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So you think you’re creative?

We're always talking about creativity, but what do we mean? Can we find creativity, can we measure it, can we encourage it? Kurt talks with Gary Marcus, a psychology professor about what science tells us about creativity. A researcher puts jazz musicians into an fMRI machine and has them improvise; an intrepid reporter gets her creativity tested and scored; and a little girl introduces us to her imaginary friends (all of them).(Originally aired: November 23, 2012)

Studio 360

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In Surprise Upset, Alabama Picks a Democrat


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>
After a heated and very close special election in Alabama, Democratic candidate Doug Jones will be the state's next U.S. senator. <a href="https://twitter.com/patduggins">Pat Duggins</a>, news director for Alabama Public Radio, reviews the race and what it tells us about the future of the Republican Party, and <a href="https://twitter.com/fivefifths">Vann Newkirk</a>, a staff writer at The Atlantic, discusses the racial breakdown in the race.
</li>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/adamfederman">Adam Federman</a>, a reporter with the Investigative Fund, explains how the Department of the Interior is aggressively enacting an agenda that will have lasting effects on America’s federally protected lands.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/ruthetam">Ruth Tam</a> spent her childhood vacations traveling to national parks. Her father, a Chinese-American immigrant, saw the parks as window into his new country. Now, the National Park Service is proposing a major entry fee hike at 17 popular national parks. Tam says this would make parks inaccessible to families like hers.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame will announce new inductees on Wednesday. Bon Jovi led the fan vote, and is likely a shoe-in, but who else will get a spot — and who will be left out? Culture reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/woolyknickers">Melissa Locker</a> joins The Takeaway to weigh in. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Deby Provost of Stockton, California has one question: If her drug for multiple sclerosis has been around for 20 years, why does it cost so much? It's a question that Congress is asking, too. <a href="https://twitter.com/marysdesk">Mary Harris</a>, host and managing editor for WNYC’s health desk, brings us Deby's story as part of our series, "<a href="http://www.wnyc.org/series/health-care-what-happened/">Your Healthcare: What Happened?</a>" </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Each week we speak to two female journalists focused on gender issues in the news, and this #MeToo moment: <a href="https://twitter.com/Koalani">Koa Beck</a>, editor in chief of Jezebel, and <a href="https://twitter.com/jess7bennett">Jessica Bennett</a>, gender editor of The New York Times. Today, they sit down to talk about a now viral story in The New Yorker, "Cat Person," and why it rings true for many women. </li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

The Takeaway

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Staff picks, 2017 (Volume 1)

Celebrating a year that couldn’t end quickly enough with some of our favorite segments. Academy Award-winner Thelma Schoonmaker, who has edited every Martin Scorsese movie for the nearly four decades, talks with Kurt about editing Scorsese’s latest film, “Silence,” and some classic scenes she edited in movies including “Raging Bull” and “Goodfellas.”  Yewande Omotoso’s joins Kurt to talk about her new novel, “The Woman Next Door,” which explores racial tension in post-apartheid South Africa. And “The Godfather: Part III” is a movie everyone loves to hate, but critic Ted Gioia believes the film is actually a masterpiece.

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Breaker 1-9

How the oil crisis of the 1970s inspired C.W. McCall's novelty trucker hit "Convoy," launching a national CB radio craze. Theater designer Joshua Dachs tells Kurt how stages have evolved over the centuries — and why so many productions are now drawn to unconventional spaces. And June Thomas looks at how sexual harassment is depicted on television.<div> </div>

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Kids and Smartphones: A Constant Battle


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>It's been 114 days since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, but 40 percent of residents are still without power. Hospitals are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/10/hurricane-maria-puerto-rico-iv-bag-shortage-hospitals">struggling</a> with a shortage of supplies, and thousands of police officers have called in sick to protest a lack of overtime pay. <a href="https://twitter.com/danicacoto">Danica Coto</a>, a reporter for the Associated Press on the island, discusses the ongoing crisis on the island.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>When Hurricane Maria crippled the Caribbean, it also dealt a devastating blow to the daily supply of intravenous fluid bags, which are manufactured in Puerto Rico and stockpiled in hospitals across America. <a href="http://connect.ashp.org/network/members/profile?UserKey=efb556dc-e052-478d-b1ff-cbf4766bfe11&amp;ssopc=1">Deborah Pasko</a>, director of medication safety and quality at the <a href="https://twitter.com/ASHPOfficial">American Society of Health System Pharmacists</a>, explains. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>This year's flu season is shaping up to be an especially nasty one. Data suggest that this year's vaccine might only be 10 percent effective. <a href="https://twitter.com/DrFrieden">Dr. Tom Frieden</a>, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joins the show to talk about this year's flu, and what action we might take in order to more effectively protect ourselves from a global pandemic.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In Europe, insurance companies are increasingly debating whether they should be insuring industries that heavily pollute and contribute to climate change. Are U.S. insurers likely to follow their lead anytime soon? <a href="https://twitter.com/oliver_ralph">Oliver Ralph</a>, insurance correspondent with the Financial Times, answers.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Over the course of 2017, the Dakota Access Pipeline leaked at least five times, according to <a href="https://theintercept.com/2018/01/09/dakota-access-pipeline-leak-energy-transfer-partners/">a recent report from The Intercept</a>. These spills were relatively small by some standards, but they're starting to add up. <a href="https://twitter.com/AlleenBrown?lang=en">Alleen Brown</a>, reporter for The Intercept, joins The Takeaway to give a closer look at the impact of these spills. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Last week, music streaming giant Spotify <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-03/spotify-is-said-to-file-to-go-public-on-new-york-stock-exchange">filed paperwork to be listed as a publicly traded company</a> on the New York Stock Exchange. What does this move mean for the future of the music industry? <a href="https://twitter.com/MarcHogan">Marc Hogan</a>, a senior staff writer for <a href="https://twitter.com/pitchfork">Pitchfork</a>, has the details. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Big investors have called on Apple to invest in software limiting time children spend using its smartphones. Is it needed? And could it work? <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz">Manoush Zomorodi</a>, host of <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/shows/notetoself">Note to Self</a> from WNYC Studios, and author of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bored-Brilliant-Spacing-Productive-Creative/dp/1250124956">Bored and Brilliant.</a>"</li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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America: The Most Dangerous Wealthy Nation for Kids


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>Yesterday, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s interview with Glen Simpson. His firm, Fusion GPS, commissioned the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/25/us/politics/steele-dossier-trump-expained.html?_r=0">Steele dossier</a>, which contained sordid details about President Donald Trump's alleged ties to Russia. <a href="https://twitter.com/ByronTau?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Byron Tau</a>, a congressional reporter for The Wall Street Journal, discusses what was revealed in the testimony. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As Congress scrambles to find a fix for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, on Tuesday, a federal district judge in San Francisco issued an injunction against the Trump Administration’s plan to roll back the protections for the 800,000 DACA recipients who came to the country illegally when they were children. <a href="https://www.law.gwu.edu/leon-fresco">Leon Fresco</a>, former head of the Office of Immigration Litigation under the Obama Administration, explains what the ruling means. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/01/dislike-of-candidates-or-campaign-issues-was-most-common-reason-for-not-voting-in-2016/">Tens of millions of registered voters</a> didn’t vote in the last presidential election. Maybe you were one of them. But if you don’t vote for a couple years, does that mean you should lose your registration status? The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments today on a case from Ohio that seeks to answer that question. <a href="https://twitter.com/mlschultze">M.L. Schultze,</a> digital editor for WKSU in Northeastern Ohio, explains the case.
</li>
<li>
More than a dozen people have been killed after heavy rains caused mudslides to wipe away homes and close roads in Southern California. Rescue workers are scrambling to find people trapped by the debris. KCLU News Director and Field Reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/KCLUNEWS">Lance Orozco</a> joins us on the ground for the latest on the situation, and how the recent wildfires may have played a role.
</li>
<li>
Six months ago, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback announced he was leaving office to take a post in the Trump Administration. Brownback still hasn’t been confirmed, and the Lt.Governor Jeff Colyer has been functioning as an interim governor. Now, a growing number of state lawmakers say Brownback needs to resign. <a href="http://www.barbarabollier.org/">State Senator Barbara Bollier</a>, who represents Kansas’ 7th District, explains. 
</li>
<li>At the end of 2017, Congress passed a stopgap spending bill for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). But it's already clear that the funding is not enough. Republican <a href="https://twitter.com/repgregwalden">Congressman Greg Walden</a> is the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees CHIP. He explains why Congress has so far been <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/362875-key-lawmaker-seeks-flexibility-for-states-on-chip">unable to reauthorize funding</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>A new study out this week finds that a child born in the United States has a 70 percent greater chance of dying before adulthood as compared to 19 other wealthy, democratic countries. <a href="https://twitter.com/especially_APT">Ashish Thakrar</a> is the lead author on that study. He’s an internal medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and he discusses who the most vulnerable groups are and why, and what needs to happen to fix the trend.</li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Christmas With Leslie Odom Jr.


Coming up on today’s show:
<ul>
<li>For many, Christianity is a key part of Puerto Rican culture. Christmas celebrations on the island typically start just after Thanksgiving and extend well into January. But with the island still in crisis following Hurricane Maria, how will Puerto Ricans celebrate this year? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bertpizarro/">Pastor Bert Pizarro</a> of Connected Life Church in San Juan, weighs in.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Veterans make up <a href="https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf">just over nine percent of all homeless adults</a> in the U.S. Identifying and connecting homeless veterans to the services they need can be a challenge, especially for those in rural communities, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/timberlinharris">Sarah Harris</a>, a contributor to North Country Public Radio. She visits a small town in upstate New York to see how veterans and their advocates cope with this reality. This story was produced by the American Homefront Project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and veterans. Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>For the first time since 2010, there was an increase in the number of homeless people in the United States. That’s according to a <a href="https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf">report</a> from the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs. <a href="https://twitter.com/watson_julie">Julie Watson</a> has been part of a reporting project on homelessness from The Associated Press, called “Crisis on the Coast.” She says there’s been a dramatic increase in America’s homeless population, particularly on the West Coast.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Conversations about gender and the treatment of women entered the forefront of the American conversation in 2017. Which is why we hear from <a href="https://twitter.com/Koalani">Koa Beck</a>, editor-in-chief of Jezebel, and <a href="https://twitter.com/jess7bennett">Jessica Bennett</a>, gender editor at The New York Times, each week. Together, they talk about one piece of this #MeToo moment.  We revisit our first conversation with them today on The Takeaway.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Mark Twain died in 1910, and since then he’s had numerous posthumous works published. The latest book that’s been added to that list is the children's book “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Purloining-Prince-Oleomargarine-Mark-Twain/dp/0553523228">The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine</a>.” <a href="https://twitter.com/MythiliRao">Mythili Rao</a>, a producer at The New Yorker Radio Hour, has the details.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Most actors wait an entire lifetime for a role that allows them to showcase their full range as a performer. For <a href="https://twitter.com/leslieodomjr">Leslie Odom Jr.</a>, that chance came at the relatively young age of 34 when he first starred as Aaron Burr in the groundbreaking musical “Hamilton.” Right now, Odom Jr. is tackling film and music, appearing in the movie "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3402236/">Murder on the Orient Express</a>," and releasing the deluxe edition of his album "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Christmas-Leslie-Odom-Jr/dp/B01L22Y87K">Simply Christmas</a>."</li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Fact-Checking the GOP Tax Plan


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>
There’s been a lot said about the Republican tax plan over the past few weeks and months, and today we’re tackling those claims head on. <a href="https://twitter.com/danielshaviro">Daniel Shaviro</a> is Wayne Perry professor of taxation at New York University School of Law. He’s tells us what’s true and what’s false when it comes to the tax plan.
</li>
<li>Conversations about gaps in health insurance coverage often focus on urban and rural communities. But a recent study found that 40 percent of uninsured Americans live in the suburbs. <a href="https://twitter.com/Alinasmahl">Alina Schnake-Mahl</a>, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard School of Public Health and co-author of the recent study, joins The Takeaway to discuss her research.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
Cardinal Bernard Law, the archbishop of Boston who resigned in disgrace, died today in Vatican City. He was 86 years old. Law is most remembered today for his role in covering up the child sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeRezendes">Mike Rezendes</a>, an investigative reporter for the Boston Globe Spotlight Team who helped break the story on the Catholic Church’s cover-up, looks at Cardinal Law's life and legacy.
</li>
<li>A legal case involving 200 people who participated in protests during President Trump's inauguration could have major implications on future protests and free speech. <a href="https://twitter.com/SamAdlerBell?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Sam Adler-Bell</a>, a policy associate at the Century Foundation, discusses the arguments the government is using in the case, and the precedent it could set.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New Jersey’s fragmented medical examiner system has long been plagued by dysfunction and a lack of oversight. A new investigation reveals the scale of the problem. <a href="https://twitter.com/spsullivan?lang=en" target="_blank">Sean Sullivan</a>, statehouse reporter for NJ Advance Media, explains.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
Since 1923, the Scholastic Art andWriting Awards have recognized the work of young people around the country. Queens-based poet and playwright <a href="https://twitter.com/southsidepoems">Trace DePass</a> joins the program to talk about some of the best teen writing to emerge in 2017. He says it’s been a year full of political passion, unique takes on form, and work that gets at the heart of issues of national significance.
</li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Fighting For The Dream of Economic Justice


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>
There is a new effort underway to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/03/us/martin-luther-king-poor.html?_r=0" target="_blank">renew</a> Dr. Martin Luther King’s campaign against poverty. On this holiday honoring the late civil rights icon, <a href="https://twitter.com/liztheo" target="_blank">Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis</a>, co-director of the Kairos Center and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, discusses the new poverty campaign. <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaunKing" target="_blank">Shaun King</a>, a columnist at The Intercept and a social justice activist, reflects on the movement in <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/wireStory/racial-firestorm-surrounds-trump-mlk-holiday-52336232" target="_blank">the wake</a> of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/us/politics/trump-shithole-countries.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=first-column-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news" target="_blank">recent racialized statements</a> made by President Trump.
</li>
<li>A number of detainees taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allege that they have been threatened with solitary confinement for refusing to work in for-profit ICE facilities. <a href="https://twitter.com/spencerwoodman">Spencer Woodman</a> is a reporter for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, and wrote about the growing practice of solitary confinement in ICE facilities for The Intercept.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Saturday, a false missile alert caused panic in Hawaii.  Within roughly 10 minutes, state officials were informing residents via social media that the alert was a false alarm, but it took 38 minutes before the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency formally take action to revoke the alert. <a href="https://twitter.com/nktpnd">Ankit Panda</a>, senior editor at The Diplomat, an online news publication focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, joins The Takeaway to put Saturday's false alarm into perspective. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
A New York City program is taking a controversial approach to the opioid epidemic. They're practicing “harm reduction” — a non-punitive approach to reducing the consequences of drug use. That means giving access to sterile needles, and, in the case of The Washington Heights Corner Project, providing a bathroom where users can safely inject drugs. Takeaway Producer <a href="https://twitter.com/talkonpointe">Alexandra Botti</a> takes us to Washington Heights, Manhattan, for a look at how it works.
</li>
<li>
The 6th Annual Black Comic Book Festival took place over the weekend in New York City. Thousands attended the two day festival — some were drawn in by the upcoming Black Panther movie, while others were seeking to find deeper stories through comics. <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSheenaHoward">Sheena Howard</a>, associate professor of communications at Rider University and author of the "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1682751015/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_cdNazbM1182MB">Encyclopedia of Black Comics</a>," explores how black comics have evolved since the civil rights era. 
</li>
</ul>
This segment is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Are Sanctions The Best Way Forward With North Korea?


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>In Congress, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/14/us/politics/david-perdue-trump-shithole.html">push</a> for a full fix to DACA could mean a government shutdown this Friday. President Trump's inflammatory comments <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/12/trump-shithole-remarks-immigration-daca-dreamers-339181">recently torpedoed</a> potential legislation from the Senate, but it's <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/15/paul-ryan-dreamers-conservatives-daca-340603">unclear whether Speaker Paul Ryan</a> will be willing to bring a bipartisan bill to the floor of the House. <a href="https://twitter.com/rachaelmbade">Rachael Bade</a> is a Congressional reporter for Politico. She brings us the latest from Capitol Hill. And <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/radio-rookies-legal-status-uncertain">Andrea Bonilla</a>, a DACA recipient who came to the U.S. from Ecuador when she was 5 years old, shares her story. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Canada and the U.S. are hosting a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/15/politics/tillerson-vancouver-north-korea-meeting/index.html" target="_blank">meeting</a> of foreign ministers in Vancouver today to discuss how best to contain North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. <a href="https://twitter.com/_aruggiero">Anthony Ruggiero</a>, a <a href="http://www.defenddemocracy.org/about-fdd/team-overview/anthony-ruggiero/" target="_blank">senior fellow</a> at the foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a former government expert on sanctions and nuclear proliferation, explains why sanctions are the best strategy when it comes to North Korea, and how they could be used more effectively.    </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As Chris Christie says goodbye to the Garden State, Democrat Phil Murphy is stepping into the governor's office in New Jersey, and Republicans around the country are watching. <a href="https://twitter.com/daveweigel">Dave Weigel</a>, national political correspondent for the Washington Post, explains. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In recent weeks, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has come under scrutiny for an extramarital affair, and now allegations of blackmail and abuse have surfaced. But despite being considered an up-and-coming star in the party, Greitens doesn’t have a perfect track record in the state. For details, The Takeaway turns to <a href="https://twitter.com/jrosenbaum">Jason Rosenbaum</a>, a political reporter for <a href="https://twitter.com/stlpublicradio">St. Louis Public Radio</a> and co-host of the podcast “<a href="http://news.stlpublicradio.org/programs/politically-speaking#stream/0">Politically Speaking</a>.”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Under a federal law from 1986, social media companies claim to be forbidden from providing the same information to defense attorneys that they are obligated to turn over to prosecutors. <a href="https://twitter.com/JustADCohen">Andrew Cohen</a>, senior editor at The Marshall Project and author of Case in Point, joins The Takeaway to explain how this decades old law has created a potential legal disparity in the 21st century.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://twitter.com/jess7bennett">Jessica Bennett</a> of The New York Times and <a href="https://twitter.com/Koalani">Koa Beck</a> of Jezebel join The Takeaway every week to discuss the #MeToo movement. Following allegations against actor Aziz Ansari, Koa and Jessica look at the concept of “eventual consent.” </li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Reflecting on a Year of Trump


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>President Trump says that a government shutdown would hurt the military, accusing Democrats of putting service members and American national security at risk. But are those claims accurate? <a href="https://twitter.com/reporterjoe?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Joe Gould</a>, a reporter for Defense News, looks at the effect of a government shutdown on the military. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>About a year ago, hours after President Trump was sworn into office, The Takeaway traveled to Oklahoma and <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/oklahoma-cautious-hope-donald-trumps-america/">sat down</a> with one family of Republicans, The McConnells, who were divided in their support for Donald Trump. A year into the Trump Administration, The Takeaway hears from Wayne McConnell. He says that he and the other McConnells have been pleasantly surprised by the 45th president. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Every Friday, <a href="https://twitter.com/RaferGuzman" target="_blank">Rafer Guzman</a>, film critic for <a href="http://www.newsday.com/" target="_blank">Newsday</a> and The Takeaway, drops by to review the new releases hitting the box office.  Today, a look at two films: "Forever My Girl," starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and "12 Strong," with Chris Hemsworth, Rob Riggle, and Michael Peña.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The BBC spent <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/jan/14/the-coronation-queen-shines-in-a-surprisingly-fun-royal-coup">22 years negotiating</a> with Buckingham Palace for an interview with Queen Elizabeth II. And they finally got it. Here to explain why this is such a big deal, <a href="https://twitter.com/kristenmeinzer">Kristen Meinzer</a>, director of nonfiction programming at Panoply and co-host of the podcast “<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/when-meghan-met-harry/id1327426491?mt=2">When Meghan Met Harry: A Royal Weddingcast</a>.”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Thursday, Acting Health and Human Services Director Eric Hargan announced a new office within the administration’s civil rights division. The new Conscience and Religious Freedom division will now tasked with handling complaints from healthcare workers who object to procedures due to religious or moral reasons. The move has advocates worried. <a href="https://twitter.com/HollyLynchez">Holly Fernandez Lynch</a>, an attorney and bioethicist, explains.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As anti-abortion demonstrators descend on Washington, D.C. for the annual March for Life, The Takeaway looks to Chile, El Salvador, and Oklahoma, to find out what happens when restrictive abortion laws jeopardize women's access to reproductive healthcare. <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi6s4u6seLYAhUBulMKHdR5BA0QFggoMAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Flaw.scu.edu%2Ffaculty%2Fprofile%2Foberman-michelle%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw2CrbQMno7v1qc2BwBWimy6">Michelle Oberman</a>, a professor of law at Santa Clara University and the author of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Her-Body-Our-Laws-Abortion/dp/0807045527">Her Body, Our Laws,</a>" weighs in. </li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Shocking Cop Corruption Trial Kicks Off in Baltimore


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>
In 2017, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that they removed more than <a href="https://www.ice.gov/topics/fy2017">81,000</a> people living inside the United States — a figure that represents a 37 percent increase from the year before. Ravi Ragbir, the executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York, was detained on January 11th during a regular check-in with ICE. His wife, <a href="https://www.afsc.org/content/amy-gottlieb-0">Amy Gottlieb</a>, shares his story. She’s also an immigrant rights activist and attorney with the American Friends Service Committee Northeast Region.
</li>
<li>The Baltimore Police Task Force trial begins this week for two former members of the Gun Trace Task Force. Six officers have pleaded guilty and four are expected to testify for the government. <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianfromABC2">Brian Kuebler</a> is an investigative reporter for <a href="https://www.abc2news.com/">ABC affiliate WMAR-TV</a> in Baltimore and was in the courtroom as the police detective described shocking details behind their corrupt operation. He provides an update today on The Takeaway. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>We’re now a year into the Trump presidency, and this week we’ve been cataloging the effects of the administration's first year in office. So far, we’ve looked at the <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/assessing-trumps-first-year-economy/">economy</a> and the <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/how-trump-shaped-courts-2017/">courts</a>, and today we turn to the environment. <a href="https://twitter.com/KendraWrites?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Kendra Pierre-Louis</a>, a climate reporter for The New York Times, weighs in.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
It’s been four months since Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico, and today around a third of the island is still without power. Many blame that slow and uneven recovery on PREPA, Puerto Rico’s power utility. It’s been accused of mismanagement and corruption for years, and this week Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello announced a plan to privatize PREPA, but not everyone’s on board. Journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/KateAronoff">Kate Aronoff</a> joins The Takeaway for the latest.
</li>
<li>Thousands of illicit massage parlors operate across the country, generating billions of dollars. <a href="https://twitter.com/phillipwgbh?lang=en" target="_blank">Phillip Martin</a>, senior investigative reporter at WGBH News, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/01/16/review-websites-make-easy-find-sex-traffickers-why-enforcement-rare/4dUBUzZ7ZgtyfUti4NVVkO/story.html" target="_blank">in collaboration</a> with the <a href="https://www.necir.org/about/our-team/jenifer-mckim/" target="_blank">New England Center for Investigative Reporting</a>, has been <a href="https://news.wgbh.org/2018/01/16/local-news/illicit-massage-parlors-are-across-massachusetts-why-police-action-so-rare" target="_blank">looking into the lucrative business</a> of erotic massage parlors in Massachusetts and elsewhere for a new series, and discusses the challenges that law enforcement face when it comes to prosecuting the alleged sex-traffickers behind them.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As part of our ongoing coverage of the 45th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, we talk to <a href="https://twitter.com/wendikent">Wendi Kent</a>, an artist, photojournalist, and activist who has volunteered as a clinic escort and takes photos of protesters outside abortion clinics. Wendi became pregnant when she was 13 years old, and after visiting a clinic hoping to get counseling about abortion, she was given prenatal vitamins and wound up carrying her child to term. She was harassed on subsequent visits to the clinic to get prenatal care.</li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Wynn, Lose and Draw For the RNC


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that billionaire hotel and casino mogul Steve Wynn is now the subject of sexual misconduct allegations that stretch back decades. On Saturday, Wynn stepped down from his post as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee, and now the RNC and GOP politicians are now under pressure to return Wynn’s donations. <a href="https://twitter.com/rebeccaballhaus">Rebecca Ballhaus</a>, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, explains what you need to know.  </li>
<li>In 1996, Dominique Moceanu became the youngest American gymnast to win the Olympic gold medal at age 14. About a decade later, she spoke out about a dangerous culture in the world of gymnastics, and publicly accused two coaches of abuse. <a href="https://twitter.com/JasGarsd">Jasmine Garsd</a>, a reporter for Takeaway co-producer Public Radio International, spoke with Moceanu, who had been sounding the alarm about abuse in professional gymnastics long before <a href="https://www.wnyc.org/story/larry-nassar-faces-sentencing-abusing-young-gymnasts">Larry Nassar</a> became a household name. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>
On Saturday in Afghanistan, a suicide bomber killed more than 100 people and injured roughly 235 others.  Joining The Takeaway to make some sense of the violence is <a href="https://twitter.com/BRRubin">Barnett Rubin</a>, director of the Afghanistan Pakistan Regional Program at NYU’s Center on International Cooperation, and former adviser to both the U.S. State Department and the United Nations.
</li>
<li>
China takes <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/world/china-recyclables-ban.html" target="_blank">half of the world’s recyclables,</a> but last year the nation declared it no longer wanted to be the “world’s garbage dump.” <a href="https://twitter.com/kmoneill2530?lang=en" target="_blank">Kate O’Neill</a> is associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. She joins The Takeaway to discuss where our recyclables really go, and the impact of China’s new policies. 
</li>
<li>Approximately 4.7 million people are in the U.S. parole and probation systems. Today, Columbia University’s Justice Lab is releasing two reports focusing on a radical parole system overhaul and how reform can reduce the rate of revocation and mass incarceration. <a href="https://twitter.com/VinSchiraldi">Vincent Schiraldi</a>, senior research scientist at <a href="https://twitter.com/CUJusticeLab">Columbia Justice Lab</a> at Columbia University and former New York City probation commissioner under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has the details. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Comedy Central series "Another Period" takes place during the turn of century, and the stars and creators of the show call a cross between "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" and "Downton Abbey." With a new season having recently premiered, we talk with <a href="https://twitter.com/rikilindhome">Riki Lindhome</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/natashaleggero">Natasha Leggero,</a> the creators, stars, and showrunners of "Another Period," about how they tackle modern-day issues with the series.</li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Todd Zwillich</a>

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Running the Numbers on Black Unemployment


Coming up on today's show:
<ul>
<li>As workers in white-collar industries are increasingly unionizing, organizing efforts in lower wage industries have failed. What does this revelation say about the state of the divided American economy? <a href="http://www.ruthmilkman.info/">Ruth Milkman</a>, a sociologist of labor and labor movements at the City University of New York, discusses the divergent trends in union efforts.  </li>
<li>An investigation by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has found that drug wholesalers sent nearly 21 million prescription opioids to Williamson, West Virginia between 2006 and 2016. Williamson is a town of only 3,000 people. This was first reported by the Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia, a local paper that won a Pulitzer for its opioids reporting, and <a href="https://twitter.com/EricEyre">Eric Eyre</a> is behind all that.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Monday, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail announced it was headed into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But it's not the only news outlet in trouble. The Los Angeles Times has undergone a period of turmoil in the newsroom, where a fight over unionization and tensions between managers and journalists have spiked. <a href="https://twitter.com/Ali_Christopher">Christopher Ali</a>, assistant professor in the Department of Media Studies at the University of Virginia, and <a href="https://twitter.com/newton_jim">Jim Newton</a>, a former Los Angeles Times journalist who spent 25 years at the paper, weigh in. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>During the president’s State of the Union speech, President Trump claimed that black unemployment is the lowest in recorded history because of his policies. But the numbers don’t really explain why African Americans are still two times more likely to be jobless than white Americans. To help make sense of this all, The Takeaway turns to <a href="https://twitter.com/SandyDarity">William "Sandy" Darity</a> is the Samuel DuBois Cook professor of public policy. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On February 1, 1968 Echol Cole and Robert Walker, both sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee were crushed to death in the back of a trash truck. Their deaths became a flashpoint in Memphis. Cleophus Smith was a sanitation worker in Memphis back in 1968, and he discusses the dangers that faced them, the abuses they suffered, and the low pay they received. </li>
</ul>
This episode is hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/toddzwillich?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Todd Zwillich</a>

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After Parkland: How Gun Laws Are Changing Across America


Here's what you'll find in today's podcast:
— How state gun laws are changing in the wake of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.
— What's next for the global economy following President Trump's new steel and aluminum tariffs.
— Why the EPA is facing new charges of environmental racism.
— Reviews of the films to catch and skip at the box office this weekend.
— Why the new sci-fi novel "Children of Blood and Bone" is taking the book world by storm.
— A poignant conversation on "Black 14," a new documentary on race, sports, protest, and history. 
Want to comment on this episode? Join the conversation <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetakeaway">on our Facebook page</a>.

Arts

Stevie Salas on Native American Rockers

Angie Thomas on how a TLC lyric saved her life

'Naked Came the Stranger': An oral history

10-4, Rubber Duck: The story of 'Convoy'

The history — and the future — of the stage

Canonical hoo-hah

Why yes, I do speak Klingon

Boldly going where no TV prop has gone before

The fantastic woman who plays ‘A Fantastic Woman’

Leonardo da Vinci: Theater impresario

Sean Lennon

The ballad of Sean and Yoko

Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther.” L to R: Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Okoye (Danai Gurira).

Looking Marvel-ous: Designing costumes for 'Black Panther'

Billy Joel performs in 2006.

Aha Moments

Aha Moment: Billy Joel’s ‘Lullabye’

Culture

Why a medical interpreter was surprised to see Vietnamese immigrant patients at California hospitals around Lunar New Year

Muslims pray in a mosque during celebrations of Eid al-Fitr holiday, a feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide, in Grozny, Russia, on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

culture

The world celebrates Eid — including some of The World’s listeners