Word of Mouth Past Shows

Today on Word of Mouth, good news from the West Bank. We speak to an Israeli man who’s working to empower Palestinian villagers with wind and solar energy. And author Nicholas Thompson tells us about the Cold War remnant he discovered while researching his book The Hawk and The Dove. And nosmoking on this construction site. We’ll bring you a behind the girders look at the people who built the first green residential building in the tightly-knit South Boston neighborhood. Plus, Portsmouth rolls out the red carpet for the Telluride By The Sea film festival.

(Photo courtesy Comet-ME)

Today on Word of Mouth, a robot rover scours the ocean floor to read its record of our planet. Back on dry land, a seasoned Vermont farmer disabuses youngsters of romantic notions, and worries about the future. Meanwhile, in New York City, a family attempts a year of no impact living, and discovers the riches of doing without. With a new book and a new movie, some accuse No Impact Man of profiteering from eco-gimmickry. And high school students uncover the history of the ordinary in their neighborhoods.

(Photo courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)

Today on Word of Mouth, get fat with a little help you’re your friends. Researchers mine an epidemiological study spanning decades and discover connections between friends and health. The controversial findings show that even loose social connections strongly influence smoking, drinking, and eating habits, and may even affect our happiness. Then, literary critic James Wood makes an eloquent and passionate case for the novel. We’ll find out how fiction works from a man who’s been called “America’s most dreaded literary critic.” Plus, New York City boxers put down their gloves to appreciate the genteel world of chamber music, ringside. And desperate airlines open new doors for travelers on a budget. We’ll talk to two writers who took the Budget Travel Challenge.

(Photo by Taís Melillo via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, pain-free meat. A philosopher considers the possibility of genetically engineering animals to not feel pain. PETA's dream or an ethical nightmare? And we’ll step inside the NYPD's surveillance system to find out whether extensive electronic observation is driving down New York's crime rates. Plus, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound, 43-year-old sportswriter gets behind the lines at an NFL training camp - not for sound bytes, but as a rookie field-kicker. We kick off football season with writer Stefan Fatsis, who’ll share his fantasies and humiliations while playing in the big leagues. And creative patronage in the Internet age. Musicians and artists go online and find small donors to fund big dreams.

(Photo by alles-schlumpf via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, is a green world a safer world? One analyst says alternative energy won’t solve the planet’s geopolitical conflicts. And British high school students learn about telepathy and near-death experiences in the classroom. Plus, researchers are studying robins to uncover how West Nile virus is spread. We’ll follow a reporter to a suburban backyard to see if robins can infect each other in close quarters. Plus, after a booming few decades, the growth of self-storage facilities is on pause. A number of Americans are ditching their storage units and struggling with their addiction to stuff. And smart home sensors that can monitor energy consumption and help keep older residents safe.

(Photo by K2D2vaca via Flickr/Creative Commons)

Today on Word of Mouth, private companies and the Japanese government plan to send solar satellites into orbit and beam the energy back to earth. Is it science fiction or the next green thing? And a journalist goes back to school for free, using MIT's OpenCourseWare program. We find out if learning physics and Romanian online is worthwhile. And hip-hop artists in Myanmar oppose the military regime with subversive rap. Plus, we’ll look at what gets lost when online communities like Geocities are shut down. And we revisit a conversation with choreographer Bill T. Jones about his work on the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.

(Photo by mtkr via Flickr/Creative Commons)