Bob Edwards Weekend, April 6-7, 2013
HOUR ONE:
Doyle McManus, Washington columnist for the Los Angeles Times, joins Bob to discuss the latest political news.
New York Times reporter Michael Moss won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2010 investigation into the dangers of contaminated meat. In his latest book, Moss examines how food companies use science and technology to engineer the perfect combinations of three magic ingredients to make their food taste better – a process which often neglects nutrition. Moss writes about the food laboratories where scientists calculate the “bliss point” of sugary drinks and the “mouthfeel” of fat. His book is titled, Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us.
Then, the latest installment of our ongoing series This I Believe.
HOUR TWO:
Usually authors come on our show AFTER they have written and published their books, but Gene Weingarten is here to ask for your help. The Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist for the Washington Post randomly chose a date from the recent past and is writing about the big and small events that happened on that day. If you remember something noteworthy from December 28th, 1986, Weingarten wants to hear from you.
Bob visits with MAD magazine’s editor-in-chief John Ficarra to discuss Alfred E. Newman’s place in pop culture, MADs efforts to corrupt the minds of young children for the past six decades, and Ficarra’s nearly 30 years with the magazine.
Today we remember Phil Ramone, the legendary music producer who worked with everyone from Stan Getz to Madonna. He produced the celebrated Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles duets albums, won over a dozen Grammys, and had over 60 platinum records to his name. Ramone was one of the most influential talents in modern popular music. He died last weekend at age 79.
Bob Edwards Weekend airs on Sirius XM Public Radio (XM 121, Sirius 205) Saturdays from 8-10 AM EST.
Visit Bob Edwards Weekend on PRI’s website to find local stations that air the program.
Gene Weingarten might look into what Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann were doing on Dec. 28, 1986. It was in 1989 that they published experiments on what was later dubbed "cold fusion". Their explanation that nuclear fusion must be producing the excess energy they observed has been debunked, but it is now clear that the energy source, though difficult to bring about, is indeed nuclear (though not fusion). It starts with neutron production on metal surfaces (see the Widom-Larsen theory, well documented at newenergytimes.com). These neutrons are nearly standing still and are easily absorbed by the metal, with the release of nuclear energy (but no dangerous radiation!). When the neutron absorption creates radioactive isotopes, the decay produces more energy. Anyway, Pons and Fleischmann left the USA, and one of them has died. The other is still alive, and could be contacted about where their work was on Dec. 28, 1986.
Can you tell me the name and artist of the piano song played after the "This I Believe" segment April 6? It was lovely and I want to buy it. Thanks.