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Thursday      
February 25, 2010

What Will The Health Care Summit Produce?

President Obama and lawmakers meet to talk about healthcare reform. Can they accomplish anything of substance? Karen Tumulty of Time magazine is our guest. 

Is Temple Grandin Changing How Animals Are Treated?

Actress Claire Danes, left, and Dr. Temple Grandin attend a screening of HBO's 'Temple Grandin' (AP)

For 35 years Temple Grandin has used her autism to better understand animals and make the meat industry more humane. She is the focus of a new film on HBO and her book, “Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals,” has just been released in paperback. 

The Case Against Amy Bishop

Several investigations are now underway in Massachusetts involving Amy Bishop, who is accused of shooting and killing three of her colleagues at the University of Alabama at Huntsville two weeks ago. The top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts will review the investigation of an unsolved attempted bombing in 1993, in which Bishop and her husband were suspects. And police in Braintree, Massachusetts are re-examining Bishop’s fatal shooting of her brother in 1986. Here and Now’s Fred Thys reports. 

Hunger Strikes, Force-Feeding, and the Doctor’s Dilemma

About 25 to 35 detainees are on hunger strikes in Guantanamo Bay right now. U.S. policy supports force-feeding detainees or prisoners in American facilities, saying it’s necessary to preserve life. Doctors must oversee the process, which can put them in an ethical bind. We talk about the dilemma with Dr. Sondra Crosby, director of medical services at the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights. 

Listener Letters

We hear from listeners 

Dick Button Sets The Stage For Olympic Skating’s Finale

Dick Button skates during a practice session at the 1948 Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland

A marquee event concludes in Vancouver tonight, as the world’s best women figure skaters glide into their medal round. Skating legend, now NBC Olympics commentator, Dick Button joins us from the Winter Games to preview the free skate and talk about how the sport has changed since he won back-to-back golds at the Winter Olympics. 

Music From The Show

  • The Benevento, “Sunny’s Song”
  • The Funk Brothers, “Keep Me Hangin’ On”
  • Moby, “Inside”
  • The Wee Trio, “Flint”
  • Moby, “Myopia”
  • Christian McBride, “Theme for Kareem”
  • Lay Low “The Reason Why My Heart’s in Misery”
  • Patsy Cline “Crazy”
  • Sheryl

    Ok, I love listening to this show during my lunch break. With the amount of shows covering the nations food supply I am going to guess that Robin Young is a vegetarian. I agree that there needs to be exposure of the problem with America’s food, but the timing is tough for me. Or maybe it’s good, I often lose my appetite.

  • Robin Young

    Hi Sheryl!

    SORRY about the timing..but the two food animal pieces this week were pure coincidence, driven more by a book release and a film. Actually, I’m realizing.. so sorry..
    this was a completely difficult mealtime show today.. because we also added force feeding!!!!

    yeesh. sorry.
    R

  • Cara

    I’ve been a vegetarian for 30 years and although I have my own opinions about eating meat, I have great admiration for Temple Grandin and the work she’s doing to make the meat industry more humane. I respect her decision to remain neutral about meat because she has chosen to focus on improving the ways animals are cared for and ultimately slaughtered. Treating animals humanely matters, even if they are being raised for food.

    I also applaud her for her wonderful eloquence and willingness to share her story to help people understand that people with autism experience the world differently. She really is making the world a better place.

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