KPBS These Days Podcasts

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If people are buzzing about something in San Diego, you'll hear about it on These Days, KPBS Radio's morning talk show. The two-hour program focuses on the issues, events and cultural trends that shape San Diego and California. Primary Format : Blogs Also Listed as: Art Politics Regional Talk City : San Diego State/Province : CA Country : USA Country : NA User Tags: User Votes: RSS Feed Website People found this Podcast Searching for: Regional | KPBS | Regional Talk | Car talk | Talk | View this Podcast on a Google Map. Add to iTunes Text Only listing of KPBS These Days Podcasts Trumix.com listings available of KPBS These Days Podcasts Click Here to Update the directory of this podcasts programs.

Trumix.com listings available of KPBS These Days Podcasts Build your own playlists with this podcast. San Diego Institute Builds an Aquafarm Americans eat an awful lot of fish. And the wild schools of fish are taking a beating. That's why a lot of cooks and environmentalists see aquaculture as the future. Fish farming has been practiced in China for hundreds of years, and salmon farming has become quite popular along the American coast. But fish hatcheries are a rarity along the coast of California. We'll hear from a San Diego researcher who's trying to detetermine what kind of fish farming could represent a profitable and envir ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Kitty Genovese Murder Trial Prosecutor Outraged Over "Bystander Effect" The prosecutor who tried the famous Kitty Genovese murder trial in the 1960s still cannot believe dozens of people heard a woman being murdered, but chose not to intervene. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Californians Encouraged to 'Hang Up and Drive' under New Cell Phone Laws On July 1, 2008, two new wireless telephone laws go into effect in California. Since 80 percent of Americans say they use their cell phones at some point while driving, the laws will effect a lot of people. We'll talk about what you can and cannot do with a cell phone while driving, and the safety concerns over hands-free wireless phones. We'll also explore the impact the new laws will have on people who drive for their work. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Film Club: Mongol, Up the Yangtze, Savage Grace, The Wackness, Mother of Tears On this Film Club of the Air, we talk about a new epic film made in the old Hollywood style about Genghis Kahn, a documentary about the modernization of China, a stoner comedy with heart, and a tragic drama about a wealthy family with no sense of boundaries. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 'Little Rock 9' Member Says Public School Segregation Exists On Sept. 25, 1957, nine black students -- later referred to as the "Little Rock Nine" -- tried to enter Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Fifty years after one of the most famous school de-segregation moments in our nation's history, what lasting impact does this event have on public education today? We speak with Dr. Terrence Roberts, one of the original Little Rock Nine, about what went through is head that day, what motivated him and why he thinks segregation still exists in ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legal Update: Children's Pool, Navy Sonar, Ex-Charger Lawsuit The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals makes a decision about the seals at the La Jolla Children's Pool, the Supreme Court agrees to hear a case about sonar testing off California's coast, and former San Diego Charger Steve Foley's civil lawsuit moves forward. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Californians Face Super Ballot in November The November election could see a "super ballot." There may be as many as 36 state-wide propositions on the ballot in California. And with a historic presidential race in the works, voter turnout could be large. We'll talk with KPBS Political Correspondent Gloria Penner about how the general election is shaping up for Californians. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias Blasts Bush Administration Over Controversial Firings Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias explains why he thinks he lost his job for political reasons. He blasts the Bush administration for what he calls unprecedented firings in the history of the United States. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Companies Turn to Mother Nature for Design Inspirations Even if you haven't heard of biomimicry, you no doubt have heard of Velcro, the self-adhesion product. Velcro was inspired by nature. Swiss chemist George de Mestral copied the way cockleburs clung to his dog's coat in order to invent Velco. Today, scientists and engineers are exploring how to create everything from desert water collecting devices to fly-sized rescue robots - all inspired by nature's exquisite designs. We'll explore the science of biomimetics and how it may help create ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rapid Growth of Christianity Poses Conflicts for China's Communist Government Christianity is growing rapidly in popularity in China, and the country's government is trying to figure out how to control it. Host Tom Fudge speaks to reporter Evan Osnos about FRONTLINE/World's "Jesus in China". We learn why Christianity is growing in popularity, and how the growth of that religion has been addressed by the Chinese government. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New UC Prez Talks About Future of Public Higher Ed Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: Death Cab for Cutie, Old 97's, Kenny Burrell, The Smithereens, Billy Idol We'll talk music this week as Death Cab for Cutie comes to town, along with the Old 97's and jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell. The Smithereens and Billy Idol are also still touring and we'll find out where you can see them from music writer Anna Maria Stephens. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Linguist Dishes Up Political Slang Political slang is nothing new. It's been around for a long time and in this historic presidential election year, the political lingo is as hot as ever. We'll talk with political slang expert and co-host of "A Way with Words" Grant Barrett about the use and origins of political slang. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Troy Johnson's First Memoir About Growing Up With a Lesbian Mother For years now, San Diegan Troy Johnson has guided locals on music, restaurant trends, and the Padres. Now he's gone personal with a new memoir about growing up with a lesbian mother. Johnson's first book has just been published and it's called Family Outing: What Happened When I Found Out My Mother Was Gay. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Local Woman Recounts Her Childhood Living in Nazi Germany What was life like for civilians living in Berlin during WWII? We speak to Eleanor Ramrath Garner about her book "Eleanor's Story: An American Girl in Hitler's Germany." Garner talks about the hardships her family endured while living in Berlin before, during and after WWII. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Museum Honoring Immigrant History Opens in San Diego America is a nation of immigrants, and San Diego is one of our nation's most diverse communities. With our close proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, San Diego seems like the perfect place to build a museum that honors America's immigrant history. Host Tom Fudge speaks to Deborah Szekely about the grand opening of the New Americans Museum. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Airline Passengers Showing More Frustration as the Industry Changes What are the big issues facing air travelers this summer? How will the airline industry respond to higher gas prices? Will passengers willingly pay to have their baggage checked, or can we expect to see more crowded overhead bins on our next flight? Host Tom Fudge speaks to a couple air travel experts about the hot topics in airports and on airplanes this travel season. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former Press Secretary Speaks Out Against Bush Administration Former press secretary Scott McClellan has been asked to testify before Congress on Friday, June 20, 2008, to discuss information in his new book "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception." Congress wants to know whether administration officials obstructed justice and engaged in a cover-up regarding the CIA leak case. We'll talk with McClellan about his White House days and why he decided to write a book that's become a lightening rod for both cons ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How do you Teach Kids to Stay Fit? Obesity may be the single most common health problem of the new generation of Americans. And behaviors learned in childhood can determine whether people will keep their weight under control. Kerri Boutelle has made a study of the psychiatric factors that result in eating disorders, and she's helped to develop parenting strategies that help kids to learn how not to overeat. She joins us to talk about the ways that kids can avoid getting fat. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gone Bananas: the Fragile Existence of the World's Favorite Fruit How did bananas change the world? We speak to author Dan Koeppel about his new book "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World." Koeppel discusses the different kinds of bananas, where they came from, and why there is concern about the frail plant's survival. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Female BMX Bike Racer Talks About Her Participation in the Upcoming Beijing Olympics Jill Kintner is one of the top female BMX riders in the world, and she will be representing the United States in the upcoming Olympics in Beijing. Host Tom Fudge speaks to Jill about her training, which is taking place at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. We also speak to Jill about some of the specifics of the BMX event, which has been added to the Olympic program this year. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: Beer, Food, Dessert North Park has two new eateries and a brewery called Toronado. And we'll talk about the cupcake craze sweeping San Diego with City Search editor Erin Chambers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The U.S. Open Golf Tournament at Torrey Pines is Finally Underway The U.S. Open is finally underway at Torrey Pines. Mark Zeigler, a local sports reporter, describes the sights and the sounds, the economic impact, and the little-known stories from the first U.S. Open ever held in San Diego. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website San Diego's Biotech Industry Continues Growth San Diego is a hotspot for biotechnology. The life science cluster in San Diego has an annual economic impact of more than $9 billion in the region. As 2008 BIO International Convention gets underway, we'll take a look at the growth and success of the biotech industry in San Diego. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Scooter Lovers Tout Economics & Ease of Motorcycle As gas prices soar, more people are turning to scooters as an economical and green mode of transportation. Scooter sales nationwide are up nearly 25 percent since January. We'll explore the scooter craze and culture in San Diego. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website San Diego Musician Gregory Page Performs in Studio Gregory Page is a favorite among local musicians. Formerly a member of The Rugburns, Page has made numerous albums and garnered a dedicated following for his vaudevillian, troubadour sound. Page joins us in studio with some musician friends to perform his music and talk about his inspirations. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barry Goldwater, Jr. Says Father Would Be Disappointed by Modern-Day Conservatism The late Senator Barry Goldwater, Sr. is considered by many as the father of the modern-day conservative movement. How would he feel about American conservatives in today's divisive political climate? We ask his son, Barry Goldwater, Jr., about his father's legacy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rattlesnake Bites on Rise in San Diego County Rattlesnakes are no stranger to San Diego County, but are they increasing in number and getting more venomous? Local experts answer your calls about rattlesnakes. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama Vies for Clinton's Supporters The presumptive Democratic and Republican presidential candidates are set following last week's final primary races. We'll take a look at the strategies of the two candidates as they gear up to battle each other for the White House. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Attorney Tells How the Law Will Treat Same-Sex Marriage Next week, same-sex couples will be allowed to marry in California. But the future remains unsure. California voters could pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marrige in the fall. Also, same-sex couples who are already in registered domestic partnerships may have to get those partnerships annulled before they can marry. The California State Supreme Court's decision to throw out the statutory ban on same-sex marriage has raised a lot of questions of how the law will treat same-s ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website San Diegans Urged to Get on the Bus The redevelopment of San Diego's downtown core has been a shining example for the country. But it's still a downtown that people expect to navigate by car, even as the city core continues to grow in population. The threat of a lawsuit by an environmental advocacy group has caused the city of San Diego to hire internationally-renowned transit expert George Hazel to study downtown and come up with some better alternatives for moving people and traffic. Mr. Hazel joins us to talk about finding ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legendary CBS Sports Commentator Jim Nantz Previews U.S. Open in San Diego Legendary sports commentator Jim Nantz described some of the most important sports moments in American history. He tells us about what a sportscaster does, how he thinks golfers will fare at this year's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and why he thinks the Chargers might go to the Super Bowl this year. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: Theater, Film, Music We talk about two plays from small but adventurous theaters, two special film screenings, and one band called the Detroit Cobras on the weekend preview. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Artist Daniel Wheeler Photographs California's Landscape from the Bottom of Swimming Pools Los Angeles-based artist Daniel Wheeler has spent the last four years jumping into pools and photographing the resulting turbulence from the bottom of the pool. The results are lush and dreamy large-scale images of the sky and trees and movement. Wheeler talks about his work which will be on view beginning this weekend at the Lux Art Institute in Encinitas. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Best Game Ever Fifty years ago, the largest crowd ever to witness a football game tuned in to watch the blue collar Baltimore Colts take on the high rolling New York Giants in the first and only NFL championship game that has ever gone into sudden death overtime. Dubbed by many to be "The Best Game Ever", it was a time of great players, great coaches, new tactics, and the rise of television. Host Tom Fudge speaks with Mark Bowden, author of The Best Game Ever. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Prominent Economist Shares His Liberal Conscience Paul Krugman is a Princeton economist and a popular, award-winning columnist for The New York Times. He's built a reputation as a liberal columnist. In fact, his new book is called "Conscience of a Liberal." He writes about the way America has shifted from years of economic disparity to years of greater equality. He talks to us about why that's important, and what he thinks could make the U.S. a more equal nation in the future. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mother of Pat Tillman Won't Give Up Fight For Truth About Son's Death Mary Tillman, the mother of fallen U.S. soldier Pat Tillman, explains why she was suspicious of how her son died in Afghanistan, why her son left the NFL serve his country, and why she rejects the Army's claim that the details of her son's death were not meant to deceive. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Terry Grier takes on a Budget Firestorm as Superintendent of San Diego Schools. Terry Grier stepped into a potentially desperate situation as he agreed to become superintendent of San Diego city schools. Hundreds of layoff notices have already been sent out to San Diego teachers, as major cuts from the state remain a strong possibility. But Grier is ready for the fight, and he'll join us in studio to talk about the challenges he's taken on and they goals he's set as superintendent of San Diego Unified. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A UCSD Professor Seeks the Cause of Autism Researchers are still trying to find the cause of autism. But one UCSD professor is pretty sure it relates to abnormal growth of the brain in early childhood. Eric Courchesne is now engaged in a study of autistic children that seeks to identify the genes and brain cells that cause autism. Such a discovery would go a long way toward finding ways to catch the problem early and intervene with effective treatment. You'll hear from him, and psychologist Laura Schreibman, on the causes of and tre ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website After Gershwin and Chopin, Hershey Felder Takes on Beethoven Hershey Felder has carved out a niche in theater. He marries his significant talent as a pianist with research and acting to provide audiences with stage portraits of composers George Gershwin, Frederic Chopin and Ludwig van Beethoven. Felder joins us in studio to talk about what he calls his "Composer's Sonata." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Father Lets Son Drop Out of High School to Watch Movies David Gilmour's fifteen-year-old son Jesse hated school and was flunking every subject. David offered him a deal: Jesse could drop out of high school, not work or pay rent, but he had to watch three movies a week with his father. We'll talk to David and Jesse about their film club. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Reflecting on Orson Welles' 'Touch of Evil' The movie "Touch of Evil" brought Orson Welles back into the game as one of the world's great film directors. Bill Nericcio of San Diego State says the movie also brought some welcome enlightenment to Hollywood's portrayal of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: Restaurants San Diego continues its trend of becoming a major food destination on the west coast. Contributor Troy Johnson brings us up to date on new restaurant openings, breaking culinary news, and hip new trends in food. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Women Who Changed America Have you ever wondered what the paper bag, the Underground Railroad, and Kevlar have in common? They were all invented, founded, or championed by an American woman. In the book Her Story: A Timeline of Women Who Changed America, authors Jill Tietjen and Charlotte Waisman create an illustrated timeline of influential American women and their often unrecognized accomplishments. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Economic Figures Prove San Diego's Economy Still Weak As is the case for the nation as a whole, San Diego's economy is not looking good. The latest edition of San Diego's Index of Leading Economic Indicators shows building permits, unemployment, and help wanted advertising are down. University of San Diego economist Alan Gin, the publisher of the index, explains why consumer confidence is weak, how gas and food prices impact consumers, and when we can expect the local economy to rebound. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hot Local Races Discussed in These Days' Ballot Preview Are you having trouble deciding who and what to vote for in the June 3 primary? KPBS Political Correspondent Gloria Penner joins host Tom Fudge to discuss the important local and statewide races on the primary ballot. We are also joined by Bob Kittle, with the "San Diego Union-Tribune", and former mayoral candidate Pat Shea to get their thoughts on the races for San Diego Mayor and City Attorney. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Inside Sacramento: Budget Latest, Gay Marriage Poll, Prison Health Care Politicians and the public weigh-in on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's "May Revise" to the budget, a new gay marriage poll shows a majority of Californians support the idea, and prison health care reform stalls. John Myers, the Sacramento bureau chief for KQED public radio and "The California Report," joins us as we go "Inside Sacramento." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former Senator Offers Sobering Advice for America What kind of influence does America currently have on the world? Has America's influence on the world eroded or changed in some way over recent years? If so, why? What can America do to maintain an influential role in international politics? Host Tom Fudge speaks to former governor and U.S. Senator David Boren about America's place in the world. Boren discusses why "leadership" is confused with "dominance" nowadays, and offers some advice from his new book "A Letter to America". Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website AARP CEO Balances Tough Economic Times With Financial Security for Seniors How do we fix our nation's dwindling social security fund and provide seniors with health care while assuring their financial security? The CEO of AARP explains his plan for economic stability, and explains why our health care system is hurting older Americans. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Scientists Suggest Climate Change as Cause of Malnourished Gray Whales The California grey whale commutes past San Diego's shore ever year, either on its way to feeding grounds near Alaska or to calving waters on the Mexican coast. There was a time when the whales were seen as a conversation success story. But numbers of whales dropped dramatically ten years ago, and now biologists are observing some troubling signs of malnutrition in some of the whales. We'll talk about how the whales are doing and how global warming seems to be affecting their food supply. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Postcard History of Balboa Park Balboa Park is an urban oasis in the middle of San Diego, but did you know it was once played host to a nudist colony? Or that it was occupied by the US Navy? Historian and architect David Marshall joins us to discuss the unique evolution of Balboa Park as part of the Third Thursday Author Series hosted by SOHO, the Save Our Heritage Organization. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Eric Bidwell Discusses his "Revolutionary" Campaign for Mayor What makes mayoral candidate Eric Bidwell a "revolutionary"? Host Tom Fudge speaks to Bidwell about why he's running for Mayor, and about the changes he would like to make at San Diego City Hall. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Experts Discuss Job Prospects for College Grads What does the job market look like for 2008 college graduates? Will the nation's sagging economy drive down job prospects for this year's graduating class? Host Tom Fudge speaks to Dr. James Tarbox, from SDSU career services, about which local industries are hiring right now. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 'Surf Orpheus' Puts Southern California Twist on Greek Classic "Surf Orpheus" is a new musical from UCSD's Theater and Dance department. It is written and directed by Corey Madden and takes the classic myth of Orpheus and transplants it into contemporary Southern California surf culture. We talk to Madden and the musical's composer, Bruno Louchouarn. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Migrants Trapped in October Wildfires Tell Their Stories Many migrants heading north into the US from Mexico last fall were caught in the devastating wildfires that swept through San Diego County. Local journalist Laura Castaneda captured the stories of three groups of migrants in her new documentary. We talk with the filmmaker about the impact the fires had on these people. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: Oceanside Museum of Art, The Kooks, Festa Siciliana, Eisley The Kooks are coming to San Diego. They're playing at the House of Blues on Sunday, and it's just one of the performances David Coddon is going to tell us about on the Weekend Preview. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Local Troubadour Steve Poltz Performs Folk Rock from New Album Steve Poltz's fans have been waiting for a long time for a new record from the acclaimed and quirky singer-songwriter. This year, they got their wish, and more. Poltz released two albums simultaneously, one called "Traveling" and the other "Unraveling." He performs live in studio. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Citizen Bloggers Confront the Issues of June Primary Citizen Bloggers sound off on some June election issues that are high on the agenda. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legendary Explorer Inspires Others to Fight Global Warming British polar explorer takes on global warming by traveling the world to inspire people to make a difference. We hear his best argument for why we should all get involved in fighting the problem. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Book Examines San Diego's Chicano History Chicano history in San Diego is rich and one of the defining features of our region. We talk about the growth and impact of the Chicano community in San Diego with the contributors to the book "Chicano San Diego." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Nortec Collective Talks New Album 'Tijuana Sound Machine' Two members of Tijuana's Nortec Collective, Bostich and Fussible, have just released a new album called Tijuana Sound Machine. We talk with the band about the album and play some music. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website County Orders Three New Firefighting Airplanes for Next Fire Season What is the San Diego County Board of Supervisors doing to improve local wildfire preparedness? We speak to KPBS reporter Alison St. John about the supervisors' decision to lease three firefighting airplanes for the upcoming wildfire season. We also speak to San Miguel Fire Chief Augie Ghio about the region's long-term firefighting needs. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gloria Penner On Clinton's Unclear Next Move The outcome of the Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina could reshape the presidential race. We talk about the standing of Clinton and Obama in the delegate count and popular votes and what's ahead. We also take a look at the race in the 52nd Congressional District, in which longtime Rep. Duncan Hunter is not seeking re-election. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Forensic Psychologist Probes the Minds of Killers What motivates someone to commit multiple murders? Are serial killers born that way or does their upbringing foster these tendencies? How does a forensic team begin to understand a serial killer? We talk with a national expert in the field of forensic psychology teaching here in San Diego. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 75 SDSU Students Arrested in Undercover Drug Sting Almost 100 people, including about 75 SDSU students, are arrested in a comprehensive, undercover drug sting. The San Diego County District Attorney's chief of narcotics informs us that there may be more arrests in the works. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 'The Big Sort' Examines America's Cultural Isolation "The Big Sort" examines the increasing cultural segregation of America, and the way people of different views and backgrounds are being isolated from each other. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Borrego Springs Seeks to Become a Dark-Sky Community If you want to see the Milky Way, you might want to head to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which is considered one of the best places in the country to star gaze. Now, the village of Borrego Springs is hoping to become only the second place on the globe named a Dark-Sky Community where preservation of the night sky is achieved by controlling light pollution. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Floyd Morrow on His Campaign for the Mayor's Office After being off the city council for more than 30 years, why does Floyd Morrow want to get back into San Diego politics? Morrow, who served as a councilman for more than a decade in the 1960's and 1970's, is now a candidate for mayor of San Diego. We speak to Morrow about his mayoral candidacy, how local government has changed, and how he thinks the city council can be improved. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Scientist and Ethicists Discuss Embryonic Stem Cell Research Do embryonic stem cells hold the key to regenerative medicine that will cure diseases? Are there other kinds of stem cells that can do the same but without the controversial use of embryos? Scientists say there are at least four alternative methods to obtaining cells similar to those of embryonic stem cells. Will people continue to grapple with ethical issues? We talk about the ethics of stem cell research. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KPBS Listeners Ask a Mexican Is there anything you've ever wanted to ask a Mexican? If so, you're in luck. We are joined by Gustavo Arellano, who writes the column "Ask a Mexican". The nation's foremost expert on Mexicans explains to us why Mexicans love dwarves, why they go swimming in their clothes, and why they park in their front yards. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: Cinema Under the Stars, Jabbawockeez, Mike Doughty, Shelby Lynne, Britt Daniel, and Anya Marina You can watch movies under the stars starting this weekend and check out one of San Diego's homegrown dance crews, the Jabbawockeez. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Alaska-based John Luther Adams Combines Music With Environmentalism Composer John Luther Adams is called an environmental composer because the music he writes has a direct relationship to the landscape and environment of his adopted home in Alaska. The La Jolla Symphony and Chorus will perform Adams' composition "Dark Waves" this weekend. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Children's Museum Opens Green Doors to San Diego The New Children's Museum opens this weekend in a brand new building and with an ambitious opening exhibition called "childsplay." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Creating New Energy Solutions and 'Green-collar' Jobs Can private enterprise solve our environmental problems? Some people believe they can not only do that, but create a lot of jobs and wealth in the process. We ask what are the "green-collar" jobs, how you create them, and what kinds of industries San Diego might be best positioned to create. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 24-Hour Mission to Discover New Species in Balboa Park and the public embark on a 24-hour mission to identify as many species of animal and plant life in Balboa Park. The curator of entomology at the San Diego Natural History Museum shares his expectations for this event, which is the first of its kind in San Diego. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 'La Gaviota' Takes Inspiration From Chekhov's 'The Seagull' San Diego-based Ion Theatre Company's newest work is La Gaviota, based on and inspired by Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull." Set in Mexico during the Revolution of 1910, the play explores love and loss in a time of catastrophe and change. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gloria Penner on Supreme Court Upholding of Indiana's Voter ID Law The US Supreme Court on Monday upheld Indiana's voter ID law, considered the strictest in the country. Proponents say voter ID laws prevent voter fraud while opponents say they disenfranchise the poor and elderly, who are more likely not to have the necessary ID. We take a look at the voter ID issue and what it means for the presidential election. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Life Aboard the USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier What is life like aboard an aircraft carrier? In the new PBS series"Carrier,"a film crew traveled for six months on the San Diego-based USS Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to find out. We go behind the scenes with the director and producer of series for a glimpse of life on an aircraft carrier. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website October Wildfire Victims Struggle to Rebuild After Six Months On the six month anniversary of the 2007 wildfires, San Diego County homeowners are in the process of rebuilding their homes and their lives. We talk about the rebuilding efforts and find out what resources are available to help homeowners wade through the difficult process. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Proposed Education Budget Cuts and the Affect on Local Schools KPBS education reporter Ana Tintocalis attends education rallies around San Diego County. She tells us why teachers are frustrated, what is being done, and what cuts are expected. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Citizen Voices Discuss the Economy, Global Warming, and the Border Fence As the presidential race roars on, the candidates face a number of issues: slowing economy, rapid climate change, and a push to finish a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border to keep illegal immigrants and terrorists out. We turn to our KPBS Citizen Voices bloggers for their opinions on these issues. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bahrain Ambassador Talks U.S. Relations Bahrain is a small country between Middle Eastern countries like Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. The ambassador of Bahrain to the U.S. explains our relationship to Bahrain, how oil supports its economy, and why the country officially supports the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Local Insect Populations on the Rise Have you noticed an increase in flying bugs around your neighborhood over the last couple weeks? What's causing this influx of insects in the San Diego region? We speak to Michael Wall with the Natural History Museum about what's causing the recent increase in local bug species. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Imperial Valley Update: Changes to the Irrigation District, Debate Over Sunrise Powerlink Why do SDG&E and the Imperial Irrigation District disagree about the proposed route for the Sunrise Powerlink? Why is state Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia pushing to give the Coachella Valley more say on the IID? We speak to Brad Jennings from the Imperial Valley Press about the hot stories in the Imperial County. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website FM 94.9's Michael Halloran Picks the Best New Alternative Music FM 94.9's Michael Halloran talks about R.E.M., The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Why?, and San Diego's own P.O.D. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Voters Face Two Property Rights Measures on June Ballot California's June primary will have two propositions on the ballot: Prop 98 and Prop 99. Both deal with the issue of property rights and eminent domain, though they differ in their approach and scope. We discuss these propositions with KPBS Political Correspondent Gloria Penner. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Donors Invited to Name New Species at Scripps What's in a name? For Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the names given to new species involve a lot of research...and money. Scripps is offering the public the naming rights to new ocean species for a donation of cash. We find out why Scripps is using this novel approach to fundraising and how it will help science. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Judge Jan Goldsmith On Running for City Attorney Who is Jan Goldsmith, and why does he appear to be the Republican front-runner for San Diego city attorney? Judge Goldsmith joins us in-studio to talk about his legal career, his political background, and what he would like to bring to San Diego's government. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Political Writer Joe Mathews Considers the Body Politic What's this hand basket we're in and where is it going? That's the question a lot of people are asking in America today, as the war in Iraq wears on and the economy goes down the tubes. But where's all that audacious hope? Joe Mathews, the long-time politics writer, tries to answer that question. He talks about the latest on the presidential election and the horrors of the California budget dilemma. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lura Performs Her Unique Style of Cape Verdean Music Lura sings the music of Cape Verde, which includes styles and rhythms from Portugal, Africa, and Brazil. She performs her music from her latest album "M'bem Di Fora." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Living With Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable neurological disease that affects 400,000 Americans. But MS is not considered a fatal disease. In fact, many people with MS live long, productive lives. We talk about what its like to live with MS, and what research is being done to find a cure. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Study Finds Exactly What Makes Humans Happy If money doesn't make you happy, what does? That's a question that economists and psychologists are trying to answer. One answer comes from a national study that a professor at UCSD took part in. We find out what they learned and why it's important to be able to measure human happiness and understand why certain things cause it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mayor Sanders Rolls Out New Budget Plan San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders has begun unveiling his $1.2 billion budget for the new fiscal year. Some city services like pools, parks, and libraries would be negatively impacted by the proposed budget. Despite a diminishment in services, the overall budget will grow by 7.4 percent. We get some analysis of the budget and the hurdles ahead to pass it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Helpful Hints for Last Minute Tax Filers Have you completed your State and Federal income taxes yet? If not, then it's time to start on your tax return because the deadline is only five days away. We speak to representatives from the IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board about what you need to know if you are last minute tax filer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New El Cajon Police Chief Discusses Plans for the Department The city of El Cajon has a new police chief. Pat Sprecco has worked for the city for over three decades. He explains what he plans to do with the department. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Weekend Preview: North Park Sushi, Farm House, Wet Stone Wine Bar, Art Alive, and Bluegrass Day There's a new sushi restaurant in North Park and the Farm House opens in University Heights. We talk about new restaurants on this week's Weekend Preview. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Project Director On Documenting San Diego's Undiscovered Plant Species There may be nothing new under the sun, but San Diego County has many plant species yet to be discovered. The San Diego Natural History Museum wants to find and catalogue the county's diverse flora under the San Diego County Plant Atlas Project. We talk about how plants are discovered and the importance of the project. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mapping the Human Footprint What does the average American consume, and discard, over a lifetime? It adds up to about 43,371 cans of soda, 5,067 bananas, and 64 tons of waste. National Geographic chronicles the impact of humans in the new documentary "Human Footprint." We talk with an ecologist who helped create the Human Footprint map. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Diesel Prices Are Putting a Financial Squeeze on Nation's Truckers Diesel fuel has reached an all-time high, with prices in some regions of the country hovering over $4 a gallon. Why are diesel prices so high right now? And, how are the high fuel prices impacting workers who drive a lot for their jobs? We speak to a representative from UCAN, and the president of America's Independent Truckers' Association about the impact of high diesel prices. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Beethoven's Obsession Becomes Kaufman's '33 Variations' What is the nature of obsession? We explore Beethoven's obsession with a mediocre waltz as it's dramatized in the La Jolla Playhouse's new production of writer and director Moises Kaufman's "33 Variations." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gloria Penner on Challenges High Tech Businesses Face With Young Work Force Gov. Schwarzenegger proposes to cut $4.8 billion in education funding in the new fiscal year. This at a time when many high-tech and biotech companies feel that American students are not prepared to enter the workforce, forcing them to hire foreign workers or send jobs oversees. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Councilman Maienschein Has Eyes Set on City Attorney Office Why does City Councilman Brian Maienschein want to be the next city attorney of San Diego? How does the low-key councilman plan to distinguish himself from the other candidates in the race? We speak to Maienschein about his legal background and the motivating factors behind his candidacy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hotels Raise Fees With Support of City Council In December, the San Diego City Council raised the fee guests pay while staying in hotels by 2 percent. The extra $29 million the city is expected to raise will go back to the hotels for marketing purposes. Opponents say some of that money should go back to help the city's ailing public safety sector. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Study Suggests Crimes Rates Down in San Diego County A new study from SANDAG analyzes crime statistics in San Diego County over the past 25 years. We ask the study's author how crime trends changed, what the statistics mean, and how the city of San Diego compares to other big U.S. cities. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Author of Bestselling 'Labyrinth' Talks New Novel 'Sepulchre' Kate Mosse's novel "Labyrinth" was a hit in both the UK and the United States. In fact, it was the biggest selling title in the UK for 2006. Mosse's second novel is called "Sepulchre" and is also a time-traveling thriller set in southwest France. We talk with Mosse about "Sepulchre," the Orange Prize for Fiction, which she helped found, and the current literary landscape. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Baby Boomers Travel the World Seeking Adventure Retirement doesn't necessarily mean kicking back in a rocking chair any more. The baby boom generation is the fastest-growing group of travel consumers. Many of these mature travelers want adventure. We talk about traveling the globe and tips for seniors to get the most out of their vacations. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Francis Collins Explores God and the Human Genome The conflict between God and science rages on in American society. Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, has found a balance as a scientist and a born-again Christian. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Director's Cuts: Musical Interludes of the Week Listen to the best