Talk of the Nation

When Tornadoes Are A Way Of Life

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:14:00 +0000

Monday's tornado tore through parts of Oklahoma City at 200 miles per hour and killed at least 24 people. Many more are missing orinjured. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks to KOSU reporter Michael Cross and to meteorologist Paul Douglas about why it's so hard to track tornadoes.

Apple, Tech Giants And An Industrial-Age Tax Code

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:07:00 +0000

Apple CEO Timothy Cook made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, testifying after congressional investigators revealed that Apple avoided billions in taxes. Reporter Charles Duhigg of The New York Times and guest host Jennifer Ludden talk about how, as Duhigg writes, "technology giants have taken advantage of tax codes written for an industrial age."

Would Lowering The Drunk Driving Threshold Make Us Safer?

editor — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:03:00 +0000

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended reducing the legal limit for blood alcohol content for drivers from .08 to .05. Critics say it won't significantly help prevent drunken driving. Guest LZ Granderson argues that without more checkpoints, a lower threshold would do nothing.

Tiny Living: The Rise Of Small Spaces

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:14:00 +0000

As the populations in big cities increase and more people choose to live alone, a new trend of living in very small spaces has emerged. But the tiny living movement is not without controversy as growth of these multi-unit buildings puts pressure on established neighborhoods.

The Future Of The Workers' Movement

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:10:00 +0000

As membership in private-sector labor unions has continued to nosedive, traditional labor groups have been forced to reevaluate — just as non-union worker groups have emerged. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks to writer Josh Eidelson about what he calls 'alt-labor.'

Life In Argentina's 'Little School' Prison Camp

editor — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:04:00 +0000

During Argentina's so-called Dirty War, thousands were abducted and taken to secret prisons like a place known as "the little school," where many were tortured and killed. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks to a former prisoner, Alicia Partnoy, about her disappearance and her time there.

Resetting the Theory of Time

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Generations of physicists have claimed that time is an illusion. But not all agree. In his book Time Reborn: From the Crisis in Physics to the Future of the Universe, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that time exists--and he says time is key to understanding the evolution of the universe.

Researchers Report Cloning Advance For Producing Stem Cells

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Scientists reported this week in the journal Cell that they had used somatic cell nuclear transfer techniques to create a source of embryonic stem cells from the skin cells of a patient. George Daley, director of the stem cell transplantation program at Boston Children's Hospital, and Josephine Johnston of the Hastings Center discuss the research.

Insects May Be The Taste Of The Next Generation, Report Says

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

A report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says insects offer a huge potential for improving the world's food security. Peter Menzel, co-author of Man Eating Bugs, describes some insect-based cuisine and the western aversion to creepy-crawly snacks.

Ex-Ambassador To Iraq Weighs In On Talking To 'Monsters'

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:01:00 +0000

As the death toll in Syria climbs and critics blast the Obama administration for not taking more decisive action, former ambassador Christopher Hill points instead to a failure of diplomacy in an op-ed in the New York Times. Hill talks about what the U.S. faces in facilitating talks between the regime and Syrian rebels.