To the Best of My Knowledge

2005-2006 ARCHIVES Note that these archives are for personal use only and may not be used for commercial or other purposes. Help with streaming media is available here.
DATE	TOPICS
Tuesday, December 26, 2006	Smart Travel (Rebroadcast of the Feb. 21, 2006 program) Despite devastating storms along the Gulf Coast and high gas prices, Americans are still on the go as often--and in some cases, more often than ever. But today's travelers have one eye on their destination and one eye on their pocketbooks. We'll talk about hot destinations, safety tips, and travel trends for 2006, including when and how to book trips over the Internet. Listen to the show
Tuesday, November 21, 2006	Immigration Listen to the show More than 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States, and more arrive each day--putting a strain on health and education services, but also providing what many say is a necessary flow of labor into the U.S. Put up a fence, increase border security, enforce the laws on the books, provide amnesty to low-wage workers. When it comes to illegal immigration, Americans are deeply divided. What's the best way to deal with immigration? GUESTS: Victor Romero, associate dean of Penn State's Dickinson School of Law. He teaches and writes in the area of immigrant and minority rights and is an elected member of the American Law Institute (ALI). Dr. Romero is also co-editor of the anthology, Immigration and the Constitution, and author of Alienated: Immigrant Rights, the Constitution, and Equality in America www.dsl.psu.edu/faculty/romero.cfm Steven Camarota, Center for Immigration Studies http://www.cis.org/ http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/camarota082906.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Immigration_Studies David Shapiro, Penn State professor of economics and demography http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/facstaff/viewfaculty.cfm?id=2626 http://econ.la.psu.edu/~dshapiro/index.html http://econ.la.psu.edu/people/biographies/shapiro_bio.htm
Tuesday, October 24, 2006	College Students Today Listen to the show Today's colleges and universities enroll nearly 17 million students-the largest and most diverse generation of college students in American history. What makes them so different from college students just a few decades ago? Most cannot fathom a world without cell phones, remote controls and Internet connections. What does this mean for college administrators? GUESTS: Kris Brown, a Senior at Penn State and a star on the women's volley ball team. Ryan Smith, a journalism student at Penn State and writes for the Daily Collegian. Link: http://president.psu.edu/speeches/ articles/todaysstudents.html
Tuesday, September 19, 2006	State of the University (hosted by Patty Satalia) Listen to the show In his inaugural State-of-the-University address in 1995, Penn State President Graham Spanier said "I consider the Penn State presidency to be the single most attractive leadership position in American higher education." Eleven years later he is still at the helm of Penn State, one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive universities. That's more than twice the national average for public-university presidents. According to the American Council on Education, university presidents who manage to stay a decade or more have a better chance of achieving lasting accomplishments. During the program, Spanier will be the guest to provide an update on the state of the university. The State of the University video, which replaces the speech Spanier has given in previous years, has been made available on Penn State Live at http://live.psu.edu and at http://president.psu.edu A transcript is also available. Reaching a broader audience through these various venues is a way to share the dynamic nature of the University and to make it more accessible to the public.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006	Anabolic Stereoid Abuse (Rebroadcast of the program from April 26, 2005) In 2005, Congress held special hearings on reported anabolic steroid abuse among professional baseball players. More than one million Americans reportedly use anabolic steroids to improve athletic performance and appearance. The pervasive message to high school and college athletes is that bigger is better, and being the best is more important than how you get there. Even among teenage girls, use of anabolic steroids has nearly doubled in recent years. What are anabolic steroids? How do they work? What are the risks? Join the discussion with a medical doctor and a health policy expert about the scope of the problem and about how to prevent anabolic steroid abuse. play audio file
Tuesday, July 25, 2006	Memory Failure (Rebroadcast of the program from Oct. 25, 2005) How's your memory? Have you lost track of your car keys for the umpteenth time or forgotten the title of a favorite book? What accounts for these everyday memory lapses and what can we do to prevent them? Most people assume that these memory failures are a fact of life as we get older. Fortunately, that's not true. With the right kind of physical and mental stimulation, most people can maintain and even improve their memories well into old age. So why do we forget and what can we do about it? We'll talk about the mechanics of memory failure and about ways to boost your "working memory." Listen to the show
Tuesday, June 27, 2006	Forensic Science (Rebroadcast of the program from Nov. 22, 2005) Real crime scene investigators say their lives are far less glamorous and their probes less swift and successful than those portrayed on television. But even as popular "CSI" TV shows give a distorted view of what it takes to solve crimes, they also boost interest in forensics as a career. What does it really take to recognize, collect and preserve evidence at a crime scene? We'll talk with an anthropologist and with the forensic scientist who led the massive DNA testing effort that identified more than 1,500 victims of the World Trade Center attacks. He now heads Penn State's new forensic sciences program. Listen to the show
Tuesday, May 23, 2006	Cancer When it comes to fighting cancer there's no magic bullet-no single formula for success. "Knowledge is power," but where can cancer patients turn for accurate and unbiased information on the full spectrum of medical approaches now available? Who are the best cancer doctors-both conventional and alternative? And how can patients find the most effective and least toxic treatments for their particular cancer diagnosis? Listen to the show
Tuesday, April 25, 2006	Stand-up Comedy Jessethecomic.com describes a comedian as, quote, "a breed of human being who, without benefit of a steady job, adequate plane fare or a social life, traverses the globe attempting to impart upon the masses his/her warped point of view while living from brown paper bags, overnight cases and on stale donuts and coffee." If you've always had a secret desire to do stand-up comedy, tune in to this program. We'll talk with two seasoned comedians who have performed in nearly every comedy venue in the U.S. They'll share tips on getting started, life on the road, and the state of comedy today. Listen to the show
Tuesday, March 28, 2006	Year in Movies Critics are calling 2005 a great year for good movies! Brokeback Mountain, Capote, and Munich are just a few of the films that audiences-and critics-have been talking about. What if your favorite film doesn't make the cut at the Academy Awards? We'll talk about everything from the role of movie critics to the decline in movie attendance to changes in the movie industry. How far off is the day when new movies come out on DVD, on television and in movie theaters-all on the same day? Listen to the show
Tuesday, February 21, 2006	Smart Travel Despite devastating storms along the Gulf Coast and high gas prices, Americans are still on the go as often--and in some cases, more often than ever. But today's travelers have one eye on their destination and one eye on their pocketbooks. We'll talk about hot destinations, safety tips, and travel trends for 2006, including when and how to book trips over the Internet. Listen to the show
Tuesday, January 24, 2006	Poor Chic Muscles, motorcyles and tattoos were once symbols of lower class masculinity. No longer! They've been transformed to middle class disctinction and they're popular among women, too. The pink flamingo isn't so "tacky" anymore, either. The well-to-do display designer pink flamingos in their yards, while their kids shop for low-riding baggy pants or pricey construction boots that were first made popular in the ghetto. Why are middle- and upper-middle class Americans co-opting an array of fads and fashions once considered low class--and with what consequences? Listen to the show
Tuesday, November 22, 2005	Forensic Science Real crime scene investigators say their lives are far less glamorous and their probes less swift and successful than those portrayed on television. But even as popular "CSI" TV shows give a distorted view of what it takes to solve crimes, they also boost interest in forensics as a career. What does it really take to recognize, collect and preserve evidence at a crime scene? We'll talk with an anthropologist and with the forensic scientist who led the massive DNA testing effort that identified more than 1,500 victims of the World Trade Center attacks. He now heads Penn State's new forensic sciences program. Listen to the show
Tuesday, October 25, 2005	Memory Failure How's your memory? Have you lost track of your car keys for the umpteenth time or forgotten the title of a favorite book? What accounts for these everyday memory lapses and what can we do to prevent them? Most people assume that these memory failures are a fact of life as we get older. Fortunately, that's not true. With the right kind of physical and mental stimulation, most people can maintain and even improve their memories well into old age. So why do we forget and what can we do about it? We'll talk about the mechanics of memory failure and about ways to boost your "working memory." Listen to the show
Tuesday, September 27, 2005	Alternative Energy Hurricane Katrina caused major disruptions in oil production and sent gas prices soaring. It also got many Americans wondering if alternative energy might bring some relief. What are the most viable alternative fuels? When will they be ready for widespread use? And what are some of the major challenges still to overcome? We'll talk about the current energy crisis and what scientists are doing to keep the world from running on empty.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005	Obessesive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Rebroadcast from March 22, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005	Addiction to Gambling Rebroadcast from January 25, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005	Stand-up Comedy Rebroadcast from March 23, 2004
Tuesday, May 24, 2005	Personal Bankruptcy Has debt got you down? If so, you're not alone. Whether your debt problem is the result of an illness, divorce, or simply overspending, being in-over-your-head can be overwhelming. About 1.6 million people file for bankruptcy every year, and that number is expected to double in the next five months as people rush to file before new bankruptcy laws take effect. What are the major changes in U.S. Bankruptcy Law? How will those changes affect consumers and creditors alike? And is personal bankruptcy a smart way of solving financial problems? play audio file
Tuesday, April 26, 2005	Anabolic Stereoid Abuse Congress recently held special hearings on reported anabolic steroid abuse among professional baseball players. More than one million Americans reportedly use anabolic steroids to improve athletic performance and appearance. The pervasive message to high school and college athletes is that bigger is better, and being the best is more important than how you get there. Even among teenage girls, use of anabolic steroids has nearly doubled in recent years. What are anabolic steroids? How do they work? What are the risks? Join the discussion with a medical doctor and a health policy expert about the scope of the problem and about how to prevent anabolic steroid abuse. play audio file
Tuesday, March 22, 2005	Obessesive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) The movie The Aviator portrays billionaire Howard Hughes and his struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. Today, 4 million Americans suffer from OCD, which is characterized by recurrent, unwanted and intrusive thoughts that lead to repetitive rituals such as excessive hand washing or checking to make sure a door is locked. Unlike Howard Hughes, however, who never received effective treatment, today's sufferers can and do lead healthy and productive lives. play audio file
Tuesday, February 22, 2005	The Roots and Future of Gospel Music Most Americans are familiar with such legendary gospel songs as "Take My Hand, Precious Lord," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and "Amazing Grace," but how much does the average American know about the history of gospel music or about its greatest stars? Music historians consider gospel music the bedrock of rock 'n' roll and other forms of American pop music. It has its origins in the spirituals sung by rural blacks during the early part of this century. Today, mainstream interest in gospel music is on the rise. play audio file
Tuesday, January 25, 2005	Addiction to Gambling The growth of poker is taking the country by storm. Gambling was once relegated to smoky back rooms. Today it's spreading through America's living rooms, the Internet, and even high schools. What's fueling this recreational craze? And why do some players become problem gamblers? play audio file