Aug 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 Apr 2003 Mar 2003 Feb 2003 Jan 2003 Dec 2002 Nov 2002 Oct 2002

April 2004

Chuck Pfarrer,Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy SEAL

Former Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer recounts his eight years in America's premier Special Ops force. He discusses the harsh delails of SEAL training - and some of the many missions he participated in, including Beruit, Lebanon and the stand-off during the hijacking of the Achille Lauro. Along with the professional challenges, Pfarrer details the toll his work took on his personal life.

Caroline Leavitt, Girls in Trouble: A Novel

In Caroline Leavitt's eighth novel, she explores open adoption. When she and her husband began the process of an open adoption, Leavitt spoke to birth mothers from around the country. Their stories deeply affected her. In the novel, Sara is a sixteen year old honors student and pregnant. She selects an older couple to adopt her baby and wants to stay involved with them and the child. But once the baby is born, the stress of sharing pushes everyone to a breaking point.

March 2004

Hans Blix, Disarming Iraq

The former director of the UN inspection Commission gives his account of the search for weapons of mass destruction and the events leading up to America's invasion and occupation of Iraq. Hans Blix discusses the inspections process and the lessons learned.

Lois P. Frankel, Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabatoge Their Careers

Many women that were brought up to be "nice girls" find themselves over-looked when its time for promotions. Career coach Dr. Lois Frankel identifies unconscious mistakes women make in the office that are holding them back. Dr. Frankel also offers practical advice on improving your chances of getting that corner office.

February 2004

David Bornstein, How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas

Social activists working to transform their visions of a better world into reality may have more in common with an innovative CEO than you might think. “Social Entrepreneurs” are people who display the same creativity and drive in working for change that a business entrepreneur uses to work for profit. David Bornstein looks in-depth at this phenomenon by profiling nine inspiring people and their struggles, setbacks, and triumphs.

Kenneth Cole, Footnotes: What You Stand For Is More Important Than What You Stand In

Kenneth Cole has been a leader in the fashion industry for 20 years—and is famous not just for designing products to make people look good, but also for his ad campaigns designed to make people think. Cole created a company that is about more than just selling shoes, and has run provocative ads on issues such as AIDS, homelessness, and gun control. In Footnotes, Cole reflects on the history of his company, his causes, and his commitment to each.

Anchee Min, Empress Orchid: A Novel

The Last Empress of China - the longest reigning female ruler in China's history. She has been described in Chinese textbooks as a woman of "evil and intrigue" and is one of the most reviled women of Chinese history. Author Anchee Min uses historical fiction based on intensive research—even smuggling documents out of the Forbidden City—in order to reconstruct much of the truth about the life of Empress Orchid (Tzu Hsi) and the realities of politics and gender in late 19th century China.

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Christopher Phillips, Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern-Day Journey of Discovery Through World Philosophy

Author Christopher Phillips travels around the globe to ask, as Socrates did many years ago, what is virtue, courage, goodness, piety, justice and moderation. He holds socratic dialogs in elementary schools, prisons, mental health facilities and on the street. He encourages the participants and the reader to ask themselves these basic questions in search of human excellence.

January 2004

President Jimmy Carter, The Hornet's Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War

In The Hornet's Nest, Jimmy Carter brings to life the Revolutionary War as it was fought in the Deep South. At the heart of the novel is Ethan Pratt, who moves with his wife from Philadelphia to North Carolina and then to Georgia. The story chronicles the progress of the war in the South on the miliary and political fronts, as well as in the lives of everyday people.

December 2003

S. Mitra Kalita, Suburban Sahibs: Three Indian Families and Their Passage from India to America

Immigration is a personal experience, not just a topic in debates over border control, educational access issues, or security. In a fascinating and intimate portrait of three very different families who came to the suburbs of New Jersey from India, journalist Mitra Kalita explores the affects the move has had on their lives, the growth of their influence in their new neighborhoods, and the impact of this exchange on America as a whole.

Christians of the Middle East

Many people among the American public as well as the media neglect the indigenous Christians living in the Arab world. These Christians are often caught in the cross-fire of the Isreali-Palestian conflict as well as the rise of anti-Americanism and Islamic fundamentalism. A panel discusses the state of Christians of the Middle East today, and the prognosis for their future.

Charles Sennot - European Bureau Chief of the Boston Globe and author of The Body and the Blood: The Middle East’s Vanishing Christians and the Possibility for Peace
Gabriel Habib - Former General Secretary, Middle East Council of Churches
Jennifer Cate - Program Manager, Hands Along the Nile Development Services

Michael Dirda, An Open Book: Coming of Age in the Heartland

Pulitzer Prize winning literary critic Michael Dirda describes his youth in the small working-class town of Lorain, Ohio. He discusses his early love of reading and how in an impoverished household, his love affair with books would flourish. Michael Dirda has been a writer and senior editor for the Washington Post's Book World for over 25 years.

November 2003

Alec Klein, Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin and the Collapse of AOL Time Warner

In January 2000, AOL and Time Warner announced their impending merger. The Y2K bug may not have caused global havoc, but disaster seemed to follow the 2 companies at every turn. In his new expose of the personalities and motivations behind the merger, award winning journalist Alec Klein reveals how AOL’s shady advertising deals and corrupt accounting practices combined with a pattern of arrogance and greed across the leadership of both firms led to the collapse of the ‘deal of the century.’

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Patricia Stacey, The Boy Who Loved Windows: Opening the Heart and Mind of a Child Threatened with Autism

Seven year old Walker Stacey is a normal, happy and well-adjusted boy. But, as a baby and young child, he was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder- a neurological disorder that would eventually lead to autism. His mother Patricia Stacey tells the extraordinary story of Dr. Stanley Greenspan's 'floor time' technique and her and her husband's personal sacrifice that would save their son from becoming autistic.

C. David Heymann, The Georgetown Ladies Social Club: Power, Politics and Passion in the Nation's Capital

Katherine Graham, Evangeline Bruce, Lorraine Cooper, Pamela Harriman and Sally Quinn all had one thing in common: They all wielded enormous political power through the social gatherings they could summon. In his newest and bestselling book, The Georgetown Ladies Social Club, David Heymann details the politics and personalities of five influential women and their huge impact on the US political scene.

October 2003

Michael Wood, Shakespeare

Broadcaster and historian Michael Wood turns his attention to William Shakespeare, said to be the greatest writer of the English language. Equipped with archives and newly discovered evidence, Wood takes us back to 16th century England. He investigates Shakespeare's family, and social history, and reveals little-known sources of inspiration that reflect Shakespeare's attitudes on sex, race and class.

Ralph Eubanks, Ever is a Long Time: A Journey into Mississippi's Dark Past

Racial divisions still undercut much of American life, and many past wrongs are only now coming to light. Ralph Eubanks’ new book explores a now defunct secret state government commission in Mississippi set up in 1956. Its mission was to keep files on and harass civil rights activists in efforts to maintain racial segregation. Eubanks writes compellingly of his own childhood in Mississippi as well as his investigation of a commission driven by hate.

Richard Miniter, Losing Bin Laden: How Bill Clinton's Failures Unleashed Global Terror

Investigative journalist Richard Miniter takes a critical look at the Clinton Administration's handling of the threat from Al-Qaeda. He asserts that had Clinton taken a more aggressive approach to dealing with Bin Laden, the devestation of September 11 could have been avoided.

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September 2003

Kristin Ohlson, Stalking the Divine: Contemplating Faith with the Poor Clares

A practical journalist turns her investigative skills upon an order of cloistered Catholic nuns in Cleveland—and finds herself exploring her own struggles with faith. The Poor Clares have devoted themselves to continual prayer for the sorrows of the world. Kristin Ohlson talks about what she learned from the nuns about belief and doubt in the context of a rapidly changing world.

Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, No Horizon is So Far: Two Women and Their Extraordinary Journey Across Antactica

When expolorers Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen became the first women to cross Antarctica, they were fulfilling a life long dream. But, as former school teachers, they wanted to inspire children to pursue their own dreams. Through modern technology, over 3 million school children in over 65 countries followed their journey. Listen as Ann and Liv describe their 1700 mile trek while pulling sleds wieghing 250 pounds each.

Bernard-Henri Levy, Who Killed Daniel Pearl?

Who was behind the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl? French author Bernard-Henri Levy believed the killing was more than a random terrorist act, and began his own investigation. Levy journeyed across 3 continents on the trail of what he believes was Pearl’s last story--uncovering links between the Pakistani Secret Service and Al-Qaeda.

Your Cup of Coffee

Coffee is seen by some as a mark of civilization, but the price of a good espresso drink or bag of coffee can be high—and the real cost may be the increasing impoverishment of coffee farmers in developing countries. We hear from the author of The Devil’s Cup about the history of coffee and that it has been both demonized and glorified throughout history. An expert from Oxfam America argues that the current dynamics of the coffee trade are simply too exploitative to tolerate.
Stewart Lee Allen - Author, The Devil's Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee
Liam Brody - Coordinator of the Coffee Program at Oxfam America

August 2003

Gavin Weightman, Signor Marconi's Magic Box: And the Amateur Inventor Whose Genius Sparked a Revolution

In a high-profile demonstration of his new technology, a young Italian sent one of the first-ever wireless text messages to the Queen of England—in 1898. The history of the technology behind our cell phones and radios is intertwined wth the life of its major inventor, Guglielmo Marconi—and the story of the development of each is full of drama and intrigue.

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Email Spam

Do you know what’s in your inbox? Unsolicited bulk emails continue to flood cyberspace and the amount alone may already seem overwhelming. At this point, roughly 50% or all email is Spam. But beyond the cost to your peace of mind, spam is also costing you and Internet Service Providers money. A panel discusses the state of Spam today, and new legislation to combat it.
Andrew Barrett - Executive Director, The Spamcon Foundation
Jeannemarie Devolites - Delegate of the 35th District of Virginia

The Conflict in Sudan

2 million people have died and 4 million have been displaced in Sudan's most recent conflict. For war-ravaged Sudan, current talks may offer the best chance for peace in years. However, as this lively exchange shows, peace might be only the first step toward resolving the country's political, racial and religious tensions. Ambassador Abdel Bagi Kabeir of Sudan spars with human rights experts Jemera Rone and Penn Kemble as they discuss the complex roots and impact of these tensions.
Penn Kemble - Senior Scholar at Freedom House
Jemera Rone - Counsel and Sudan Researcher, Human Rights Watch
Amb. Abdel Bagi Kabeir - Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Sudan

July 2003

Toby Young, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - A Memoir

Ever wondered how best to crash an Oscar party, offend celebrities and co-workers in a variety of ways, or attract as few dates as possible? In his nationally bestselling book, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, British writer Toby Young discusses these and other secrets of failure in a hilarious send-up of his years in New York working for-and being fired from-Vanity Fair magazine.

Martha Ackmann, The Mercury 13 - The Untold Story of Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight

In 1961, there was a secret program to test women for space flight--13 passed, some with better scores than the men of Mercury 7. In The Mercury 13, Martha Ackmann tells the story of these women, their dream of space, and the sexist attitudes at NASA and the White House that kept them grounded. Then, Wally Funk, the youngest of the Mercury 13, joins us to describe her experiences and to explain how she has kept that dream alive.

The Global AIDS Pandemic

AIDS is a global pandemic—in some locations, it has wiped out whole generations. Robert Bilheimer and Jamila Paksima discuss their recent documentary films; each bringing a human face to this impersonal killer. In A Closer Walk, Academy Award nominee Robert Bilheimer tells stories from 4 continents and explores the role of poverty and politics in spreading the disease—as well as the simple approaches that can stop it. Jamila Paksima won a Pew International Fellowship to produce Why the Children, a look at the alarming rise of child rape in South Africa in response to myths about cures for AIDS.

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June 2003

Clyde Prestowitz, Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions

Has the US become a Rogue Nation? In his book, Clyde Prestowitz illustrates the increasing alienation that America faces if it continues on its present course of raw power and unilateralism. He describes current global sentiment towards the US and the nature of global interdependence that makes this so important.

Laney Salisbury, The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic

In 1925, a deadly diptheria epidemic gripped Nome, Alaska as a ring of solid ice gripped the coast--and a fresh supply of diptheria serum was desperately needed. Only dog sled teams could bring the serum in from the railway nearly 700 miles away, and they had only a matter of days. In The Cruelest Miles, Laney Salisbury details the courageous efforts of man and dog that saved a town.

Alex Kershaw, The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice

In the aftermath of a successful D-Day, the people of Bedford, VA found they had suffered the most losses in a single day of any American town during World War II. British author Alex Kershaw talks about the story that was in part inspiration for the movie, Saving Private Ryan. His book profiles the remarkable people of Bedford and highlights some of the stories and reflections of strength and loss.

Juman Kubba, The First Evidence: A Memoir of Life Under Saddam Hussein

The first evidence of the brutality and oppression of Saddam Hussein's regime is explored in Juman Kubba's new book. She describes the suffering her family endured during the rise of the Ba'ath Party to power in the early '70s. She discusses in detail her family’s fear and cruel punishment when her father, a successful professional from a high-profile family, discovered the direct involvement of Iraqi authorities in the notorious Abu Tubar serial killings that rocked Baghdad.

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May 2003

Ralph Schoenstein, My Kid's an Honor Student, Your Kid's a Loser: The Pushy Parent's Guide to Raising the Perfect Child

The newest American lunacy, explored in Ralph Schoenstein's new book, is push-parenting: the drive by many parents to turn their pre-nursery darlings into super kids and put them on the fast track for Harvard or Yale - or the Menninger Clinic. Many young children are cracking under the pressure to become Einsteins, DaVincis, or even better. American parents are now sacrificing anything to make their children superior. They are even sacrificing the children.

Kenneth Janken, White: The Biograhpy of Walter White, Mr. NAACP

At the height of segregation, race riots, and lynch mobs in America, Walter White led the NAACP in its fiercest battles and helped define the course of the civil rights movement. Walter White was a black man with exceptionally light skin who often passed as white. In fact, as a young man, he became famous for his daring exploits as an undercover investigator of southern lynch mobs.

Richard Heinberg, The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies

As the world’s largest consumer of petroleum, American foreign policy is closely linked to our dependence on foreign oil. In fact, critics of the Bush Administration say that the war in Iraq is not about weapons of mass destruction, or a tyrannical regime, but about oil. Richard Heinberg discusses the global consequences of the imminent decline of cheap oil.

The Armenian Genocide

In 1939, before invading Poland, Adolph Hitler instructed his military to "kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of polish race or language." He ended the speech with this question: “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” Tragically, he was right. Between 1914 and 1923, millions of Armenians were subjected to massacres, executions, and death marches by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.
Dr. Rouben Paul Adalian, Director of the Armenian National Institute

Barbara Corcoran, Use What You've Got, and Other Business Lessons I Learned from My Mom

Barbara Corcoran was blessed with something money can't buy: an amazing mother who nurtured the unique talents in each of her 10 kids. After failing at twenty-two other jobs, Barbara borrowed $1,000 from a boyfriend, quit her job as a diner waitress, and started a tiny real estate business in New York City. Today, with over $4 billion in revenues and 1,000 salespeople in 11 offices, the Corcoran group is New York's premier real estate company. She credits her success to hard work, fierce determination, and her mom's offbeat, kitchen-table advice.

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April 2003

A Conversation with Author and Women's rights activist Nawal El Saadawi

An award-winning author translated in over 30 languages, Egyptian feminist activist Nawal El Saadawi has also been a medical doctor, a government official, a political prisoner, and the founder and head of a powerful women's NGO. Now she shares some of her incredible story here. Saadawi's discussion on her struggle to speak out against the oppression of women worldwide is as varied as her careers-listen for an insightful look into one woman's work to change the world.

Greg Critser, Fat Land: How Americans Became The Fattest People In The World

Nearly 60 percent of Americans are overweight. The surgeon general calls it an epidemic of obesity. If it's left unchecked, almost all Americans will be overweight by the year 2050. Even more alarming is the growing rate of obesity among the nation’s children, the poor and minorities. Greg Critser talks about why we’re getting fatter and what can be done to battle this dangerous epidemic.

Susan McDougal, The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk - Why I Refused to Testify Against the Clintons and What I Learned In Jail

Of all the characters of the Whitewater scandal, none served more time in jail than Susan McDougal. Ken Starr and the Office of the Independent Council offered her full immunity in exchange for damaging evidence against the Clintons. Her refusal to testify landed her in jail for contempt of court. Susan McDougal explains why she chose jail over cooperation, and why she refused to testify.

Lauren Winner, Girl Meets God: On The Path To A Spiritual Life

Lauren Winner was born to a southern Baptist mother and a reform Jewish father. Attracted to her father's faith since childhood, Lauren officially converted to Orthodox Judaism in her freshman year. But then she found herself increasingly drawn to Christianity. By the end of her undergraduate career, she had converted once again. Lauren Winner's memoir of her spiritual journey describes her struggles to reconcile the two sides of her religious identity as well as facing her family, friends and fellow students.

Homelessness in America

The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that today, over 600,000 people are homeless in America and the numbers are rising every year. Although there are federal, state and local programs to address the problem, homelessness has remained a fixture of American cities.
Steve Berg - Vice President for Programs and Policy at the National Alliance to End Homelessness
John Jackson - Executive Director of Gospel Rescue Ministries in Washington, DC
Buffalo Latham - freelance writer who spent six weeks homeless on the streets of Miami

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March 2003

Nancy Peske and Beverly West, Cinematherapy for Lovers: The Girl's Guide to Finding True Love One Movie at a Time

Movies today are not only a staple of American entertainment, but can also play a role in the health of relationships. According to authors Nancy Peske and Beverly West, if you're looking to meet Mr. Right, dump Mr. Wrong, or inspire Mr. Reluctant to propose, the help you need is no further than your remote control. The 2 hour session spent with your couch and TV may be just the new therapy you've been looking for.

Deborah Tannen, I Only Say This Because I Love You

Deborah Tannen's book You Just Don't Understand spent nearly four years on the New York Times bestseller list, with eight months at number one. Now, in her latest book, I Only Say This Because I Love You, she turns her attention to talk within families. She examines patterns of talk among parents and adult children, and among siblings.

The Attack on the USS Liberty

On June 8, 1967, during the six-day war, Israel attacked and nearly sank an American ship called the USS Liberty. Thirty-four American servicemen were killed in the two-hour assault by Israeli warplanes and torpedo boats. For more than 30 years many people, including the surviving crew of the USS Liberty, have disbelieved the official explanation but have been unable to rebut it convincingly.
James Akins, former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Nixon administration,
John Hrankowski, USS Liberty survivor and eyewitness
James Ennes, survivor and author of Assault on the Liberty

Caryle Murphy, Passion For Islam – Shaping The Modern Middle East: The Egyptian Experience

Egypt plays a significant role in the Middle East and maintains close ties to the US. Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Caryle Murphy was the Cairo bureau chief for the Washington Post for five years. She’s written a primer on Islam that explores the political, social and cultural role of Islam through the experience of individual Egyptians.

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February 2003

Joao Magueijo, Faster Than The Speed Of Light: The Story Of A Scientific Speculation.

Albert Einstein's theory of relativity states that the speed of light is a constant. Joao Magueijo, professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College in the UK, proposes the controversial, some say heretical idea that the speed of light is not constant. His varying speed of light theory if correct could unlock many of the mysteries of the universe.

Karen Korka, The Search

Karen Korka searched for 10 grueling years for the biological family of her friend Cate Williams. But as she investigated the mysterious past of this European family, she would uncover treachery, deceit, scandals and abandonment. Karen Korka also discusses her efforts to create a voluntary adoptee registry.

Michael Toms, A Time of Choices: Deep Dialogue for a Deep Democracy

In the days following the 9/11 attacks, Michael Toms, a radio talk show host, began interviewing people from a diverse range of perspectives. The views he was hearing were seldom echoed in the mainstream American media. He compiled his interviews into his new book. Michael Toms is co-founder of New Dimensions Radio and host of New Dimensions heard on radio stations worldwide.

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January 2003

John Cork and Bruce Scivally, James Bond: the Legacy

Bond, James Bond - Agent 007. He's the debonair and daring British agent that every guy wants to be and every woman wants to date. 2002 marked 50 years since Ian Fleming’s first novel was published and 40 years since ‘Dr. No’, the first James Bond movie. John Cork and Bruce Scivally have written the official, definitive guide to the 007 phenomenon.

Daniel Benjamin, The Age of Sacred Terror

Long before September 11, 2001, Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon were sounding alarms. They were directors for counterterrorism at President Clinton’s national security council and had watched the rise of Al-Qaeda. Daniel Benjamin, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, discusses his new book on the rise of religiously motivated terrorism.

Race Relations in South Africa

Since apartheid was defeated and Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, South Africa’s race problems have largely been forgotten. But recently, nine bomb blasts rocked Soweto, South Africa’s largest township. The perpetrators were white extremists.
Mark Mathabane, bestselling South African author, discusses the country's continuing race problems.

The Achievement Gap

The achievement gap is the difference in school performance between disadvantaged children and upper and middle class children. Bella discusses the achievement gap and a possible school-based solution called Kindergarten Plus.
Bella Rosenberg, Assistant to the President of the American Federation of Teachers.

Infant Massage

A new and growing trend is the massaging of small babies known as infant massage. Its been said that massaging infants can help with a whole host of medical problems, and promote parent-child bonding.
Linda Storm, International Trainer with the International Association of Infant Massage.

Justin Martin, Nader: Crusader, Spoiler, Icon

Ralph Nader. To some, he’s the hero of the consumer who by his efforts has saved countless lives. To others, he’s the spoiler that cost Al Gore the election in 2000. But love him or hate him, Ralph Nader remains a fixture of American culture. Justin Martin talks about the biography he has written on Nader.

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December 2002

Deborah Blum, Love At Goon Park: Harry Harlow And The Science Of Affection

In the 1950’s and 60’s, the scientific community discouraged affection between parent and child. Psychologists believed it would produce needy and demanding children. And doctors insisted that coddling and touching infants would spread disease. Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize winning author, discusses the life and work of Harry Harlow.

Amy Vedder, In the Kingdom of Gorillas

Wildlife conservationist Amy Vedder discusses her groundbreaking work on the ecology of gorillas in her new book. She describes her experiences in Rwanda with the people, the land and the gorillas.

Ashutosh Varshney, author, Ethnic Conflict and Civic Life: Hindus and Muslims in India

From 1950 to 1995, approximately 7,000 people lost their lives in violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims in India. Recent clashes continue to claim lives. Yet what makes some cities prone to violence while others remain relatively peaceful? Ashutosh Varshney, Director of the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan, embarked on nearly 10 years of research to answer that question.

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November 2002

Islamic Radicalism in Nigeria

In recent years Nigeria has been struggling with what the New York Times calls a 'stunning spread of hard-line Islamic law'. We discuss Sharia Law, and human rights in Nigeria.
Paul Marshall, Senior Fellow at Freedom House’s Center for Religious Freedom.

The First Year of Motherhood

It’s said that your life will change when you become a mother. But beyond the cliché are the experiences of real women that have become mothers for the first time.
First time mothers Tracy Barron, Betsy Shepard and Beth Grotos talk about their very real experiences and what every woman should know about becoming a mother.

The Kurds

Much of the rhetoric surrounding a possible war with Iraq mentions that Saddam Hussein has used chemical weapons to attack his own people. In 1988, the Kurdish people of Iraq came to national attention when Iraqi jets dropped chemical weapons on their homeland.
Mike Amitay, Executive Director of the Washington Kurdish Institute.

Helping Impoverished Orphans in Egypt

In 1988 Egyptian American Nermien Riad went to an orphanage in Cairo, Egypt. Her encounters with impoverished children led her to found Coptic Orphans, an organization helping over 4,000 children in Egypt.
Nermien Riad, Founder and Executive Director of Coptic Orphans.

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October 2002

Prison Reform

Currently, there are nearly 2 million people behind bars in America at the cost of some $40 billion dollars. Tougher laws and stricter sentencing have put more people behind bars and for longer periods. Yet crime rates continue to remain high. Some have argued that the prison system is clearly not working.
Aida Hasaballa, Program Analyst at the Court Services And Offenders Agency and former professor of criminal justice at Fairmont State College.

Anoushka Shankar, Internationally Acclaimed Sitarist

Anoushka Shankar, daughter of world-renowned Ravi Shankar, began taking lessons from her father at the age of eight when a special “baby” sitar was made especially for her. Now, Anoushka Shankar, has become an internationally acclaimed sitarist in her own right.

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