Protestors & Supporters Converge at Obama Town Hall

Large crowds gathered outside President Obama’s health care town hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire — his first since town halls on healthcare have turned rowdy. We speak with Rick Fabrizio, managing editor of the Portsmouth Herald.

Listen to President Obama’s town hall meeting

Healthcare Reform – Facts vs. Fiction

The facts about healthcare reform legislation are being lost in the ruckus protests. We turn to Noam Levey of the Los Angeles Times to help us set the record straight on issues such as abortion, rationed care, and coverage for illegal immigrants on healthcare legislation.

Read a House health insurance bill

CA Cuts Funding for Domestic Violence Programs

In an effort to cut costs in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger eliminated state funding for domestic violence programs last month. More than $20 million was cut, effecting 94 domestic violence shelters and centers. We speak with Tara Shabazz, executive director of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, who says she’s hearing from centers which are cutting staff, ending transportation services to victims and struggling to maintain 24-hour services.

For immediate help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233)

Baby Signs to Communicate Swine Flu Symptoms

A Scottish childcare specialist has added a new category of signs to teach babies. Yvonne Lavelle is author of the electronic booklet, “Baby and Toddler Signing by Kiddisign,” she’s also founder of the baby sign training company, Kiddisign. She says hearing babies can communicate pain, fever, chills and other possible symptoms of swine flu using baby sign language.

Yoga Warriors

** ADVANCE FOR THE WEEKEND OF JULY 15-16 ** Marine Lt. Alan Zarracina is framed by another class participant's foot as he stretches during yoga class in Pensacola, Fla., Wednesday, July 12, 2006. (AP Photo/Mari Darr~Welch)

Marine Lt. Alan Zarracina is framed by another class participant's foot as he stretches during yoga class in Pensacola, Fla., Wednesday, July 12, 2006. (AP)

As more and more veterans of present and past wars experience the effects of PTSD, Post Traumatic Distress Disorder, the healing powers of yoga are being used to relieve their symptoms. At the Central Massachusetts Yoga Institute a program called “Yoga Warriors” uses breathing techniques, meditation, and yoga postures to help vets cope. We talk with Tom Boyle and Paul Gearhy, two veterans of the Vietnam War about their experience as ‘Yoga Warriors.’

Make a donation to ‘Yoga Warriors’

Music from the show

Peter Dixon, “Nagog Woods”Sonny Rollins, “Get Happy”
Herbie Hancock, “Watermelon Man”
Radiohead, “There, There”
Ahmad Jamal, “Patterns”
Moby, “Inside”
The Doors, “Peace Frog”
Ravi Shankar, “Friar Park”

http://wbhomebrew.com Bruce Lucier

Thanks for the Yoga Warriors segment. Too often we hear “support our brave troops,” while they are quickly forgotten after they return from the war zone.

I hope this program gets to be a national, VA-supported technique.

B. Lucier
Robert

Since you don’t advertise your show as hard news I guess I should expect such slanted coverage of an issue. However, at least an effort to present the legitimate concerns people have regarding the Health Care Reform bill would be … oh I don’t know… less sickening.

How about, along with your guest, you had someone else on who had read the bill and voiced some concerns about its practicality? Do you seriously expect us to believe that there is no rational voice out there that you could have gotten for your show in time?

Robin, it’s great that you are really into the Obama presidency but your leading questions, cheer-leading demeanor and dismissive nature of opposition highlights for me why I never contribute to NPR – for all the programs I do enjoy – there is always someone, such as yourself, who will tarnish an otherwise good broadcasting service with their blatant bias.

I voted for Obama. I do not regret that decision and have not even made up my mind on the health care reform bill – I just wish you could conduct your interviews like a true journalist and even consider something as wild as finding a rational opposing viewpoint! Wow! what a concept!
Kevin

I have legitimate concerns about the health care bill there Robert. My concerns are that it’s gonna be watered down garbage…I laughed when Obama had to throw that “he wasn’t proposing single payer” in there with cutting the life support on grandma. Wow! It’s a helluva time in our country when a system that works well in a number of other countries and would work in our’s is thrown in with euthanasia for poor, apple-cheeked pie baking matrons across this land.

I’m a little confused why you thought Robin’s interview was so one-sided though? If you’re talking about the Noam Levey interview I thought he was pretty steady in addressing some of the more contentious issues that keep getting brought up in the media. He was ready to admit when something was more complicated than a yes or no answer. I don’t get what would make you happier? Someone from The American Heritage Foundation telling you that Obamacare is our one way ticket to a Soylent Green future? There’s plenty of that around. Heck, I’ll give you an NPR option…listen to Jay Sekulow from the American Center for Law & Justice (founded by that liberal tree-hugger Pat Robertson) on Monday’s Talk Of The Nation. He’ll tell you all about the health care reform boogeymen you seem to want to hear about.

And while she doesn’t need it, I’ll take up for Robin as well. I have to watch and listen to various “news” programs, both local and national, as a part of my job and Ms. Young’s interviews are usually the high point of the day.