The latest stories from www.wnyc.org

March's Book: The Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, by Daniel Okrent

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:15:57 -0500

Daniel Okrent examines how and why we came to outlaw alcohol in this country, what life under Prohibition was like, and how it changed the country forever. In Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition , he shows how diverse forces came together to bring about Prohibition: the growing political power of the women’s suffrage movement, which allied itself with the antiliquor campaign; the fear of small-town Protestants that they were losing control of their country to the immigrants in the cities; the anti-German sentiment stoked by World War I; and a variety of other factors, ranging from the rise of the automobile to the advent of the income tax.

Pick up a copy and start reading! Daniel Okrent will be here on March 6 to talk about the book. Leave your questions and comments below to join the conversation!

Bedtime Stories…with Carrie Fisher

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:38:13 -0500

Carrie Fisher knows a thing or two about relationships—especially what not to do.

From marrying, divorcing, and then dating Paul Simon to experiencing a very unusual group date with Senators Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd, Fisher shares her no-holds barred approach to love, life, and (of course) Leia. Oh, and she does it all from the comfort of her king-sized bed! Fisher’s new memoir, Shockaholic, is out now.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Divorce Me: Carolyn Hax & Nick Galifianakis

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:37:38 -0500

Washington Post writer Carolyn Hax and acclaimed cartoonist Nick Galifianakis create a weekly syndicated relationship advice column, “Carolyn Hax”, read by millions of readers.

The catch? A decade ago, they divorced—each other. Carolyn and Nick open up about what it’s like to work, day in and day out, with one’s ex—parceling out love advice, no less—and why they couldn’t imagine divorcing anybody else.

It’s All About “I”! The Hidden Language of Instant Messages

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:36:21 -0500

But enough about me—let’s talk about I!

That’s right—talking about I, I, I is the key to a successful relationship, says sharp-eyed psychologist Dr. Rich Slatcher. How does he know? Because he analyzes instant messages to uncover the hidden language of love. Dr. Slatcher puts Faith and Mario’s relationship to the linguistic test—and you and your beloved can do the same!

Take the Language Style Matching Test.

What the Dickens? Love Lessons from the Classics

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:34:57 -0500

Author and bookworm Jack Murnighan says the key to a successful modern relationship lies in reading classic tomes like Bleak House, Moby Dick, and Anna Karenina.

Faith loves this news; Mario wants his Cliff’s Notes.

Check out Murnighan’s book, “Much Ado About Loving” (co-authored with Maura Kelly) and learn more about him at www.jackmurnighan.com.

Music to Love By (or at least Bang Your Head To)

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:34:35 -0500

Singer-songwriter John DeLore—you may know him better as The Reverend—finds out what New Yorkers put on when they want to get their honeys in the mood. The answers may alarm you.

You Expand Me! How New Experiences Solidify a Relationship

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:33:51 -0500

Like canoeing? How about trips to the outer boroughs? Well, these and other routine-breakers may hold the key to a long-lasting relationship, says Dr. Art Aron.

Find out if your relationship is self-expansive: Take "The Sustainable Marriage Test.”

Living Apart…Together

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:33:03 -0500

Romantic cohabitation…we’ve all done it. Or have we?

RelationShow’s Larissa Bills meets a Manhattan couple who aren’t quite ready to move in together…after 29 years.

Vote on the Worst-Ever Valentine’s Day Gift! (And make Faith bake you a cake!)

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:18:18 -0500

RelationShow’s Gideon Evans ferrets out the very worst Valentine’s Day gifts in all of romantic-dom. For starters, meet the woman whose boyfriend gave her a scale (hey, at least it was digital!) and cast your vote on The Worst Valentine’s Day gift ever. Vote now!

Are you the victim of an even worse Valentine’s Day gift? Tell us about it! The person who sends us the most horrifying true story will be comforted by one of Faith’s famous, homemade chocolate Coca-Cola cakes (trust us, it’s delicious)—in the shape of a heart, no less!

Valentine's Day

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

This Valentine’s Day, RelationShow pillow talks with the fabulous Carrie Fisher (seriously—she calls us straight from her bed!) We also meet Carolyn Hax and Nick Galifianakis, whose nationally syndicated relationship advice column is going gangbusters—even though they divorced each other a decade ago. Plus, a sharp-eyed psychologist uncovers the hidden love codes in your instant messages, and we hear from New Yorkers who find novel ways to keep the romance burning. Come celebrate Valentine's Day with RelationShow!

Philip Galanes Offers Relationship Advice

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:56:35 -0500

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Philip Galanes is here to offer advice on relationships and romance. He's the author of the “Social Q’s” advice column for the Sunday Styles section of The New York Times. His latest book is Social Q's: How to Survive the Quirks, Quandaries and Quagmires of Today. He joins us to discuss your issues on how to admit your feelings and start a relationship, how to break up and how not to break up, and the most polite, reasoned ways to deal with romantic troubles.

Let us know your questions about navigating relationships. Leave a comment!

The How and Why of Genre

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:33:48 -0500

Genres often define the musical conversation - but it's less often that we step back to examine how and why they were formed in the first place. In her new book, sociologist Jennifer Lena examines the communities that surround musical genres - and the surprisingly similar life cycle and patterns that styles from punk rock to gospel share.

Ana Moura: In Studio

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:04:33 -0500

Portuguese singer Ana Moura has been instrumental in revitalizing the “fado” tradition – a unique singing style that has led artists like Prince and the Rolling Stones to seek out her talents. She joins us in the studio for a live performance.

Grammys Preview

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:25:10 -0500

The Grammys are coming up this weekend, and with it will come live performances, protests, and a whole lot of Adele. New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff joins us to give us a preview - and to tell us where the real competition lies.

You can watch the Grammys with our host, John Schaefer - virtually, that is. Check out our live chat with WNYC and WQXR bloggers, plus Time Out New York music critic Sophie Harris, this Sunday starting at 8 pm EST. Visit the main Soundcheck page to join in the fun.

HUD Secretary on the $26 Billion Homeowner Settlement

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:36:45 -0500

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan discusses the big deal struck between federal and state officials to help struggling homeowners--and what it could mean for the New York area.

Women's Boxing

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:28:47 -0500

Boxer Claressa Shields, a 16-year old girl from Flint, Michigan, whose is set on getting to the 2012 Olympics, and her coach, Jason Crutchfield, and and former pro fighter Christy Halbert talk about the sport of boxing and the field of women boxers. They will be appearing at the Greene Space event, “Women Box: Fighting to Make History,” on February 10.

The Films of William Wellman

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:20:52 -0500

William Wellman, Jr., discusses the work of his father, filmmaker William Wellman, who directed the silent epic Wings (1927), the very first Best Picture Oscar winner, as well as The Public Enemy, the original A Star is Born, and the Western The Ox-Bow Incident. A retrospective of his work is running at Film Forum from February 10 through March 1.

Gary Oldman

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:39:47 -0500

Gary Oldman talks about his film career and his Oscar nomination for his role in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Please Explain: How to Save the World—the Future of Garbage

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:37:02 -0500

Wherever humans go, they leave trash behind. The average American throws away over 1,130 pounds of waste per year. On this week’s Please Explain, we continue our series How to Save the World, looking at how we dispose of garbage, how recycling and composting and smaller packaging can cut down on the amount of garbage people throw away around the world, and how garbage can be used as a renewable, green energy source. Joining us are Nickolas J. Themelis, Director, Earth Engineering Center, and professor in the School of Engineering at Columbia University, and Elizabeth Royte, author of Garbage Land and Bottlemania.

Federal Healthcare and Contraception

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:20:33 -0500

Georgetown Professor E.J. Dionne, Washington Post columnist and and senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, talks about Obama's proposal for religious institutions to cover contraception in their healthcare plans.

NJ Senate Pres. Sweeney on Gay Marriage

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:19:43 -0500

Stephen Sweeney, New Jersey Senate President, discusses Monday's vote on the same sex marriage bill in the senate.

Halos Can Turn To Horns, Corporate Donors Find

Alan Greenblatt — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:36:00 -0500

Energizer makes batteries. But in recent days, company executives have spent a considerable amount of time responding to complaints about abortion.

The reason, of course, is that Energizer got caught up in the controversy surrounding last week's decision by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation to cut off its funding for Planned Parenthood.

Komen later partially reversed course, but that came too late to prevent Energizer, which had just been named part of the group's "Million Dollar Council," from receiving plenty of flak.

Energizer — like many other companies that have been big donors to Komen — found itself fending off thousands of negative emails and comments on its Facebook page.

"No company ever wants to do something which polarizes its supporters and stakeholders," says Jim Ziminski, chief marketing officer for Energizer Global. The company has donated $1.2 million to Komen since 2007.

The experience of Energizer points to the surprising danger involved in corporate philanthropy. Any business, it seems, can become tainted by association with a nonprofit organization that becomes embroiled in controversy.

"It's certainly a lesson, the fact that controversy can bubble up in any area," says Faith Stevelman, an expert on corporate governance at Seattle University.

"Branding yourself by virtue of affiliation with any organization is always precarious, because you're not in control of what happens in another organization," she says.

By Virtue Of Giving

Relatively speaking, corporations are not big givers. They generally contribute about 3 to 4 percent of the roughly $290 billion given to charity in the U.S. each year, says Kim Meredith, director of the Stanford University Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.

Private foundations give several times more, but the vast bulk of charitable donations — more than 80 percent — are made by individuals.

There's some irony involved in a business getting burned by giving, suggests Stevelman, the Seattle law professor. Because disclosure requirements are so weak, the public generally only knows about donations when corporations decide they want to announce them.

Companies that seek a halo effect by giving to good causes, though, can find their halos tainted if the charity becomes embroiled in controversy.

That can happen with any group, through a sudden change in policy course, as with Komen, or simply mismanagement — nonprofit executives taking too generous a paycheck, say.

"The Komen situation will motivate corporations to be a bit more involved in the decisions that their partners make," says Denise Bortree, a communications professor at Penn State University, who studies nonprofits. "This will raise significant concerns for corporations as they consider future relationships."

Becoming More Conservative

Many companies are seeking out causes that are in keeping with their own functions, says Stanford's Meredith — a chocolate maker such as Nestle seeking to raise incomes among West African cocoa farmers, for instance, or an aspirin company like Bayer giving to the American Heart Association.

Part of the problem in the Komen situation, Bortree suggests, is simply that the foundation had so many corporate partners. Its well-known pink ribbons and hues can be found on blenders, bicycles, yogurt lids and many other consumer goods.

A charity that relies heavily on a single corporate funder, or a small set of them, will be more careful about taking into account the impact its actions can have on its donors, Bortree says.

As a result of the current controversy, she adds, corporations will become more conservative in their giving — not politically conservative, but simply more careful about giving only to well-established, long-trusted nonprofit groups.

"There will be more of an onus on the corporate people to look at what they're sponsoring," says Katy Snyder of JVA Consulting, a Denver-based group that advises nonprofits — and has worked with both Komen and Planned Parenthood. "They've got to do this due diligence before they enter into these partnerships."

Corporations are already pretty risk-averse when it comes time to take out their charitable checkbooks. The local symphony or the United Way is more likely to benefit than some new charitable startup, no matter how worthy its mission.

"Most corporate grants are fairly predictable, even when corporate donors talk about being innovative or entrepreneurial," says Jerome Himmelstein, a sociologist at Amherst College.

Corporations Seek Safe Harbor

Himmelstein points out that there is some irony regarding the latest flap. "It was Planned Parenthood that put controversy on the radar of corporate philanthropy back in the early 1990s," he says.

As long as it concentrated strictly on family planning, Planned Parenthood was considered a "safe" charity that everyone gave to, Himmelstein says. As the group became more vocal about abortion rights, it drew protests and its corporate supporters were threatened with boycotts.

In 1990, AT&T announced it was ending its long-standing tradition of giving Planned Parenthood $50,000 annually.

But although most corporations are allergic to political controversy, most don't want to change course once they've decided to give.

They don't want to be perceived as caving in to pressure, in part because it will call into question their judgment in having given in the first place, Himmelstein says, but also because they don't want to anger consumers on the other side of the issue.

No More Pink Batteries?

Instead, companies seek to emphasize the importance of the underlying cause that led them to give in the first place, downplaying their association with the latest twists and turns their recipients have taken.

In the case of Komen, corporate donors have sought to reiterate their support for the primary purpose of combating breast cancer. In Energizer's case, it underlined that stance after the Komen controversy by giving $50,000 on Feb. 3 to Siteman Cancer Center, located near its headquarters in the St. Louis area, to fund mammograms for low-income women.

"While it did not, nor was it meant to, erase [consumers'] concerns about the situation, we were able to demonstrate our commitment to the cause," says Ziminski, the Energizer executive.

As for cutting its ties with Komen itself, Energizer is still weighing its options.

"This issue is still top of mind for Energizer," Ziminski says. "We are working as quickly and thoughtfully as we can to address this complex situation, which will take time to resolve."

'Situation Could Not Be More Dire,' Syrians In Besieged City Say

Mark Memmott — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:30:00 -0500

From inside the Syrian city of Homs, where activists say several hundred people have been killed by government forces in the past week and troops are preparing for what could be a "ground offensive" in coming days, residents say the "situation could not be more dire," NPR's Kelly McEvers reports.

Speaking to Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep from Beirut, where she has been monitoring developments inside Syria, Kelly said activists and residents in Homs say the city is now surrounded by army tanks. Shelling continues. Field hospitals are running out of supplies. Activists and fighters who are trying to resist the regime of President Bashar Assad are asking the international community to do something to intervene.

One way citizen journalists in Homs are trying to get the word out about what's happening is with live video streams on the Web, such as one here. They're also using Twitter and other social media sites to post messages. NPR.org's Ahmed Al Omran is following their reports on his Twitter page.

Also in Syria today, there's word of two explosions at government security compounds in the city of Aleppo, The Associated Press reports. State-controlled news media are saying that 25 people were killed and 175 wounded. They're blaming "terrorists," while "anti-Assad activists accuse the regime of setting off the blasts to discredit the opposition and to overt protests that had been planned in the city on Friday," the AP says.

The BBC adds that:

"Aleppo, a mercantile city, has seen only minor protests and relatively little violence since the uprising against President Assad erupted in March, which human rights groups say has left more than 7,000 civilians dead."

There are also reports and photos of continued fighting in the northern province of Idlib

As we've said previously, because few foreign journalists have been allowed in Syria it's difficult to verify the claims made by either side. But independent organizations, such as the U.N., report that more than 5,000 people have been killed in the past year — most at the hands of government forces.

Shlohmo: The Well-Rounded Beatmaker

Will Butler — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0500

In a workshop of beatmakers, Shlohmo is the multi-tool. Working in the rapidly evolving field of electronic music, Henry Laufer has proven himself increasingly versatile and handy with not only synthetic elements, but also real instruments. Sometimes a San Francisco art-school student but more lately an L.A. beat-scene savant, Laufer makes music that's soft-spoken and aloof, but he nonetheless carves out a comfortable niche amid his more established peers.

In "Rained the Whole Time," Laufer knits together a 360-degree scene in the mind's eye: a moody mid-range atmosphere, bounded by vivid horizons, with a central beat at the tune's focal point. The percussive centerpiece splits and pivots like a Rubik's cube in the hands of a master puzzler. A rich sub-bass lurks deep in the mix, dredged up only with the help of a good subwoofer. Finally, there's the low, breathy humming — a unmistakably human sound, sampled and re-sampled — resting at stereo dead-center as if it were emitting from the listener's own vocal cords.

"Rained the Whole Time" comes from the seductive new Vacation EP, which continues Shlohmo's trend toward sounds akin to James Blake rather than his own L.A. contemporaries. The other two tracks provide escapes in and of themselves, each glinting with R&B flavor and brooding allure.

Sharon Van Etten In Concert From World Cafe

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:40:00 -0500

On her 2009 breakthrough Because I Was in Love, Sharon Van Etten is the embodiment of exposed nerves; the very essence of wounded vulnerability. The albums which follow, 2010's epic and the new Tramp, stretch muscles and viscera over those raw nerves. Even when she's conveying disappointment, hurt or longing, Van Etten sounds more assertive and complex these days, aided by the ever-knottier contributions of guest players from The National, Wye Oak, Beirut and The Walkmen.

Evolving convincingly before the eyes of the world, she's now both a fearless balladeer and a blood-and-guts rocker, not to mention an increasingly vital and promising live performer. Listen to one of rock's rising stars perform live at WXPN's World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

How One George Lucas Fan Takes Fan Filmmaking Into His Own Hands

Beth Accomando — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Blame Jar Jar Binks.

If George Lucas had never created that annoying, slapstick-prone CGI character in The Phantom Menace, history would be different. No amount of "meesa so sorry" can make up for this abomination. And to add insult to injury, Lucas is sending a 3D Jar Jar Binks into theaters on February 10th.

When The Phantom Menace first came out in 1999, Jar Jar became the focus of fan hatred and ridicule. Jar Jar was meant to be comic relief for the kiddies, but he came to symbolize what fans saw as Lucas' flawed creative judgment. One fan was so incensed he re-cut the movie to minimize Jar Jar's presence. He then distributed VHS and DVD copies this "improved" version for free to other fans. It came to be known as "The Phantom Edit," and it gave Star Wars geek Jamie Benning his first taste of fan filmmaking.

"I think when 'The Phantom Edit' first came out of The Phantom Menace,' I think a lot of people realized that the ability for people to do this kind of thing had arrived," says Benning.

In 2006, Benning joined an online group petitioning Lucas to release the Star Wars trilogy in its original form. You know, the one where Han Solo — not bounty hunter Greedo — shot first. Lucas ignored their pleas.

So Benning, a professional editor in sports television and full-time Star Wars nerd, took matters into his own hands and created a fan film.

Benning's films are unofficial documentaries. He uses footage from the original movies without permission from Lucas. Benning follows the flow of the original films but expands them with things like alternate takes and interviews from commentary tracks. For example, Benning edits audio from a Star Wars radio drama over footage of deleted scenes while on-screen text explains that the grainy black and white images come from what's known as the "Lost Cut."

"When I made Star Wars Begins," Benning recalls, "and put that on YouTube, that seemed to touch a chord with people. I think people had become disillusioned with the Star Wars franchise as being spread too thin."

Benning's self-described "filmumentaries" are addictive. Once you start watching you can't turn them off — they overload your senses with trivia and behind the scenes information.

"Jamie Benning's 'Star Wars' documentaries are like DVD extras squared or even cubed," says Francine Stock, presenter of BBC 4's The Film Programme, and author of the book In Glorious Technicolor. "They're amateur in the true sense of being made by someone who really loves his subject."

But Benning's films are professional in terms of the craft. Images may be grainy, but the editing reveals meticulous skill and a geek's dedication to assembling every bit of information in the most enlightening way. Scott Weinberg, film critic for Fearnet, Twitch, and Movies.com, says the fan docs remind people why they fell in love with Lucas' films in the first place and provide a total geek fix. "Oh heck yeah. It's impressive," Weinberg exudes, "and it's just a testament to fandom, to 'this is the way we would like our supplement material.' I think it speaks to a lack of satisfaction with the DVD industry."

Benning repurposes copyrighted material, but Weinberg doesn't see a problem with that. It's no different than someone making a mix tape and sharing it with friends. "This is a love letter," he insists, "It's not someone repurposing a film to make a quick dollar. That's not what it's about. I think it speaks to a passion and a skill that he's willing to do it for the love of it. You could call it a movie fan remix. A commentary remix — video, audio, textual commentary."

Benning spends close to a year on each documentary. He makes no money on any of the films, because copyright issues prevent him from distributing the films theatrically or on DVD. But Francine Stock says making these films isn't a hobby for Benning, it's a calling. "They are more of a compulsion," she says. "And they stand or fall on their energy and style."

Weinberg thinks the DVD industry should be hiring Benning to create bonus features that fans would genuinely embrace. Fans have already shown their love for Benning's films by sending the filmmaker more than 10,000 appreciative e-mails. In addition, his trilogy got more than 3 million views on YouTube. But just recently, the site requested he remove the films. Benning has now uploaded them to Vimeo. The new site reports that Star Wars Begins has already received hits from such diverse locations as occupied Palestine and Vatican City.

Fan films like Benning's place studios in a quandary. Legally, they feel an obligation to defend their copyright, but from a promotions perspective, they see how fan films generate and maintain interest in their products in ways that no amount of money can buy. Benning's latest fan doc is called Raiding the Lost Ark. It focuses on the first Lucas-produced, Steven Spielberg-directed Indiana Jones film.

"The new Raider documentary is the same blend of admiration, affection and a degree of appraisal," says Stock, "But it is more sophisticated in its use of material." This time around, Benning has created original elements like interviews with actors and technicians who worked on the film, as well as animated reconstructions of scenes that were never shot. Raiding the Lost Ark debuted February 6 on Vimeo and sounds like it will serve up another slice of geek heaven.

What The Grammys Say About Pop Music Now

NPR Staff — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

On Sunday night, the 54th annual Grammy Awards will be given out. Who is nominated for the Big 4 awards — Song, Record and Album of the Year, as well as Best New Artist — tells us what counts as mainstream pop now. Ann Powers spoke to Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep about the awards and her high hopes for one of the Song of the Year nominees: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele and her co-writer Paul Epworth.

"Adele is the queen of the night," says Powers. "Not only is she likely to win many awards, but she's making her vocal comeback after throat surgery sidelined her for quite a while. So it's a very big night for the young British singer."

"Rolling In The Deep" is up for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year — which many people are confused by. Why is that not redundant?

"Song of the Year rewards songwriters," says Powers, "the people who actually pen the melody and the lyrics. Record of the Year rewards all the people that take that basic text and make it into something that you hear pouring out of whatever you listen to."

It's the difference between, in theory, sheet music and the performance. But Powers say the separation of the two awards is almost quaint now. "Frankly, even a song like 'Rolling In The Deep' which is a great song as it is — it's the production, it's the arrangement, it's the engineering that makes that totally indelible. Those things, I think, should be counted as elements of songwriting."

The other category that most people are frequently befuddled by is Best New Artist. The musicians nominated for it often don't seem all that new.

"This is the other condundrum of the Grammys," says Powers. "How can a best new artist like, say, Bon Iver, who's nominated this year, be on, not their first recording, but be kind of well into their career. The reason is the technical definition is that it's an artist who came to prominence this year, which is one of those beautiful fudges that allows for all sorts of people to enter this category."

Which means, technically, one could be 67 and just now hit the big time.

"I think it would be hard to have a best new artist who had 10 records out," Powers says, "but if you're on your second or even your third you can still get into the category."

This year the mix of those who did make it in is pretty varied. The rapper Nicki Minaj, country group The Band Perry, Bon Iver, the indie band led by Justin Vernon, the electronic DJ artist Skrillex and finally J. Cole, another young rapper.

Powers says that pop has generally been understood as what the mainstream listens to. But the range of styles nominated this year dissolves that notion what we're all listening to all sounds the same.

"A country band like The Band Perry might not necessarily share a core fan base with Skrillex, but I bet that a lot of people who are 20 years old have both on their iPods," she says. "And that's the thing — this range of new artists, to me, really speaks to pop right now in 2012."

Rules Requiring Contraceptive Coverage Have Been In Force For Years

Julie Rovner — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

There's been no let-up in the debate about the Obama administration's rule requiring most employers to provide prescription birth control to their workers without additional cost.

Here's the rub: The only truly novel part of the plan is the "no cost" bit.

The rule would mean, for the first time, that women won't have to pay a deductible or co-payment to get prescription contraceptives.

"Now millions more women and families are going to have access to essential health care coverage at a cost that they can afford," says Sarah Lipton-Lubet, policy counsel with the ACLU. "But as a legal matter, a constitutional matter, it's completely unremarkable."

In fact, employers have pretty much been required to provide contraceptive coverage as part of their health plans since December 2000. That's when the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that failure to provide such coverage violates the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act. That law is, in turn, an amendment to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which outlaws, among other things, discrimination based on gender.

Here's how the EEOC put it at the time: "The Commission concludes that Respondents' exclusion of prescription contraceptives violates Title VII, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, whether the contraceptives are used for birth control or for other medical purposes."

But it's not only the EEOC that has ruled on the issue. More than half the states have similar "contraceptive equity" laws on the books, many with religious exceptions similar or identical to the one included in the Administration's regulation.

That's no accident. "The HHS rule was modeled on the exceptions in several state laws, including California, New York, and Oregon," says Lipton-Lubet of the ACLU.

There are now lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the policy, including a new one filed on behalf of the religious television network EWTN. But the exemptions have already been tested in court, at least at the state level.

In 2004, the California Supreme Court upheld that state's law, in a suit brought by Catholic Charities, on a vote of 6-1.

The court ruled that Catholic Charities didn't qualify as a "religious employer" because it didn't meet each of four key criteria (which, by the way, are the same as those in the new federal regulation):

The organization's primary purpose is "the inculcation of religious values."
It primarily employs people of that religion.
It primarily serves people of that religion.
It's a registered nonprofit organization.

Two years later, in 2006, New York's top state court rejected a claim by Catholic Charities and several other religious groups that the state's contraceptive coverage law discriminated against them because it exempted churches but not their religiously-affiliated groups.

"When a religious organization chooses to hire non-believers, it must, at least to some degree, be prepared to accept neutral regulations imposed to protect those employees' legitimate interests in doing what their own beliefs permit," the justices wrote.

Said Lipton-Lubet, "In both the California and New York cases, Catholic Charities made arguments very similar to the ones being made now with respect to the HHS rule. Those arguments failed in that litigation, and they're no more persuasive here."

Lawyers for religious litigants, however, say they think they may stand a better chance challenging the federal rule, particularly given a recent unanimous Supreme Court decision exempting religious employers from employment discrimination laws.

Opponents of the Obama adminstration's rule are also hoping they may find the votes to overturn it in Congress.

How Two Bitter Adversaries Hatched A Plan To Change The Egg Business

Dan Charles — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Gene Gregory and Wayne Pacelle are the odd couple of American agriculture.

"We were adversaries. Some might say, bitter adversaries,"
says Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States.

Pacelle's organization says it wants to end factory farming. So Gene Gregory, president of the United Egg Producers, which represents most of the country's biggest egg farmers, used to think that there was no point even talking to Pacelle. "Why would you want to have a conversation with someone who wants to eliminate your business?" he says.

These days, though, they're not just having a conversation; They're allies, walking shoulder to shoulder into offices on Capitol Hill, asking Congress to approve new rules for egg farmers.

They spent much of this past Tuesday in these lobbying meetings. But they arrived there from very different places — starting with breakfast.

Pacelle, the Humane Society president, woke up in a trendy part of the nation's capital and started the day with a berry smoothie with soy milk. No ham, no eggs, as always.

"I made a decision a long time ago that I was not going to consume animal products, because I was concerned about what was going on on factory farms," he says.

Gregory, meanwhile, lives in Georgia, in the suburbs outside Atlanta. He got up really early on Tuesday so he could catch his flight to Washington. So breakfast was a rush.

"My wife keeps hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator. So I had a hard-boiled egg and a glass of juice before I left the house," he says.

Of course he'd eat an egg. Gregory has been connected to the egg industry for about 50 years, either running a farm himself or representing other farmers.

Pacelle has been among that industry's fiercest critics. He took aim, specifically, at the industry's standard practice of crowding chickens into long lines of wire cages, with hundreds of thousands of birds in a single chicken house.

"I said that these factory farms were cruel and inhumane, no question about that," he says. "We're passionate about this issue. We want to see changes within this industry."

Over the past decade, these two men spent millions of their organizations' dollars fighting over proposals to ban the cages. In a series of states, notably California, the egg producers lost badly.

Then, last summer, they did something unexpected.

Gregory sent a message to Pacelle through an intermediary: "Can the two of us just talk?" And Pacelle saw an opportunity.

"We could fight the United Egg Producers for another 10 or 15 years, and spend millions of dollars on both sides. But the other option is, we could sit down together and figure out a pathway that's good for industry, and better for animals," he says.

Within a few months, the two sides came up with a compromise. They agreed to jointly lobby Congress for a law that would allow farmers to keep their chickens in cages, but the chickens would get twice as much space, plus perches and "nest boxes" where they could lay their eggs. (Last month, I visited a chicken house in California that already has these cages.)

Pacelle and Gregory agreed the new cages and nest boxes all would be phased in over fifteen years. That's to avoid chaos in the industry and "ensure that we always have a sufficient supply of eggs, at a fair price," says Gregory.

For both Gregory and Pacelle, there's a calculation behind this joint venture.
For the egg producers, it's a lot better than the growing patchwork of state regulations that they were already facing. For the Humane Society, it's a way to change conditions on farms in a lot of states that weren't likely to regulate the egg industry at all.

But at this point, there also seems to be a bit more involved than those calculations. It may not be a close personal friendship. But despite all that divides them — different generations, backgrounds, and dietary preferences — there seems to be genuine respect.

"I've found him to be a man of his word," Gregory says, speaking about the Humane Society president. "It doesn't have to be his way or no way. And he's not trying to eliminate our business, or anybody's in animal agriculture. He just wants to see improvements made."

Pacelle, for his part, says that Gregory has helped him understand the pressures involved in trying to make a living by producing food — "the daily struggles that a lot of farmers go through, economically. They were kind of in a race with others, in a competitive environment, to build efficiencies, and this is how it went."

The former adversaries will need each other to get their proposal approved. It's an unusual plan — as unconventional as the partnership that hatched it. No one knows whether Congress will find that appealing, or perhaps suspicious.

Scheming Parents Set Their Kids Up — And It Works

NPR Staff — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

When Steven Ketcham met Alexandra Budny's mother, she told him, "I'm going to be your future mother-in-law." There was just one catch: Steven had never met Alexandra. But their parents had already decided that their children were a good match.

Eventually, Steven and Alexandra agreed with that idea. But it took some time — and those early days of their relationship came up when the couple visited StoryCorps to discuss how their parents got them together.

"My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002," Alexandra says. "And she had just left her company, so she lost health insurance."

Nadia Nogueira was forced to sell her house — and she moved into a house that John Ketcham had available to rent. For many years before that, he had lived in the house with his son, Steven.

"So, they found out that they both have single kids in their 20s," Alexandra says, "and they decided that we were perfect for each other."

Steven recalls the first time he met Alexandra's mother: "She came up to me and said, 'It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Nadia. I'm going to be your future mother-in-law.' The first words out of her mouth."

"And we hadn't even met yet!" Alexandra says.

"And we hadn't even met," Steven echoes.

To solve that problem, Nogueira invited Steven over for dinner. But her daughter would have none of it.

"The second I found out about it I said, 'Call him up. Disinvite him. You're not setting me up,' " Alexandra recalls.

"I was pretty disappointed about that," Steven says, "because I remember my stepmother had showed me pictures. And I was like, 'Wow. She's really cute. I would love to get to know her.' "

So the two parents went to work on another plan, one that was a little more subtle.

"They concocted this story," Steven says. "My father wanted me to go and help him move our stuff out of the rental property, and then your mother showed up with you. But we didn't really hit it off that first day."

"My mom called you every day that week, to get you to the house to help her move," Alexandra says. "So we spent a week together — long, long hours ... and by the end of it, we were dating."

"You know, your mother was diagnosed, actually, when we first started dating."

"Yeah. We met because of her diagnosis," Alexandra says.

That was about 10 years ago. In 2005, Alexandra's mother died from breast cancer. One year later, Steven's father also died — from pancreatic cancer.

"But it bonded us together, because we were forced to either support each other, or just move on," Steven says.

When Alexandra's mother died, the young couple bought the house she had been renting from Steven's father and stepmother.

"You know, I think our parents — they realized that if we worked at this, we could create something beautiful," Steven says.

The couple recorded their conversation about their parents at StoryCorps in New York City on July 18, 2008 — the day they got married.

"Today is our wedding day," Alexandra says. "We got married around noon in City Hall."

"I don't even think I said, 'I do,' " Steven says. "I said, 'Of course I do.' Because that's how I felt. You know, I don't think I've ever been so certain about anything in my entire life."

"I'm the luckiest girl in the world," Alexandra says — adding with a laugh, "and will never let you out of my grip."

Today, the couple still lives in the house that Steven's father once rented to Alexandra's mother — the one that got two parents talking about how their kids might hit it off.

Audio produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo. The Ketchams' story is included in the new StoryCorps book, All There Is.

Colonial History, Through The Eyes Of The Colonized

Jeff Lunden — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Actor and writer Danai Gurira sometimes refers to herself as a "Zimerican": She was born in Iowa, but spent most of her childhood in Harare, Zimbabwe — where her new play, The Convert, is set.

"I grew up there from age 5 to 19," Gurira says. "I'm back there every year, but I feel like there are things that I had to dig out through this process of creating this play."

Gurira says The Convert started out as a kind of melding of what she calls her "neo-colonial education" with colonial history — George Bernard Shaw meeting her great-grandparents' generation.

"I was thinking one day, and I was like, I want to make a play that's sort of ... an adaptation of Pygmalion, about Zimbabwe, because I just feel like there are so many parallel themes," Gurira says. "That's really where it was born from, and then it just took its own route."

In Pygmalion, Henry Higgins takes a poor flower girl named Eliza Doolittle and teaches her to speak the king's English. In The Convert, Jekesai, a young woman from the Shona people, runs away from an arranged marriage and is taken under the wing of a black Catholic missionary named Chilford.

Gurira uses her own family history in the play — her great-great aunt became a nun, fleeing a forced betrothal. Director Emily Mann says this was a common occurrence in Rhodesia (as Zimbabwe was once called) in the late 19th century, when the play is set.

"There were many, many women who ran to the church — some of them became nuns, some of them became teachers — basically so that they could be free," Mann says. "Women were often fleeing being sold off ... or being given away, without their own permission, to be ... as in this play, the 10th wife of an old man."

Jekesai — or Ester, as she's christened by her protectors — adapts quickly to her new situation.

"She's learned a whole new language," says Pascale Armand, who plays Jekesai. "She's learned about a whole new religion, which she has put complete and utter faith in ... [put] her life into this new way of thinking and new way of believing."

Leading her in this transformation is Chilford, who has renounced his own family and traditions. While his deepest desire is to become a priest, few black Africans were ordained in those days.

Gurira says that while Chilford is a decent and well-meaning man, "he's a casualty, one could say, of the issue of colonization, in the sense that he really drinks all the Kool-Aid — like every last drop of it — and really [embraces], hook, line and sinker, the idea that a Christian God is very intertwined with the white man."

That gap between doctrine and reality, black and white, twists the characters like pretzels. For instance, Chilford reacts furiously when Ester corrects a white priest in church, but Armand says the village girl, who's encountering colonial prejudice for the first time, doesn't understand why she has to defer.

"I have no understanding of racism," says Armand, speaking for her character. "This is my first introduction to that term, to that ideology that I now have to deal with and be subservient to."

While white characters are discussed onstage, The Convert is told entirely from the black viewpoint. In an early draft of the play, Gurira says, she attempted to write a scene with Chilford's white mentor.

"I actually tried, I tried, I tried to put him on the stage, and I was like, 'No! It's gonna be an absolute caricature, I'm not gonna be able!' And it didn't make sense. It just didn't make sense," Gurira says.

As The Convert unfolds over three highly intense hours, tensions in the society erupt. In the second act, the audience learns that Chilford's mentor has been killed. Soon it becomes clear that, unlike Shaw's Pygmalion, this is a tragedy. Blood will be spilled, lives will be ruined.

"You begin to understand, from the colonized, what colonialism really is," says Emily Mann. "Because Danai's too smart to make it 'one person's right and one person's wrong,' or black and white in any way — she's so interested in gray areas. She's so interested in how messy human beings really are."

Even though The Convert is set in the late 19th century, Gurira thinks it has relevance to the problems of contemporary Zimbabwe.

"What dynamics of our traditions do we retain? And what are we retaining only because we got colonized?" Gurira asks. "There was this huge gap that happened, in terms of how we were taken over, and we were not able to evolve in our way, in our own time."

Gurira says The Convert is the first in a series of plays she hopes to write about Zimbabwe. She wants to look at life during colonial times throughout the 20th century, and she's been interviewing people — including her parents, who grew up during the 1950s — whenever she returns home.

"It's kind of frightening to think of how much there is to write about," Gurira says. "It'll take my whole lifetime and probably a couple more to really get into all of these stories and all of the experiences of what is now Zimbabwe. It's such a fascinating navigation and fusion of cultures and experiences and voices."

Nuclear Safety, Costs Loom Over OK'd Reactors

Christopher Joyce — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

The nuclear industry is celebrating the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission's decision to give the go-ahead for a utility company to build two new nuclear reactors in Georgia, the first license to be granted for a new reactor in the U.S. since 1978. But last year's accident at reactors in Fukushima, Japan, still clouds the future of nuclear power, as does the cost of new power plants.

The Southern Co. will build the reactors at its Vogtle site in Georgia, where two older reactors already operate.

Scott Peterson, vice president of the industry's Nuclear Energy Institute, says it's not a "nuclear renaissance," but instead a "first wave" for new reactors.

"It's obviously a critical event for the industry in terms of moving forward with the next generation of reactor technology," he says.

The new reactors would be the first of a standardized design; instead of each one being unique, they'll all be nearly identical.

Costs

But demand for electricity is flat, and the price of natural gas, also used to make electricity, is low. The Vogtle plant will cost $14 billion at least to build. Peterson says that's OK. Nuclear still has a place, he says, gas prices are unpredictable, and so is energy from wind and solar.

"Nuclear plants, because they are very large, 24/7 power producers, really anchor the entire U.S. grid for electricity," he says.

There are objections, however. A coalition called the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy plans to sue to stop the reactors. Alliance head Steven Smith says the region doesn't need a new plant. He says the power company is motivated by a healthy profit margin guaranteed by the state.

"Not because we need the power, but because this is going to so help their bottom line by brining this major financial asset in," Smith says.

Japanese Meltdown

Smith also argues that engineers are still figuring out what went wrong at the Fukushima meltdown in Japan last year. He says Southern Co. might have to make expensive retrofits if the NRC requires big design changes.

"We would argue that not only from a safety point of view but also from an economic point of view that you need to get these lessons learned incorporated in before you rush to build the reactor," Smith says.

Gregory Jaczko, the chairman of the five-member NRC, apparently agrees. His was the sole vote against the license. He says he wants Southern Co. to promise it will incorporate lessons learned from Japan. But experts on the NRC staff point out that the new reactors, made by Westinghouse, can already handle some of the things that went haywire in Japan.

For example, in Japan, the reactors lost electric power, so emergency pumps couldn't cool the melting cores with water.

Roger Hannah, an NRC spokesman, says the new reactors' use gravity instead of pumps to feed in emergency water.

"These passive systems do not require electricity to operate cooling system, so you could actually flood the core and provide water for cooling without having access to power," he says.

'Important Test Case'

The Vogtle plant is one of several that have been slogging through the permit process at the NRC.

Energy analyst Richard Caperton at the Center for American Progress says its approval provides the nuclear industry with a shot of adrenaline, but it's also going to be a target.

"This is going to be an important test case," Caperton says. "What we learn form the southern plant is going to impact what we do with nuclear power over the next 10, 20 to 30 years in this country."

If things go as planned, the reactors will be making electricity four to five years from now. If not, the company is seeking an $8.3 billion loan guarantee from the federal government to cover losses.

Catholics Split Over Obama Contraceptive Order

Don Gonyea — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

The conflict between the Catholic Bishops and the White House over contraceptive coverage has American Catholics choosing sides.

Catholics narrowly support the White House position in polls. There are potential political consequences: In presidential elections, Catholics are swing voters. They supported Al Gore in 2000, President George W. Bush in '04 and President Obama in '08.

The GOP presidential hopefuls are certainly using this issue. Framing it as a question of religious freedom is a guaranteed way to fire up the conservative base.

"If you believe in the right to worship God without government interfering, come join us," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said.

Mitt Romney vowed: "This kind of assault on religion will end if I'm president of the United States." And Rick Santorum added: "What they've done is an egregious affront to religious liberty."

Mandate 'Beyond Politics'

In the audience at that Santorum event in Rochester, Minn., was Charles Slater, a family physician who agrees with the candidate.

"I think a lot of people don't understand or see that's a principle that people of Catholic faith are being asked to violate," he said. "So the mandate from the government goes beyond politics. It goes down to the very center of theology, Catholic theology, or teaching about the human person."

But not all Catholics share that view when it comes to birth control. In fact 98 percent of Catholic women use birth control at some point in their lifetimes. A new survey by Public Policy Polling shows that a narrow majority of Catholic voters think women employed by Catholic hospitals and universities should have access to contraceptive coverage through their health plans.

Among them is Pat Schaffer in Minneapolis, who says Catholic institutions are not being asked to supply birth control themselves, only include such coverage in health care plans.

"If they employee agrees with them, then they won't use the contraception," she says. "And if the employees in conscience disagree with the bishops, then it's up to the employees what to do, and I don't see how the bishops have the right to force the employee to take a particular stand anymore than they have the right to control how an employees uses their wages."

Seeking Exceptions

Across the river In St. Paul, students at University of St. Thomas have been talking about this issue in classrooms and over lunch at the student services building.

"I believe it's the Amish have the options to opt out of the draft and the Quakers have the option, too," said Katie Moosbrugger, a Catholic studies, German and Education major. "There are lots of exceptions for religious institutions and Catholics, we don't hold that contraception is something to be supported."

Hanna Heinicke, who is also a student at St. Thomas, acknowledges it's complicated, but says she has to "err on the side of the bishops."

"I think it's not fair that religious organizations would have to provide services that they are morally wrong," she says.

But Heinieke supports the overall health care bill signed by Obama in 2010.

"I'm actually a huge fan of it," she says. "I think everyone should have the right to have health care. I think it's a human right."

In Washington on Thursday, a group of women backing the White House rule on the issue held an event at the National Press Club. Their concern, amid all of the debate, is that the president stick to his guns.

"I have faith in him that he will do the right thing. I will be praying that he does the right thing," says Callie Otto is a student at Catholic University of America. "But I will also be praying that the bishops can realize that they're wrong and they back down so he doesn't have so much pressure."

Catholics on each side of this are offering prayers. For its part, the Obama administration is looking for an answer allowing it to defend its decision while also somehow addressing the concerns of it's opponents.

Ousted Maldives President Championed Environment

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Obama To Release Fiscal 2013 Budget Next Week

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Kodak To Stop Making Digital Cameras

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Advocates Not Impressed With Foreclosure Settlement

Richard Gonzales — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Greece Waits For Bailout After Meeting EU Conditions

Zoe Chace — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Bank Settlement Could Spur More Foreclosures

Chris Arnold — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Santorum's Latest Wins Spread Conservative Message

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

U.S. Marines Set Up Asia Pacific Base In Australia

John Burnett — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Miramonte Reopens, Previous Staff On Paid Leave

Karen Grigsby Bates — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

LA County Rule Threatens Fine For Frisbee Tossing

Amy Walters — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

LinkedIn Profits Exceed Wall Streets Expectations

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Court Decides Who Gets The Cat

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Madonna Fan Would Be Irked By War With Iran

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

Rebellious Syrian City Of Homs Pelted By Rocket Fire

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:00:00 -0500

After Kim Jong-il: America and the Two Koreas

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The death of Kim Jong-il last December, and the appointment of his unknown and untested son Kim Jong-un as his successor, has left the world on the edge of its seat. This hour, we'll head to Seoul to gauge how South Koreans view the threat from the North. We'll look back at the history of America's relationship with the two Koreas. We'll hear from the negotiators who penned the 1994 agreement with North Korea that averted a nuclear crisis. And we'll talk to North Korean defectors about their reactions to the leadership change in the North.

Breaking Through

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

On today’s show: Gary Oldman talks about his career and his Oscar-nominated role in the film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. William Wellman’s son tells us about his father’s many contributions to cinema, including Wings, the first film to win the Academy Award for best picture. Women’s boxing is included in the Olympics for the first time this year, and we’ll speak to a 16-year-old girl who hopes to compete, along with her coach and to a former pro fighter. The Peruvian Paracas Textile is the subject of today’s installment of A History of the World in 100 Objects. Plus, on our latest Please Explain, our How to Save the World series continues with a look at garbage and waste management.

Genres, Evolving Through Communities

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Genres like heavy metal and honky tonk don’t seem to have a whole lot in common – but they share more than you might think. Today: Musical communities through the eyes of a sociologist. Plus: A Grammys preview, including the categories where someone besides Adele might stand a chance. And: A live performance from Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura.