Word of Mouth Past Shows

Today on Word of Mouth, we’ll hear about life in the war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo… where millions of lives have been lost, ecosystems are collapsing, and minerals are being plundered. We’ll also hear a profile of a lone miner, working deep inside a mountain, never far from blazing guns. Plus, from dust to dust - a new method for green burial emerges in Sweden. And Oakland, California looks to tax medical marijuana.

(Photo by Chuck Coker via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, cities and towns are struggling to fill millions of square feet of empty convention center space. With fewer corporate meetings or motivational speakers on the books, we’ll hear about the pitfalls of the convention complex. We’ll also hear about one Rust Belt city’s radical solution for forclosed homes - bring on the bulldozer! And, as American troops withdraw from Iraqi cities, we’ll listen to some of the death metal, rap and hardcore music that got troops amped up and gave a sountrack to a war.

(Photo by d-fens via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, we’ll hear about how a growing number of Japanese are suffering—and even dying—from overwork. Then we turn our attention to language. We’ll look at how words can re-frame political debates. Does “atmosphere deterioration” sway people more than “global warming?” Plus, Stanford neuroscientist Lera Boroditsky joins us to talk about how words influence the way we think. Also, Dean Olsher, host of The Next Big Thing, explains why crossword puzzles are an addiction he doesn’t want to quit.

(Photo by Photo Mojo via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, the perks and regulations of blogging. We'll hear why the FTC is going to start monitoring bloggers for false claims and undisclosed compensation, and what Cool Mom Picks blogger Liz Gumbinner thinks. Also, we talk with Mark Harris about the "gay generation gap" and what it means to the movement forty years after Stonewall. Plus, we'll find out about Damanhur, an intentional community in the Alps where people have animal names and plants sing. And we'll hear about how the recession is impacting the global business of recycling.

(Photo by Alex Jarvis via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, writer Aravind Adiga's new collection of stories shows an India you won’t see in the guide books. "Between the Assassinations" takes an unflinching look at how religious violence, caste, corruption, and crime continue to dog the rising superpower. And we’ll hear about "the father of global warming," James Hansen, a NASA scientist turned climate crusader who was arrested this week. And we visit a laboratory in Cambridge, Mass., where Ali Khademhosseini and a Harvard Medical School team are at the forefront of research in generating new organs.

(Photo by Hung Chieh Tsai via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, unemployment checks don’t grow on trees, or do they? We’ll find out why the russian government is handing out lumber to its unemployed. And a young Latino drug dealer converts to Islam. We’ll hear about his career as a hip-hop artist, his troubles with the FBI, and the little trials in the life of a devoted father. Plus, what’s a summer road trip without a rest stop? The ubiquitous travel plaza makes regional roadside rest areas more expensive than popular. A nostalgic writer hits the road to visit rest stops before states shut them down. And film reviewer Amy Diaz stops by to tell us what to watch and what to skip in the newest crop of summer movies.