The Exchange

We’ll sit down with a panel of local experts on Syria and the surrounding region.  As rebels and government forces to battle it out, defections are occurring almost daily, and civilians are fleeing to other countries, creating a refugee problem.   We’ll explore the background of this conflict…and the debate over what the U.S. response should be. 

Guests

Next week on the Exchange, we begin with the latest from Syria, a panel of local experts weighs on what’s happening there, and what the U.S. response might be. Then, our coverage of the New Hampshire Gubernatorial Primary continues, with Republican candidate Ovide Lamontagne.  We take a look at the economy and ask why its taking so long to dig ourselves out of this hole and adventures in the strange science of sleep.

Its the other big 'sporting' event this summer. Many are playing the guessing game, as to who his second in command might be, and lots of names are being tossed about as possible contenders, including a certain Junior U.S. Senator from New Hampshire.  We’ll look at this process, what it means for the Romney campaign, and who your choice would be.

Guests:

In his many years analyzing American opinions, Frank Newport, Editor-in-Chief at Gallup, has noticed a growing and sharper political divide in this country, even for a nation that was founded on partisanship.  We’ll talk about these trends, the demographic and cultural forces behind them, and why we still say we want compromise.

Guest:

Since the time of our founding, we’ve had the debate over the separation of church and state.  And this election year, this theme is emerging again,  in terms of contraception coverage,  public prayer and policies regarding same-sex couples.  We’ll focus in on this often blurry line and how it’s being discussed today.

Guests

With so many Americans out of work and so many companies claiming they can’t fill vacant positions, many have blamed a so-called 'skills gap'. But business professor Peter Cappelli says this is just blaming the unemployed victim, and in fact, many companies are responsible for this bind. He says they're relying on automated, unreliable applicant tracking systems and refusing to train perfectly acceptable candidates.  We'll look at this debate.

Guests

This weekend, scientists will be crossing their fingers as they prepared to land NASA’s largest space laboratory, Curiosity, on Mars. We’ll look at that plus other missions to Jupiter and to our asteroid belt… Also, the moon turns blue this month, the Perseid meteor showers look to impress, while increasing activity on the sun could affect us on Earth. We check in with our sky guys on all things astronomical.

Guests

Next week on the Exchange, we begin with an update from space, as our own “Sky Guys” give us the latest on the landing of a new Mars space laboratory, increasing solar activity and a new mission to Jupiter.  Then the author of a new book challenges what many call the skills gap”, as companies say they can’t find the right workers. And later we explore the current debate over religious freedoms in America.  E-mail us at NHPR dot org and join us all next week for the Exchange each morning  at 9/and again at 8 p m, here on NHPR!

Every state in the nation has different laws about young drivers. They spell out the age one can get behind the wheel, when one can't, and who needs to be with them. A recent analysis of state laws, by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety puts New Hampshire at about the middle of the pack, when it comes to how tough our teen driving requirements are. But the institute wants more. Recent studies show that tighter restrictions on young drivers would save thousands of lives nationwide.

With a link between extreme weather and rising greenhouse gases, two thoughts are emerging. Many environmentalists say we should work toward mitigating greenhouse gases but others suggest the problems are irreversible and so we have to adapt to inevitable change. But for some this idea is uncomfortable. They worry that adaptation means giving up. Today we look at these two different thoughts around climate change and see where we go from here.

Guests

Today we talk once again with NHPR President and CEO Betsy Gardella.  She also serves on the NPR Board, and we’ll talk about the national picture, including the current debate over federal funding of public broadcasting.  We’ll also cover events here at NHPR, from efforts to keep up with the digital age to expanding local coverage.  And Betsy will take your questions and comments.

Guests

• Betsy Gardella - President and CEO of New Hampshire Public Radio

In 1862, Congress passed the Morrill Act, which paved the way for our system of public higher education.  We’ll look at how America’s public and land-grant universities are faring today as they face budget cuts, aging resources, and, at times, criticism.

Guest:

Daniel Mark Fogel, professor of English at the University of Vermont, where he also served as president. He is co-editor of Precipice or Crossroads? Where America's Great Public Universities Stand and Where They are Going Midway through their Second Century.

The story of  a medical technician charged with infecting at least thirty people at Exeter Hospital has turned into a national concern, with news he’d worked in a half-dozen other states, where hospitals are now checking their records and contacting patients.  We’ll get an update and look at what we’ve learned from this crisis so far.

Guests

Next week on the Exchange, we begin the week checking in on the local-turned national story of the Hepatitis C outbreak at Exeter Hospital. We’ll get the latest news and what we’ve learned from this fiasco.