Word of Mouth Past Shows

Today on Word of Mouth, the counter-counters. A growing number of people are slamming the door on the census takers. And, mortgaged for life. An investigative reporter discovers that the private student loan market has ripped a page from the subprime mortgage racket. And researchers are concerned about what gets lost when we become GPS dependent. And musician Shelley Short’s bohemian beginnings.

(Photo by Tim Ferguson via Flickr/Creative Commons)

In honor of our nation's veterans, Word of Mouth is stepping away from the microphone to bring you part three of the Boots On The Ground: Stories From The War In Iraq series from the Peabody-Award winning public radio program To the Best of Our Knowledge. Philip Gourevitch talks about the Errol Morris' film Standard Operating Procedure about the American soldiers at Abu Ghraib.

Today on Word of Mouth, Sesame Street counts all the way to 40 years! Back in 1969, kids got their first glimpse of Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and a diverse group of humans and muppets. We talk with Gary Knell, CEO of the Sesame Workshop, and hear from listeners about how they got to Sesame Street. Plus, since the war in Iraq began, a group of senior citizens have traveled to the airport in Bangor, Maine at all hours of the night to greet soldiers returning home.

Today on Word of Mouth, the day the wall of Communism crumbled. Twenty years ago today, the wall that divided east and west Germany fell to the ground. The Berlin Wall separated hundreds of German couples, like modern Romeos and Juliets. We’ll find out how they’re faring two decades after reuniting. And, today’s Berlin, a haven for working artists and now a world art capital. Plus, from the mixtape to the answering machine, what gets lost when technology and traditions become obsolete.

Today on Word of Mouth, climate change refugees. Scientists predict that rising sea levels and erratic weather patterns will send millions of people packing from their homes in a humanitarian nightmare. Plus, the end of the sale. We’ll look at new retail strategies for the coming holiday season. Sales are out. Permanent markdowns are in. So are pop-up stores and inconspicuous consumption. We’ll also look at how the indie music blogosphere can instantly annoint fame, and then quickly deliver the backlash.