Friday, September 19 2008 - Pushing Drugs

Friday, September 19 2008 - Pushing Drugs

Shahram Ahari

Shahram Ahari believes that the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and doctors can compromise the health of patients. Shahram knows what he's talking about: he was a drug rep with Eli Lilly, where he learned how to entice doctors with gifts, slanted statistics, and psychological profiles. He even earned the nickname "safe cracker" for getting into the offices of doctors who avoided sales people like him.

Shahram tells Dick Gordon why his selling techniques worked. He also recounts the crisis of conscience that led to his quitting the industry.

• Learn more about how pharmaceutical companies influence prescribing
• Watch Shahram describe how he sold the drugs

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Monday, September 22 2008 - Lessons from '29

(SECOND INTERVIEW)

Monday, September 22 2008 - Lessons from '29

Mary Jane Young

Mary Jane Young still has vivid memories of the 1929 crash. Her father had been a successful real estate builder in New York and had also bought stocks. He eventually lost everything.

Mary Jane talks to Dick about watching their belongings, including her playhouse, auctioned off on their front lawn - just hours before her family became homeless.

Mary Jane then - more >>

Mary Jane says it was a lullaby her mother sang that helped her through their move from a park bench to an abandoned house.

• See photos of Mary Jane from the 20s and 30s

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Thursday, October 09 2008 - HEART matters

Thursday, October 09 2008 - HEART matters

David Bass

The presidential candidates are seeking support for their proposed health care plans, citing rising costs across the board. This year, uninsured Americans are expected to spend $30 billion on out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Musician David Bass was born with heart problems and later required a heart transplant to save his life. But he was turned down by his doctor for care because he lacked health insurance. He talks to Dick Gordon about how he navigated the Medicaid system to get on the transplant waiting list.

Rebecca Porter - see their family

His wife Rebecca Porter also joins the conversation. She says David's heart problems sparked her interest in nursing. Now that the family has medical benefits, she says, her family's outlook on the future has changed.

• See David with the heart machine on his son's first birthday
• Learn more about David's current band "The Freight Hoppers"

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Friday, October 10 2008 - Still A Target

Friday, October 10 2008 - Still A Target

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming. Over the last year, violence against gay people has increased 24 percent.

Geo Vaughan has found out how hate-motivated attacks against the gay community are thriving. In August, Geo was looking for a nightclub in the Chelsea district of Manhattan - an area known to be gay-friendly. When he got a bit lost, he asked a group of young men for directions. They assaulted him when they realized he was gay.

Geo talks to Dick Gordon about being gay bashed and how speaking out against it has changed his life.

• See Geo's video about being gay bashed
• Read Geo's myspace blog
• Report a hate crime
  

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(SECOND INTERVIEW)

Monday, October 13 2008 -Tough Job - Senior Prosecutor

Kimberly Esmond-Adams

Among the tough jobs people choose as professions, there's one that no one really want to think about: prosecutors of serious crimes against women and children.

Kimberly Esmond-Adams became a prosecutor in 2002. She says that the work is hard because the kinds of things that the people are accused of is hard for most of us to believe. Kimberly talks with Dick Gordon about how she manages to control her anger in cases where a family member is accused of raping a child and why she decided to become a prosecutor against her father's wishes.

• Learn more about Kimberly's cases
• Check out the Black Prosecutor's Association

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Wednesday, October 15 2008- FOLLOW-UP: Small Business Roller coaster

Wednesday, October 15 2008- FOLLOW-UP: Small Business Roller coaster

Alice Evans

The presidential candidates have added details to their economic proposals. It's likely they'll discuss small business loans in tonight's debate.

In June, Chef Alice Evans' restaurant was destroyed during the floods in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She spoke with Dick Gordon about her high hopes of reopening her year-old catering business. Now the economy has taken a dive, and Alice may have to sell her home to repay her outstanding back loans.

Alice talks to Dick Gordon about how being ineligible for business loans caused her to lose a $50,000 grant - and how much that kind of assistance could help her recover.

• Learn more about Alice's Personal Chef business

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Thursday, October 16 2008-Tough job - Drumming up Real Estate

(SECOND INTERVIEW)

Thursday, October 16 2008-Tough job - Drumming up Real Estate

Zach Finn

The foreclosure rate in Florida is three times the national average. But Ft. Lauderdale realtor and developer Zach Finn is ignoring the numbers. He has opened a new office and is even throwing upscale cocktail parties to lure buyers. He talks to Dick about how parties and international investors are keeping his business afloat.

• Check out Zach's real estate business

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Wednesday, October 22 2008 - LEAVING FOR HEALTH CARE

(DOUBLE FEATURE)

Wednesday, October 22 2008 - LEAVING FOR HEALTH CARE

Of all the issues in this election season, the issue of health care is of utmost importance to Barbara Calder. She's been unable to qualify for health insurance since she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic disease. Now, Barbara is selling her home in Colorado and making plans to move her family abroad. As she tells Dick Gordon, having the disease has changed her view of health care in the U.S. As a dual citizen, she thinks she'll be able to get better care in Belgium.

• Read Barbara's story
  

COUNSELing the housing crisis

One woman is very busy in these tough economic times. MaryEllen De Los Santos counsels homeowners who are facing foreclosure. Most have already fallen behind on their mortgage payments by the time they call, and she says many have serious problems managing their money. MaryEllen tells Dick she's found lenders more difficult to work with since the bailout, but she's still managing to help people hold on to their homes.

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Monday, November 03 2008 -Voting as a Family

(THIRD INTERVIEW)

Monday, November 03 2008 -Voting as a Family

Kyle and Kim Allen-Niesen

The Allen-Niesen family loves politics. In fact, Kim Allen-Niesen has used games like "Debate Bingo" and predicting Super Tuesday winners on tally sheets to creatively engage her children. But this election is more than a game for her 14-year-old son Kyle. He managed to convert three conservative Republicans to vote for Barack Obama in the primary election - his grandmother and two church youth leaders. Kyle talks to Dick about his mission to convert Republicans to vote for Obama. And his mother Kim shares how this presidential election has strengthened their family bond.

• Play one of the Allen-Niesens' election games
• See the Allen-Niesens' tally sheets
  

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(SECOND INTERVIEW)
Monday, November 10 2008 - Dangerous Job: Taxi Driver

Roy Carlson more photos >>

Assaults and robberies of taxi drivers are on the rise. Cab drivers are 60 times more likely to be murdered than people doing any other job.

Cabbie Roy Carlson was nearly killed last spring when a teenage passenger attacked him. After she refused to pay the fare, the 15-year-old girl cut Roy's throat and nearly severed his carotid artery. She was released from a juvenile facility after serving only 3 months.

Roy talks with Dick Gordon about his split-second decision to chase the girl after being attacked - and how his view of passengers has changed.

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Thursday, November 13 2008 - Rethinking HydroPower

Thursday, November 13 2008 - Rethinking HydroPower

Fred Ayer

Politicians are all talking about alternative sources of energy. One such energy source is hydroelectric power, something Fred Ayer knows a lot about. Fred is a fisheries expert who's been involved with hydroelectric projects for decades. After emotional court battles over dam construction took a personal toll on him, Fred started consulting with environmental groups.

He talks to Dick Gordon about how he now uses his expertise to bring together opposing sides. Recently, he helped negotiate the successful purchase of three dams along the Penobscot River.

• Learn more about the Penobscot River Trust
• See photos of the dams, and what it may look like when they're removed

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Friday, November 21 2008 - BLUES OF HIS OWN

(SECOND INTERVIEW)

Friday, November 21 2008 - BLUES OF HIS OWN

Andrew Questell larger >>

Like the blues masters who preceded him, Andrew Questell has been playing the blues since he was just a kid - 10 years old. He's now 14.

Drew talks with Dick about how he got into this kind of music and how his skill is catching the attention of local blues enthusiasts. Drew even had the opportunity to play with one of the musicians he's always admired, John Dee Holeman.

• Hear more of Drew Questell's music
  
• Hear Dick's interview with blues legend John Dee Holeman
• Learn more about John Dee Holeman

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Monday, November 24 2008 - BEYOND THE GANG

Monday, November 24 2008 - BEYOND THE GANG

Danny Mora more photos >>

These days news coverage is glued to economic woes. But difficult economic times filter down to the streets, and police say they are facing a worrisome increase in gang activity.

Danny "Big Dan" Mora once roamed the streets of East Oakland, Calif., as a gang member. Danny Mora now is a senior at the University of California at Berkeley with plans to attend Harvard next year. Danny believes it is important to not leave the community. In fact, he mentors young people, encouraging them to stay out of gangs.

Danny talks to Dick Gordon about why older gang leaders grant him permission to recruit younger members off the streets - and why he believes weathering the violence in his old neighborhood will create positive change.

• View Danny's public service announcement about peace
  
• Listen to Danny's songs "Let's Take a Ride," "A Fif of Memory" and "RIP Omar" (explicit!)
• Learn more about Danny's work, and Youth Alive!, a program that helped him
  

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Monday, December 01 2008 - Latinos and HIV

Monday, December 01 2008 - Latinos and HIV

Joe Zamora

Today is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Among the many groups struggling to slow the spread of the virus are Latinos. In Los Angeles County, they make up almost half of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases.

After he found out he was HIV positive at 17, Joe Zamora became an activist for gay Latinos and people with HIV in the Los Angeles area. He believed he was making a measurable difference, but a year ago, Joe became disillusioned after seeing healthy Latinos with HIV become overly dependent on social services and purposely having unprotected sex. He talks with Dick Gordon about how sex parties and AIDS myths in the Latino community are fueling the spread of the virus.

• Pledge to stop AIDS today
• Learn more about the Latino Commission on AIDS
• Read an HIV/AIDS student magazine

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Monday, December 08 2008 - Forgiving Child Soldiers

Forgiving Child Soldiers

Monday, December 08 2008 - Forgiving child soldiers

Janet Sumo

Rebel leaders in eastern Congo are adding thousands of new fighters to their ranks. Many of them are children, taken forcibly from their families and trained to kill.

Janet Sumo spent a lot of time with child soldiers when she was younger, and she's been angry ever since. As a young teenager in Liberia's first civil war, she became so disillusioned from adults, she began spending her time with child soldiers. She saw them commit unspeakable acts of brutality.

It was only recently, after reading the memoir of a former child soldier, that Janet was able to forgive. Janet says her stories are horrifying to tell and to remember. As she tells Dick Gordon, she hopes to one day heal herself, by becoming a doctor.

• Learn more about the memoir, "A Long Way Gone"

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Wednesday, December 10 2008 - LESSONS FROM A DROPOUT

Lessons From a Dropout

Wednesday, December 10 2008 - LESSONS FROM A DROPOUT

Gerrin Hayes Craig Zeno

Among many other concerns in a faltering economy is the dropout rate - in some U.S. cities, as many as half of entering freshmen fail to graduate. Policy makers say that means we'll have fewer educated minds to grapple with economic problems, and an increased burden for social services.

Twenty-year-old Gerrin Hayes just dropped out of high school. He says growing up in a crack house made it impossible to focus on studying. But Gerrin still has hope. He has a mentor, Craig Zeno, who once was a dropout himself, and he makes a strong case for the value of school.

Gerrin tells Dick Gordon why it's still important to him to earn a high school diploma. And Craig talks about how working with tough cases like Gerrin's motivates him to keep doing this work.

• Learn about the dropout assistance program where Craig works

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Wednesday, December 17 2008 - Helping Coach

Wednesday, December 17 2008 - Helping Coach

Craig Dudnick and Coach more photos >>

When Craig Dudnick first met Mrs. Viola Hillsman, he was just 19. He was a student at Northwestern University - she was the 76-year-old cook in his fraternity house. The two became close friends, and Craig came to depend on Mrs. Hillsman's advice. In fact, he and the other frat boys had nicknamed her "Coach."

A few years after he graduated, Craig found himself back in Chicago, needing a place to stay. He moved into Coach's basement and soon realized she needed his help. Her husband died, and eventually she developed dementia. Craig ended up caring for Coach for 20 years.

He talks with Dick Gordon about what he learned from Coach, and how their close friendship changed his life.

• Learn more about Craig's film, "Evanston's Living History"
  

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Thursday, December 18 2008 - TV Shopping

Thursday, December 18 2008 - TV Shopping

Meg Favreau

We are headed into one of the diciest holiday shopping seasons in recent memory. Will consumers open their wallets or not?

Meg Favreau knows what makes people buy. Meg worked for a television shopping channel. She talks with Dick about how she got sucked into the vortex of TV commercialism and why she didn't stop customers who were bitten by the bargain bug.

• Read Meg's blog, "I hear you like stories"
• Read Meg's essay, "Tales of a Home Shopping Employee"
  

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Friday, December 26 2008 - Permanent House Swap

Friday, December 26 2008 - Permanent House Swap

Sherry Crosslin and Jerry Stussman

With the dramatic rise in foreclosures, some people have gotten creative with how they buy and sell their homes. Sherry Crosslin and Jerry Stussman took a novel route: They swapped houses.

Sherry's property was nestled along the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. She tried to sell her house the traditional way but got no responses. So she went online with the idea of trading homes. A week later, Jerry got in touch with her and they made a deal.

Dick Gordon talks to both Sherry and Jerry about their house swap - and how they figured out they could trust one another.

• See Sherry's Hampton, VA, house
• See Jerry's Thousand Oaks, CA, home
• Read more about house swapping at GoSwap and DomuSwap

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Tuesday, December 30 2008 - Coming to America

Tuesday, December 30 2008 - Coming to America

Mawi Asgedom immigrated to the United States from Sudan after living in a refugee camp for four years. He says before coming to the States, his family lived in a small hut made of straw and mud, surrounded by thousands of other refugees. Although those years in the camp were difficult, his father always found a way to make people laugh. As the family adjusted to life in the American suburb they moved to, however, Mawi says he eventually watched his father's resiliency fade into the background.

Mawi tells Dick Gordon about the funny and embarrassing moments of the family's immigration, and how his view of his father changed.

• Learn more about Mawi
• Hear Mawi's poem "I wish I knew my father"
• Learn more about Mawi's mental karate program

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