2007-02-01)
The Utah legislature considered bills yesterday to expand or limit the power of local authorities. Among the bills debated at the Capitol were measures about law enforcement, undocumented immigrants and land use. KUER's Tasha Cook reports.
2/1/07: Utah's HB 235 and Roe v. Wade (2007-01-31)
With President Bush's appointments of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito, some opponents to Roe v. Wade see a new opportunity to challenge legal abortion. On Tuesday, Utah's own House Health and Human Services Committee adopted a bill that would - with exceptions - ban the practice. Bill sponsor Paul Ray expects a constitutional challenge, and is already strategizing ways to fund the potential $1 million legal defense.
Tuition Break Repeal Fails House Vote (2007-01-31)
A bill to repeal a tuition break for the children of undocumented immigrants at Utah's public colleges failed on a tie vote in the Utah House of Representatives yesterday.
1/31/07: This is Your Brain on Music (2007-01-30)
Daniel Levitin spent over a decade producing music, and he met many talented musicians that just never rose above obscurity. This led him to questions like why some songs move us while others leave us cold. Today, Levitin is on the faculty of Psychology at McGill University, and he's written This is Your Brain on Music. Wednesday he talks to Doug about how the human brain and music interact and how the process gives rise to thoughts, feelings and the experience of beauty.
Utah's Death Penalty Standard Changing (2007-01-30)
A bill to make it easier to impose the death penalty for crimes against children advanced in the Utah legislature.
1/30/07: School Choice, Part II (2007-01-29)
RadioWest continues its series on school vouchers. We're joined by Kim Burningham, Director of the Utah State Board of Education, and Peggy Cain of the School of Education at Westminster College. They are critics of proposed voucher systems and argue that such plans deplete public schools of crucial funding, support religious education with tax dollars and create a two-tiered education system. We'll talk about their concerns, and take your calls.
Sundance & Methamphetamine Abuse (2007-01-26)
Two young filmmakers from Salt Lake City are showing their work to the world at the Sundance Film Festival. Their subject: Methamphetamine addiction.
1/27/07: Jesus in America (2007-01-26)
Religious scholar Marcus Borg agrees that the US is Christ-haunted. More than any other country in the Christian world, the figure of Jesus is prominent in the media and in public discussion. But while America has the highest percentage of people who identify themselves as Christians, they sharply disagree on who Christ was. Marcus Borg is coming to Salt Lake City, and joins us for a conversation about Jesus, what he taught, and why he plays such a prominent role in our culture today.
School Vouchers Move Ahead in Legislature (2007-01-26)
The issue of vouchers for parents to send their children to private schools is moving ahead in the Utah legislature.
Hazardous Waste on Capitol Hill (2007-01-25)
A legislative committee looked at changes in the state's only radioactive waste operation yesterday, changes that could also mean different regulation for the facility in the future.
1/26/07: Mark Twain and the American West (2007-01-25)
When Mark Twain wrote about his 1861 visit to the Utah Territory, he turned his caustic wit on its inhabitants and religion alike. His look at the Book of Mormon declared it "chloroform in print." Take out the phrases "and it came to pass" and "exceeding sore" he argued, and "[Smith's] Bible would have been only a pamphlet." Doug is joined by biographer Ron Powers to talk about his book Mark Twain: A Life and about Twain's contribution to the mythology of the West. (Rebroadcast)
Sundance & Autism (2007-01-25)
At this year's Sundance Film Festival, a film explores the lives of parents who are raising autistic children. The filmmakers and some of the parents came from New York to Park City this week to promote Autism Every Day. KUER's Tasha Cook has this report.
1/25/07: For the Bible Tells Me So (2007-01-24)
If you've listened to a debate about homosexuality, chances are you've heard the word "abomination" quoted from the Bible. It's in Leviticus Chapter 20, right after Moses teaches that it's an abomination to eat shrimp or a rabbit. In the Sundance documentary For the Bible Tells Me So, director Daniel Karslake follows five very normal, very Christian American families who all had to reconcile their religion with learning they had a gay child.
Drug Treatment Wins Support in Legislature (2007-01-24)
Methamphetamine users may find it easier to get treatment in the future, even as makers of the drug find it more difficult to get the materials to make it.
Tax Reform Focusing on Food (2007-01-23)
Another attempt is being made in this legislative session to remove the state's sales tax on food.
Sundance & The Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki (2007-01-23)
Sundance Film Festival-goers have a rare chance to hear first-hand accounts from survivors of the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945. KUER's Tasha Cook met with Academy-award winning director Steven Okazaki to discuss his film in Park City.
1/24/07: From Radio to TV with This American Life (2007-01-23)
Wednesday, RadioWest is live in Park City with Ira Glass, host of This American Life. Ira is in town for the Sundance Film Festival. He's promoting his new Showtime television program based on the radio show. Just how do you translate compelling radio into good TV? Doug talks to Ira Glass, Director Chris Wilcha and Director of Photography Adam Beckman.
Sundance Film Festival Opening (2007-01-22)
The Sundance Film Festival's first days kicked off with a smorgasbord of sights and sounds. It's about film buffs and celebrity hounds swarming the streets of Park City. In her audio-postcard, KUER's Tasha Cook begins with actor and Sundance founder Robert Redford and festival director Geoffrey Gilmore as they kick off events. And then she captures the voices of fans at the festival:
1/23/07: Utah's Folk Music of the 60s (2007-01-22)
In the 60s, young urban songwriters were searching for a new form of artistic expression to talk about cultural and political change. That search for something new took them back to something old. In Utah, musicians like Bruce Utah Phillips and Rosalie Sorrels and groups like Uncle Lumpy and Polly and the Valley Boys called on a rich musical tradition to create a folk revival. Doug is joined by Rosalie Sorrels, Polly Stewart and Hal Cannon for a look at the heyday of folk music in the state.
Bite Sized #1: Valter (2007-01-22)
The first in a series on food from producer Beth Hoffman. She wants us to stop for a moment and think about food in a deeper way...to reflect upon the environmental, cultural and artistic connections we have to cooking and eating in Utah. She'll also introduce us to people here who are, well, really passionate about food. People like Valter Nassi, the host and concept man at the restaurant Cucina Toscana.
House Moves Toward Lower Medicare Drug Prices (2007-01-19)
In Washington Friday, House Democrats made good on an election pledge. They passed a bill repealing part of Medicare law that bars the government from negotiating directly with drug makers for lower prices. But many Democrats acknowledged that the vote was largely symbolic. As Todd Zwillich reports a lot more work needs to be done before the bill can deliver lower drug prices.
1/22/07: School Choice Part I (2007-01-19)
For parents in favor of education vouchers, the question comes down to a matter of choice. How will their tax dollars be spent to educate their children? Representative Steve Urquhart is sponsoring a bill that would help students in Utah attend private schools, and Monday on RadioWest, we begin a series of conversations on the question of school choice. Doug talks to Robert Enlow of the Friedman Foundation and others who are in favor of a voucher program.
US House Energy Taxes Bill Passes (2007-01-19)
They've complained about big oil profits for years while in the minority, AND in their new role as Congressional majority Democrats today (Thursday) stuck it to oil companies in a major way - saving one of their most partisan bills for the last of their first 100-hours agenda. From Washington, Neil Simon reports.
Sundance Film Festival Kick-Off (2007-01-19)
The Sundance Film Festival is once again underway in Park City, Utah.
School Choice on the Fast Track at Utah Legislature (2007-01-19)
This may be the year that school choice measures win legislative approval in Utah.
House of Reps Passes Bill to Cut Student Loan Rates in Half (2007-01-18)
The U-S House passed a bill Wednesday that would cut interest rates on student loans in half. Utah Democrat Jim Matheson thinks the bill will help students struggling to pay for college. But Republican Chris Cannon says the impact won't be immediate. From Capitol Hill, Terry Gildea reports.
1/19/07: The Unquiet Grave (2007-01-18)
In 1976, a body was found on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and buried in a pauper's grave. She was later identified as Anna Mae Aquash, a luminary in the American Indian Movement. A second autopsy revealed she had died from a gun-shot wound rather than "exposure" as reported by the FBI. In "The Unquiet Grave," author Steve Hendricks starts with Aquash's death and follows the complicated struggle between the FBI and the Indians in the 70s. (Rebroadcast)
Legislation Focuses on Utah's Children (2007-01-18)
Utah legislators looked at a number of bills affecting children and families yesterday.
Finding the Lost Time Capsule (2007-01-18)
The University of Utah planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Olpin Union by opening a time capsule -- if they could only find it.
1/17/07: RadioWest On-Line - Q and A with Diane Rehm (2007-01-17)
On Tuesday evening, January 16th, KUER presented An Evening with Diane Rehm. Her interview with Doug Fabrizio on RadioWest was broadcast live, and after the show we continued the conversation with questions from the theater audience. Listen here for this exclusive on-line audio presentation.
1/18/07: Oswald's Ghost (2007-01-17)
Acclaimed director Robert Stone offers a new look at the most tangled and far-reaching murder mystery of all times. His American Experience documentary looks at the mythologies and the controversies which surround JFK's assassination - but it also probes the psychological wounds that haunt American politics and culture to this day. Stone joins Doug in studio to talk about Oswald's Ghost.
Preferred Drug List Moves Ahead (2007-01-17)
A legislative committee passed a bill to establish a preferred drug list for Medicaid in Utah -- something that could potentially save the state millions.
Blue Dog Democrats Support PAYGO Spending Rules (2007-01-16)
In the first hours of the new Congress - the House passed new rules aimed at limiting spending. They were pushed hard by moderate Democrats, like Utah's Jim Matheson, known as Blue Dogs. Neil Simon reports from Washington.
Dog Competition Keeps Owners Sharp (2007-01-16)
Dogs compete in agility trials, while their humans learn skills that help them communicate with people as well.
1/16/07: An Evening with Diane Rehm (2007-01-15)
For more than 25 years, The Diane Rehm Show has offered listeners thoughtful programs with many of the most distinguished people of our time. Tuesday at 7:00, Diane Rehm joins RadioWest and Doug Fabrizio live in Salt Lake City for an intimate evening of conversation. KUER will broadcast this sold-out event.
1/16/07: Filmmaker Albert Maysles (2007-01-15)
Albert Maysles has created more than 3 dozen films - many of which are landmarks in documentary filmmaking. He and his brother David were pioneers in non-fiction feature films, and their work includes Salesman, Gimme Shelter and Grey Gardens. The power of truth lies at the core of Maysles' work, but it is love that drives it. "After all," he says, "the knowledge of the real world is exactly what we need to better understand and therefore possibly to love one another." (Rebroadcast)
Congressman Chris Cannon Reintroduces Ag JOBS (2007-01-12)
Utah Republican Congressman Chris Cannon reintroduced legislation today called Ag JOBS. It aims to fill vacant jobs in agriculture with immigrant labor. Jill Morrison has more from Capitol Hill.
1/15/06: Environmentalist Patrick Moore (2007-01-12)
Some may be surprised to hear that the co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, which advocates nuclear energy as a solution to America's energy problems, is none other than Dr. Patrick Moore. In 1971, Moore helped to found Greenpeace, but left when he became disillusioned with the organization's motives. Today, he sees himself as a consensus builder in the environmental community. Patrick Moore joins Doug to talk about his views on global warming and the future of energy in America.
Expanding Embryonic Stell Cell Research (2007-01-12)
The U-S House again passed a bill today expanding federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. It was the second time around for the bill since May. Backers picked up even more support than they had last time. But Utah's lawmakers remain divided on the issue.
The Ag JOBS Bill & Immigrant Labor (2007-01-11)
Utah Republican Congressman Chris Cannon reintroduced legislation on Wednesday called Ag JOBS. It aims to fill vacant jobs in agriculture with immigrant labor. Jill Morrison has more from our Capitol Hill bureau.
1/12/07: Playwright and Filmmaker Neil LaBute (2007-01-11)
A few years ago the New Yorker Magazine said there is no playwright on the planet who is writing better than Neil LaBute. LaBute, who is also a director and filmmaker, has been described as the dark star of American literature. But here's the twist, LaBute was a Mormon. He was in Salt Lake City last August, and joined us to talk about the connection between his belief and his dark portrayals. (Rebroadcast)
Minimum Wage Bill Passes The House (2007-01-10)
Yesterday, the house passed a bill raising the minimum wage by 2 dollars and 10 cents. But one Utah lawmaker says if the same bill gets through the Senate the President should veto it. Benjamin Shaw reports from Capitol Hill.
1/11/07: The Elephant in the Living Room (2007-01-10)
It's the elephant in the living room. 99% of American households own a television, and the typical schoolchild spends as much time watching TV as she does in class. But before you throw your set (or, let's be honest - sets) out the window, Dimitri Christakis has some suggestions for making TV work for your family. Pediatrician Christakis talks to Doug about how parents can take charge of their children's viewing and make it a beneficial part of their life.
1/10/07: Troop Surge in Iraq (2007-01-09)
Wednesday evening, President Bush will address the nation with his plans for Iraq, which is expected to include a "surge" in the number of troops. This comes at a time when support for the war in America is waning significantly. Even in Utah, one of the most conservative of states, a recent Salt Lake Tribune poll indicated that only 41% support how Bush is handling the war. What do you want to hear from the President? Doug talks to members of Utah's congressional delegation and takes your calls.
The Bill on Embryonic Stem Cell Research (2007-01-09)
The debate over the use of embryonic stem cells is returning to Capitol Hill this week. Senator Orrin Hatch is predicting victory for supporters of the research, despite President Bush's opposition. The Senate could be on the verge of overriding the president.
1/9/07: Snowstruck - In the Grip of Avalanches (2007-01-08)
Last week's news of a Bountiful man's death served as a somber reminder of the overwhelming force that avalanches can unleash. It was just this sort of tragedy that led avalanche expert Jill Fredston to write "Snowstruck." Fredston has said she wanted to understand how her friend Todd died on Alaska's Tincan Mountain "when he had everything to live for." Fredston joins us to talk about the repercussions that follow living, working and playing in some of the world's most dangerous places.
1/8/07: Key Legislative Players - Part 2 (2007-01-06)
Doug continues our series of conversations with key legislative players for the 2007 session. Monday on RadioWest, he's joined by Democrat Jackie Biskupski, who sits on the House Rules Committee, Republican Greg Hughes who serves as the House Rules Committee Vice Chair, and with Republican Senator Howard Stephenson who also serves as president of The Utah Taxpayers Association.
1/5/07: The Utah War (2007-01-04)
In the spring of 1857, President James Buchanan appointed a non-Mormon governor for the Utah Territory and sent troops to enforce the order. Armed skirmishes between the Mormon militia and the U.S. Army followed, and the roughly year-long conflict is now known as the "Utah War." The Utah Historical Society is commemorating the sesquicentennial throughout the year.
1/4/07: Political Literacy (2007-01-03)
Jeffrey Nielsen believes that the way to rejuvenate a democracy is one person, one household, and one community at a time. To do this, he has created The Democracy House Project which aims to get people thinking and talking about politics in their own community. The idea is for individuals to host these political literacy workshops in their home; Nielsen has described it as a kind of multi-level marketing scheme for democracy.
1/3/07: Newspapers in a New Media Age (2007-01-02)
In Holly Mullen's farewell column in the December 21st Salt Lake Tribune, she cited transitions in the newspaper industry as her reason for leaving the paper. Wednesday on RadioWest, Doug talks to Mullen about what she's learned about newspapers and readers in her five years as a Tribune columnist. Doug is then joined by Nancy Conway and Tony Semerad of the Salt Lake Tribune and Brooke Gladstone of On the Media for a look at how newspapers are changing in a new media age.