Talk of the Nation

Weekdays at 2pm
Neal Conan

Each day, Talk of the Nation combines the award-winning resources of NPR News with the vital participation of listeners. The result is a spirited and productive exchange of knowledge and insight that delves deeply into the news and ideas of the day.

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Around the Nation
1:00 pm
Thu March 8, 2012

Ethnic Mapping: Prophylactic Or Offensive?

After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, some law enforcement agencies adapted crime mapping tactics into what is known as ethnic mapping. Some Muslims welcome ethnic mapping as a useful approach to preventing terrorism. Others say the surveillance amounts to domestic spying and racial profiling.

Africa
1:00 pm
Thu March 8, 2012

Fact Checking The 'Kony 2012' Viral Video

Kony 2012 is not your usual viral video. A thirty-minute film by the nonprofit group Invisible Children, it hopes to raise support for the arrest of Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army. Freelance reporter Michael Wilkerson fact checks the film and explains the controversy.

On Aging
1:00 pm
Thu March 8, 2012

'Gray Divorce': Over 50, And Splitting Up

The divorce rate among people 50 and older has doubled in the past 20 years, according to research by Bowling Green State University sociologists Susan Brown and I-Fen Lin. Their paper, "The Gray Divorce Revolution," examines the factors driving the trend.

NPR Story
1:00 pm
Thu March 8, 2012

'Da Vinci's Ghost,' Manifest In The Vitruvian Man

Credit iStockphoto.com
A reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci's drawing of The Vitruvian Man.

Most people are familiar with Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man: A nude man, with his arms and legs stretched, inside a square within a circle.

Toby Lester tells the story behind the drawing and Da Vinci's zeal to create an image of the perfectly proportioned human in Da Vinci's Ghost: Genius, Obsession, and How Leonardo Created the World in His Own Image.

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Law
1:00 pm
Wed March 7, 2012

Prisons Develop Programs For Aging Population

Overcrowded prisons already coping with budget pressures face a new challenge: The growing needs of an aging inmate population. With limited state budgets, prison setups, and facilities, prison officials are trying new ways to provide care and, in some cases, opting to release inmates early.

Technology
1:00 pm
Wed March 7, 2012

Scams And Malicious Apps Invade Smart Phones

The viruses, spam and malware that have plagued desktop computers for years now increasingly threaten mobile smartphones, as well. More text messages now deliver scams and a growing number of malicious apps install spyware, target personal information and attempt to charge users hidden fees.

Politics
1:00 pm
Wed March 7, 2012

Super Tuesday's Split Decision

Mitt Romney eked out a victory in Ohio's Super Tuesday primary. It was the closest of ten races, and the most closely watched. Rick Santorum came in second. Newt Gingrich took his home state of Georgia, Romney won six in all, and Santorum kept his campaign alive by winning three.

From Our Listeners
1:00 pm
Wed March 7, 2012

Letters: Genetic Testing And Practicing Patience

Talk of the Nation listeners wrote to the show to share their insights on previous show topics, including genetic testing, affirmative action, the source and practice of patience, and interracial marriage.

Around the Nation
1:00 pm
Tue March 6, 2012

Varied Takes On The Power Of The Word 'Slut'

Syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh called a Georgetown student a "prostitute" and a "slut" after she testified before a Senate committee and called for federal health care coverage to include the cost of contraception. Limbaugh apologized, but it has prompted a re-examination of the term, "slut."

Middle East
1:00 pm
Tue March 6, 2012

Weighing A Policy Of Containment For Iran

President Obama recently said, "Iran's leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of containment; I have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." Some say containment represents a viable option against Iran, but others argue that Cold War strategies do not apply to Iran.

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