December 2004

December 31	Knitting with Dog Hair
December 24	How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? This is not a Big Important Story. It's a small whimsical story about finding the unexpected in your own backyard - in this case the existence of a Spanish dance company pulling standing-room-only crowds in a place more often known for its Celtic music and dance traditions. Producer Chris Brookes presents a portrait of El Viento Flamenco, Newfoundland's only professional flamenco troupe. The Spanish Room This is not a Big Important Story. It's a small whimsical story about finding the unexpected in your own backyard - in this case the existence of a Spanish dance company pulling standing-room-only crowds in a place more often known for its Celtic music and dance traditions. Producer Chris Brookes presents a portrait of El Viento Flamenco, Newfoundland's only professional flamenco troupe.
December 17	The Traveler Settling down. It's a term that's associated with maturity, with being well-adjusted. The converse-- a person drifting from place to place-- is usually regarded with some suspicion and wariness. If, in the act of settling down, we join mainstream society, then the documentary, "Residence Elsewhere," is about someone living on the margins. His name is Doug Alan and he's a musician. His chosen life- style is that of urban nomad. Alan moves from city to city in a self-crafted mobile home--a life on wheels. He is in Chicago at the moment, making improvements to his rolling home. His story is layered with a chorus of three other Chicago nomads in varying stages of arrival and departure. All of them are trying to define the meaning of "home," when you're constantly on the move. Residence Elsewhere Settling down. It's a term that's associated with maturity, with being well-adjusted. The converse-- a person drifting from place to place-- is usually regarded with some suspicion and wariness. If, in the act of settling down, we join mainstream society, then the documentary, "Residence Elsewhere," is about someone living on the margins. His name is Doug Alan and he's a musician. His chosen life- style is that of urban nomad. Alan moves from city to city in a self-crafted mobile home--a life on wheels. He is in Chicago at the moment, making improvements to his rolling home. His story is layered with a chorus of three other Chicago nomads in varying stages of arrival and departure. All of them are trying to define the meaning of "home," when you're constantly on the move.
December 10	The Orphan Train Each year 5,000 refugee children arrive in the U.S. penniless and alone, seeking asylum and freedom. A third are locked up - some alongside violent offenders. Many are deported back to traumatic home situations. The U.S. government does not provide them with lawyers, yet whether they can stay legally is decided in court. Dream Deferred follows two of these children, Juan Pablo from Honduras and Jimmy from Punjab, India. Why did they leave? What dreams are they chasing? How did they get here and where are they today? Dream Deferred Each year 5,000 refugee children arrive in the U.S. penniless and alone, seeking asylum and freedom. A third are locked up - some alongside violent offenders. Many are deported back to traumatic home situations. The U.S. government does not provide them with lawyers, yet whether they can stay legally is decided in court. Dream Deferred follows two of these children, Juan Pablo from Honduras and Jimmy from Punjab, India. Why did they leave? What dreams are they chasing? How did they get here and where are they today?
December 3	Trapped on the Wrong Side of History What does it mean to be an American with the face of the enemy? Face to Face connects the experiences of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 with those of Arab and Muslim Americans in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Visit the Face to Face website Face to Face What does it mean to be an American with the face of the enemy? Face to Face connects the experiences of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 with those of Arab and Muslim Americans in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Visit the Face to Face website

November 2004

November 26	Money in the Family Andy Clark is a 31- year-old guy, a father and a journalist, who considers himself moderately sane. But in the course of training for his first marathon race, he begins to question his sanity -- as well as his muscles, lungs and joints. Running for exercise was a joy compared to this. Training for a marathon is tough, grueling and painful. So why do people do it? Why in the world is Andy doing it? Find out as we accompany marathon man Andy Clark from the start of his four month training to the finish line at the Rotterdam marathon. The Marathon Story Andy Clark is a 31- year-old guy, a father and a journalist, who considers himself moderately sane. But in the course of training for his first marathon race, he begins to question his sanity -- as well as his muscles, lungs and joints. Running for exercise was a joy compared to this. Training for a marathon is tough, grueling and painful. So why do people do it? Why in the world is Andy doing it? Find out as we accompany marathon man Andy Clark from the start of his four month training to the finish line at the Rotterdam marathon.
November 19	A View From the Bridge Thecla Mitchell is a triple amputee. For her, running in a marathon means finding complete physical existence within one wrist, one elbow and one set of fingers. Henry Butler is a blind jazz pianist, but through photography, Henry has found a meeting ground for the sighted and the sightless. Producer John Hockenberry, who is himself mobile in a wheelchair, has been a war correspondent, reporting from the field. He and associate producer Joe Richman show us what the disabled learn from living in a fundamentally different way -- where daily adventure is a part of life.
November 12	After Graduation: Meeting Special Needs Computers in classrooms are a given in elementary schools across the nation. Now new technology initiatives are bringing computers into preschools, driven by the assumption that if children don't begin early, they fall behind. But is this really true? And are computers essential learning tools for very young minds? How do very young children learn, how do their brains develop, and does pointing, clicking and hyperlinking affect their neurological and social development? Early childhood education specialists weigh in on a government funded statewide program that aims to make toddlers computer literate. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education. Snacktime, Naptime, Computer Time Computers in classrooms are a given in elementary schools across the nation. Now new technology initiatives are bringing computers into preschools, driven by the assumption that if children don't begin early, they fall behind. But is this really true? And are computers essential learning tools for very young minds? How do very young children learn, how do their brains develop, and does pointing, clicking and hyperlinking affect their neurological and social development? Early childhood education specialists weigh in on a government funded statewide program that aims to make toddlers computer literate. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education.
November 5	Who needs libraries? Remember the first television set your family got? Or the first transistor radio that was really all your own? Our relationship with technology is oddly intimate, worming its way into even our most evocative memories. Producer Ilene Segalove talks to people with humorous memories of the "latest technologies" of their childhoods, now faded into obscurity in the computer age. Life before the Computer Remember the first television set your family got? Or the first transistor radio that was really all your own? Our relationship with technology is oddly intimate, worming its way into even our most evocative memories. Producer Ilene Segalove talks to people with humorous memories of the "latest technologies" of their childhoods, now faded into obscurity in the computer age.

October 2004

October 29	Surviving Extinction Mars, Earth and Venus are sibling planets with huge similarities and even bigger differences. Starting from the same primordial material , the climates of each planet diverged, until you have the Goldilocks scenario --one that is too hot, another that's too cold and Earth which is just right. Our program will look at what processes affect the evolution of planetary atmospheres, and what Mars and Venus can tell us about the future of our own climate. The Goldilocks Story Mars, Earth and Venus are sibling planets with huge similarities and even bigger differences. Starting from the same primordial material , the climates of each planet diverged, until you have the Goldilocks scenario --one that is too hot, another that's too cold and Earth which is just right. Our program will look at what processes affect the evolution of planetary atmospheres, and what Mars and Venus can tell us about the future of our own climate.
October 22	Three Women of East Timor
October 15	Hana's Suitcase
October 8	Gore's Great Art Coup In a Washington, D.C. garage, James Hampton, a non- descript janitor by trade, started work on the Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly. Built entirely out of discarded objects, this 180 piece sculpture was discovered after James' death in 1964. Considered by some to be one of the finest examples of American visionary religious art, the Throne resides at the Smithsonian. This is the story of The Throne of St. James. This program comes to us from Radio New Zealand and airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. Throne of St.James In a Washington, D.C. garage, James Hampton, a non- descript janitor by trade, started work on the Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly. Built entirely out of discarded objects, this 180 piece sculpture was discovered after James' death in 1964. Considered by some to be one of the finest examples of American visionary religious art, the Throne resides at the Smithsonian. This is the story of The Throne of St. James. This program comes to us from Radio New Zealand and airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
October 1	Sanctuary In Canada, the warning signs that global warming may be having a long-term effect on the climate are subtle. In the far north of Canada, where the land is defined by ice, ice is slowly melting - and for the first time, people who live in Northern Canada are seeing plants and animals much more familiar to those of us in the South. Producer Bob Carty of the CBC travels north to see how people are adapting to the changes. This is part of our special international collaboration called Global Perspectives: Nature in the Balance. There's No Word for Robin In Canada, the warning signs that global warming may be having a long-term effect on the climate are subtle. In the far north of Canada, where the land is defined by ice, ice is slowly melting - and for the first time, people who live in Northern Canada are seeing plants and animals much more familiar to those of us in the South. Producer Bob Carty of the CBC travels north to see how people are adapting to the changes. This is part of our special international collaboration called Global Perspectives: Nature in the Balance.

September 2004

September 24	Living History in Colonial Williamsburg
September 17	The Music House Not more than 25 years ago, they were the first outsiders to come to Irian Jaya. Outsiders who will never become insiders, the missionaries of Irian Jaya introduced the twentieth century to the native peoples. Although they came to educate, offer health care and save souls, ultimately, as this portrait by producer Moira Rankin reveals, the greatest effect of their work is on their own personal development. Missionaries Not more than 25 years ago, they were the first outsiders to come to Irian Jaya. Outsiders who will never become insiders, the missionaries of Irian Jaya introduced the twentieth century to the native peoples. Although they came to educate, offer health care and save souls, ultimately, as this portrait by producer Moira Rankin reveals, the greatest effect of their work is on their own personal development.
September 10	We Were on Duty
September 3	Whom they Fear they Hate Hate crimes are a persistent problem in America, even in seemingly quiet, politically tolerant communities. Producers Stephen Smith and Dan Olson focus on two such communities, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Portland, Oregon, each of which face disturbing levels of assault, vandalism, harassment and even murder committed on the basis of the victim's race, religion, sexual preference, or gender. The program examines why a country that is becoming more culturally diverse may be growing less tolerant.

August 2004

August 27	Ana Grows Up
August 20	The Long Distance Patient Dying is no longer something that simply happens. More often, it's something someone decides to let happen. Patients and their families and doctors are forced to answer questions they didn't even consider before. Is being kept alive the same as living? When have we crossed the line from prolonging life, to extending death? We follow a woman struggling with these questions and her father's life. Life Support Dying is no longer something that simply happens. More often, it's something someone decides to let happen. Patients and their families and doctors are forced to answer questions they didn't even consider before. Is being kept alive the same as living? When have we crossed the line from prolonging life, to extending death? We follow a woman struggling with these questions and her father's life.
August 13	Kiribati in Crisis In the middle of Dutch wheat fields, miles away from the sea rises the little island of Schokland. In the never-ending tug of war with the sea, the Dutch rescued the island from the sea by building one of their famous polder dikes. The island soon bustled as a farming community and a tourist spot. Now the island is sinking, and Radio Netherlands producer Michele Ernsting reports that in a dramatic reversal of their old policy, the Dutch have decided to flood the land around it - to keep Schokland afloat. This is part of our special international collaboration called Global Perspective: Nature in the Balance. Schokland - The Island on Dry Land In the middle of Dutch wheat fields, miles away from the sea rises the little island of Schokland. In the never-ending tug of war with the sea, the Dutch rescued the island from the sea by building one of their famous polder dikes. The island soon bustled as a farming community and a tourist spot. Now the island is sinking, and Radio Netherlands producer Michele Ernsting reports that in a dramatic reversal of their old policy, the Dutch have decided to flood the land around it - to keep Schokland afloat. This is part of our special international collaboration called Global Perspective: Nature in the Balance.
August 6	One Potato More

July 2004

July 30	For the Glory of the Game The Tour de France is the ultimate event in cycling - and a metaphor for all the crisis and controversy that surrounds a big-time sport. In this documentary Producer Ian Austen of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, an amateur cyclist himself, delves into the race to expose the drug scandals, superhuman physical effort, sleazy sponsorships and yet somehow the thrill of the race. This program airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. Spinning the Tour The Tour de France is the ultimate event in cycling - and a metaphor for all the crisis and controversy that surrounds a big-time sport. In this documentary Producer Ian Austen of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, an amateur cyclist himself, delves into the race to expose the drug scandals, superhuman physical effort, sleazy sponsorships and yet somehow the thrill of the race. This program airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
July 23	Mississippi Becomes a Democracy
July 16	Moonlanding Thirty and forty years removed now from the debate over Apollo, we look back to a time when American public support of the space program was uncertain. Skeptics came at their opposition from varying perspectives. This program looks and talks (with and about) the opponents of the space program, those who chose to swim against the pro-Apollo tide. Washington Goes to the Moon: Against the Tide Thirty and forty years removed now from the debate over Apollo, we look back to a time when American public support of the space program was uncertain. Skeptics came at their opposition from varying perspectives. This program looks and talks (with and about) the opponents of the space program, those who chose to swim against the pro-Apollo tide.
July 9	Voices of the Dust Bowl How do farmers, futures traders, scientists and policy makers forecast production? What have they relied on in the past, and how are the new tools, including satellite technology, creating better models? How is the science of prediction evolving? Forecasters of Farming looks at the history, art and science of predicting agricultural production using space technology and climate modeling. Forecasters of Farming How do farmers, futures traders, scientists and policy makers forecast production? What have they relied on in the past, and how are the new tools, including satellite technology, creating better models? How is the science of prediction evolving? Forecasters of Farming looks at the history, art and science of predicting agricultural production using space technology and climate modeling.
July 2	Will The Banana Split? How do you buy tomatoes in a grocery store? Do you choose by taste, or price, or shape, or because the recipe you inherited from your grandmother calls for Roma and no other? No matter the reason, Americans are probably the largest consumers of tomatoes in the world. On average, they consume 16 pounds a year of fresh tomatoes. Most of these fresh tomatoes are grown in Florida and California. But a significant percent of the market now comes from Canada, thanks to free trade agreements struck in 1994. This intrusion has led to a good old fashioned trade war. In October of 2001 the U.S slapped heavy antidumping tariffs on Canadian tomatoes. The Canadians have answered with their own charges. Growers on both sides claim grievous injury. The greenhouse growers in Canada, who ship 50% of their production to the U.S., claim American protectionism is keeping the better tasting tomatoes off the shelf. In the U.S, the fresh tomato growers, both field and greenhouse, say that local markets are being undermined. And furthermore, local buyers now must make a Hobson' choice, between their own homegrown tomato and a nefarious import. Producer Chris Brookes explores the tomato war on both sides of the border. This program aired as part of the international radio exchange series, Global Perspectives: Faces of Globalization. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off How do you buy tomatoes in a grocery store? Do you choose by taste, or price, or shape, or because the recipe you inherited from your grandmother calls for Roma and no other? No matter the reason, Americans are probably the largest consumers of tomatoes in the world. On average, they consume 16 pounds a year of fresh tomatoes. Most of these fresh tomatoes are grown in Florida and California. But a significant percent of the market now comes from Canada, thanks to free trade agreements struck in 1994. This intrusion has led to a good old fashioned trade war. In October of 2001 the U.S slapped heavy antidumping tariffs on Canadian tomatoes. The Canadians have answered with their own charges. Growers on both sides claim grievous injury. The greenhouse growers in Canada, who ship 50% of their production to the U.S., claim American protectionism is keeping the better tasting tomatoes off the shelf. In the U.S, the fresh tomato growers, both field and greenhouse, say that local markets are being undermined. And furthermore, local buyers now must make a Hobson' choice, between their own homegrown tomato and a nefarious import. Producer Chris Brookes explores the tomato war on both sides of the border. This program aired as part of the international radio exchange series, Global Perspectives: Faces of Globalization.

June 2004

June 25	Software Is Elementary Standardized tests have been around for years in the United States. What's different now is that schools and teachers are being held accountable for the results of these tests. Add to that new federal legislation, and the stakes are raised even higher, with threats of federal funding being cut off to underachieving school districts. Then there is the question of how and what the children are being tested on. Producer Katie Gott follows the paths of two failing schools, one in Maryland and the other in Virginia, to understand how each state applies its testing policy, and how testing impacts schools, teachers, parents and children. What happens if these schools don't make the grade after the scores are in? This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education. The High Stakes of Today's Testing Standardized tests have been around for years in the United States. What's different now is that schools and teachers are being held accountable for the results of these tests. Add to that new federal legislation, and the stakes are raised even higher, with threats of federal funding being cut off to underachieving school districts. Then there is the question of how and what the children are being tested on. Producer Katie Gott follows the paths of two failing schools, one in Maryland and the other in Virginia, to understand how each state applies its testing policy, and how testing impacts schools, teachers, parents and children. What happens if these schools don't make the grade after the scores are in? This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education.
June 18	A Bird in the Hand Producer Adi Gevins presents both a lighthearted and serious examination of chickens and their relationship to humans in historical, cultural, economic and institutional contexts. Chickens Producer Adi Gevins presents both a lighthearted and serious examination of chickens and their relationship to humans in historical, cultural, economic and institutional contexts.
June 11	Soweto: In Hector's Path June 16, 1976 - Hector Petersen, a 13-year old South African student is shot and killed during a massive demonstration to protest apartheid laws in South Africa. The photograph of the fatally wounded Petersen being carried from the scene appeared throughout the world and he became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement. A generation later, June 16 is still a day of remembrance, particularly in Soweto, where Petersen was killed.
June 4	Summer Triptych

May 2004

May 28	War and Forgiveness
May 21	People and Software Video games dull the brain and turn children into violence craving delinquents. That apparently is the popular opinion but not one that is entirely factual. Psychologists do see an increase in violent tendencies after game playing but they also note that students who play video games learn new technologies faster in school. What if video games could be educational and improve knowledge of math, science and social studies? That is what some video game developers and educators are working on. Combining curriculum with state of the art game software, they are testing how games can improve education and student participation in the classroom. Game Over takes a look at how video games are making a comeback in the educational world. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education. Game Over Video games dull the brain and turn children into violence craving delinquents. That apparently is the popular opinion but not one that is entirely factual. Psychologists do see an increase in violent tendencies after game playing but they also note that students who play video games learn new technologies faster in school. What if video games could be educational and improve knowledge of math, science and social studies? That is what some video game developers and educators are working on. Combining curriculum with state of the art game software, they are testing how games can improve education and student participation in the classroom. Game Over takes a look at how video games are making a comeback in the educational world. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education.
May 14	Equity in Education Remember the dot-com craze? Then perhaps you recollect the mad dash by universities and others to ring in the virtual university. The bubble may have burst but is the online university just another bad idea? Some say yes but others say no. But before you sign up for that virtual course, click along with Producer Richard Paul as he investigates the state of the online university. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education. Click Here for College Remember the dot-com craze? Then perhaps you recollect the mad dash by universities and others to ring in the virtual university. The bubble may have burst but is the online university just another bad idea? Some say yes but others say no. But before you sign up for that virtual course, click along with Producer Richard Paul as he investigates the state of the online university. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education.
May 7	Educating Emily Michael Williams-Stark gives comedy improv workshops to a special group of children. Like Michael, they're kids who have cleft palates, or no palates. They meet regularly, and through comedy and performing, they learn to stand up for themselves, to gain confidence and feel less alone. Producer Cate Cochran of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation presents this program as part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. Making Faces Michael Williams-Stark gives comedy improv workshops to a special group of children. Like Michael, they're kids who have cleft palates, or no palates. They meet regularly, and through comedy and performing, they learn to stand up for themselves, to gain confidence and feel less alone. Producer Cate Cochran of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation presents this program as part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.

April 2004

April 30	Wannabes Why would anybody want, even choose, to be disabled in order to feel whole and secure? In this fascinating and challenging report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, producer Kath Duncan, who herself was born without one arm and one leg, tries to understand why some people actually aspire to be like her. These "wannabes" are physically complete and able, but wish they weren't and will go to great lengths, even amputation, to achieve the body image they hold of themselves. Duncan brings us a moving portrait of her journey into a strange subculture. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
April 23	Betwitched Laura Rothenberg is 21 years old, but, as she likes to say, she already had her mid-life crisis a couple of years ago, and even then it was a few years late. Laura has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and other organs. People with CF live an average of 30 years. Two years ago, we gave Laura a tape recorder. Since that time, Laura has been keeping an audio diary of her battle with the disease and her attempts to lead a normal life with lungs than often betray her. My So Called Lungs Laura Rothenberg is 21 years old, but, as she likes to say, she already had her mid-life crisis a couple of years ago, and even then it was a few years late. Laura has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and other organs. People with CF live an average of 30 years. Two years ago, we gave Laura a tape recorder. Since that time, Laura has been keeping an audio diary of her battle with the disease and her attempts to lead a normal life with lungs than often betray her.
April 16	RP: Through A Tunnel Darkly Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is an eye disease that causes someone to lose his or her vision gradually. It's as if the lens of the eye gets smaller and smaller. It's not uncommon; yet it has no single cure. Producer Susan Davis joins writer David Stewart, who suffers from the disease, to investigate the latest advances in treating RP, including the possibility of implanting a computer chip into the eye.
April 9	Health Over the Horizon Distance medicine has been around for awhile. The flying doctors in Australia, for example, work with isolated communities on remote sites. Research ships visit the polar ice caps for months at a time and medical emergencies have to be dealt with on board. In the early days, it was done with wireless radio communication, sending samples of diagnostics and medical investigations through the mail. Nowadays, it's done digitally and it's called telemedicine. This need to consult, diagnose and deliver effective medical care from far-off, when the doctor is away from the patient, is very crucial on an extended space flight. Scientists are looking at developing hardware and software to facilitate this, and much of this technology is micro-sized, whether it's a case of storing blood samples so they will be fresh when a person arrives back three years later from a trip to Mars, or installing a pill inside the body to take measurements of body temperature. Producer Judith Kampfner takes a look at Health Over the Horizon.
April 2	The Last Out During its seventy year tenure, a hot dog stand in Oakland has become an anchor for residents of the city's Temescal neighborhood in good times and bad. This is the story of Kasper's Original Hot Dogs. Original Kasper's Hot Dogs During its seventy year tenure, a hot dog stand in Oakland has become an anchor for residents of the city's Temescal neighborhood in good times and bad. This is the story of Kasper's Original Hot Dogs.

March 2004

March 26	Out of their hands Twenty five years ago, four stunned mothers who'd lost their children, one an adult, one a teenager, the others younger, were introduced at a Toronto hospital by a chaplain. They found they could talk to each other with more ease than to other people. Their friendship grew to an organization, Bereaved Parents of Ontario, that now has hundreds of members. Producer Teresa Goff of the CBC brings us their stories and what the organization has done for them. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
March 19	Trauma
March 12	Hot Flash Losing your balance and feeling dizzy? It happens as we grow older, and astronauts are trying to help us figure out why. Why do we get seasick? Why do we get any kind of motion sickness? What is going on in our bodies that so disturbs our equilibrium? The effects of motion sickness--disorientation, maladjustment to environment, and human flexibility to adapt--are the same effects experienced by astronauts in outer space. Getting Your Bearings Losing your balance and feeling dizzy? It happens as we grow older, and astronauts are trying to help us figure out why. Why do we get seasick? Why do we get any kind of motion sickness? What is going on in our bodies that so disturbs our equilibrium? The effects of motion sickness--disorientation, maladjustment to environment, and human flexibility to adapt--are the same effects experienced by astronauts in outer space.
March 5	AIDS in Haiti In an age of high-tech, highly specialized medicine, the ancient healing arts of Curanderismo are an attractive alternative. When they are ill, Mexican-Americans in the southwestern states often prefer to visit the curandero-- the traditional healer-- who uses herbs, aromas, and rituals to treat the ills of their body, mind and spirit. It is a much more personal approach to treating illness -complex, but not necessarily scientific- and one that modern health care professionals in the region are now exploring, and in some cases embracing as a healing tool. Curanderismo: Folk Healing in the Southwest In an age of high-tech, highly specialized medicine, the ancient healing arts of Curanderismo are an attractive alternative. When they are ill, Mexican-Americans in the southwestern states often prefer to visit the curandero-- the traditional healer-- who uses herbs, aromas, and rituals to treat the ills of their body, mind and spirit. It is a much more personal approach to treating illness -complex, but not necessarily scientific- and one that modern health care professionals in the region are now exploring, and in some cases embracing as a healing tool.

February 2004

February 27	What's New at School? When Alan was told to get a life, he decided to go one better. He got a Life Coach. What exactly is a Life Coach, this new kind of ultimate personal trainer? As one coach describes it: "Coaching is not therapy. In therapy you talk about how to throw the ball. In coaching, you throw it." We'll join Alan as he works with his Life Coach-to improve his flirting skills-and meet other coaches and their satisfied clients. We'll even learn how to become a coach and sit in on a telephone training session. And producer Natalie Kestecher just might convince us, in this sly production from the Australian Broadcasting Company, that it's time to sack that shrink and get a Life Coach instead. This program is part of our ongoing international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. Get A Life Coach When Alan was told to get a life, he decided to go one better. He got a Life Coach. What exactly is a Life Coach, this new kind of ultimate personal trainer? As one coach describes it: "Coaching is not therapy. In therapy you talk about how to throw the ball. In coaching, you throw it." We'll join Alan as he works with his Life Coach-to improve his flirting skills-and meet other coaches and their satisfied clients. We'll even learn how to become a coach and sit in on a telephone training session. And producer Natalie Kestecher just might convince us, in this sly production from the Australian Broadcasting Company, that it's time to sack that shrink and get a Life Coach instead. This program is part of our ongoing international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
February 20	New Songs from an Old Mountain Join us on a journey through the rich tradition of performance poetry, set in Washington DC's famous and eclectic U Street corridor. Our program takes you from memories of the live poetry clubs that emerged there in the 1960's, through the D.C. riots that saw venues closing down and artists scattering to the West Coast, to the modern day renaissance of the spoken word tradition. Our story is narrated by performance poets M'wili Yaw Askari, Toni Ashanti Lightfoot and Matthew Payne. The Spoken Word Join us on a journey through the rich tradition of performance poetry, set in Washington DC's famous and eclectic U Street corridor. Our program takes you from memories of the live poetry clubs that emerged there in the 1960's, through the D.C. riots that saw venues closing down and artists scattering to the West Coast, to the modern day renaissance of the spoken word tradition. Our story is narrated by performance poets M'wili Yaw Askari, Toni Ashanti Lightfoot and Matthew Payne.
February 13	Attachments Love, the universal emotion. From the first crush, to the worst heartbreak, to a long-lasting marriage, people young and old share with us their stories of passion and pain. Producer Ginna Allison presents us with snapshots of love in "Attachments."
February 6	High School Time Several years ago at Long Creek juvenile detention center in Maine, one MIT professor revolutionized the existing school system. He instituted a learning-by-doing program where young offenders spend their day using Legos to build programmable robots - clocks, vehicles and moving fantasy figures. Teens photograph their creations and write diaries proudly chronicling their progress. Can incarcerated youth gain important skills and confidence from such a program or should they be learning discipline in a conventional schoolroom? Producer Judith Kampfner takes us inside the classroom to find out. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology. Building Blocks Several years ago at Long Creek juvenile detention center in Maine, one MIT professor revolutionized the existing school system. He instituted a learning-by-doing program where young offenders spend their day using Legos to build programmable robots - clocks, vehicles and moving fantasy figures. Teens photograph their creations and write diaries proudly chronicling their progress. Can incarcerated youth gain important skills and confidence from such a program or should they be learning discipline in a conventional schoolroom? Producer Judith Kampfner takes us inside the classroom to find out. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology.

January 2004

January 30	Water is Gold Over the centuries the south and southeast of England have been tipping into the sea, the legacy of the last Ice Age. In fact, concrete walls to keep the sea out surround the entire Essex coast. But now environmental managers are beginning to rethink that fortress policy. Maintaining the defenses is expensive, especially when the walls must constantly be repaired and rebuilt. And to what end? Britain is no longer a farming nation, in need of all the land it can get. On the banks of the Blackwater Estuary, there's a 700-acre farm that's become an experiment in coastal management. The walls are going to come down and the farm will be returned to the sea - becoming a system of soft defenses, like marshes and mudflats. As the BBC's Stephen Beards reports, the farm could become a model of managed retreat from the battle with the sea. This is part of our special international collaboration called Global Perspectives: Nature in the Balance. The Blackwater Estuary Over the centuries the south and southeast of England have been tipping into the sea, the legacy of the last Ice Age. In fact, concrete walls to keep the sea out surround the entire Essex coast. But now environmental managers are beginning to rethink that fortress policy. Maintaining the defenses is expensive, especially when the walls must constantly be repaired and rebuilt. And to what end? Britain is no longer a farming nation, in need of all the land it can get. On the banks of the Blackwater Estuary, there's a 700-acre farm that's become an experiment in coastal management. The walls are going to come down and the farm will be returned to the sea - becoming a system of soft defenses, like marshes and mudflats. As the BBC's Stephen Beards reports, the farm could become a model of managed retreat from the battle with the sea. This is part of our special international collaboration called Global Perspectives: Nature in the Balance.
January 16	A Big Affair The arrival of the dog days of summer is marked by the appearance of the Dog Star, Sirius. The Romans believed that Sirius added to the heat of the sun and made dogs more prone to madness. The Romans weren't the only ones fascinated with dogs, add to that list writers, artists, historians and every dog owner today. Radio Netherlands producer and dog lover, David Swatling embarks on a humorous tribute to dogs. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. Dog Day Afternoons The arrival of the dog days of summer is marked by the appearance of the Dog Star, Sirius. The Romans believed that Sirius added to the heat of the sun and made dogs more prone to madness. The Romans weren't the only ones fascinated with dogs, add to that list writers, artists, historians and every dog owner today. Radio Netherlands producer and dog lover, David Swatling embarks on a humorous tribute to dogs. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
January 9	Upright Grand A document of the poignant moment in the life of Producer Tim Wilson's own mother, a daunting figure and a once-accomplished pianist, now diagnosed with Alzheimer's, when she is forced to leave her apartment, her pearls, and her 'upright grand' to enter 'a home.' Upright Grand turns into a searching examination of the often ambiguous relationship between a mother and son.
January 2	A Little Before 'Tis Day