National political roundup: 2009 & 2010 December 31
Hour 1 As 2009 comes to a close, Marty looks back at the year in national politics with guests Dr. JASON A. JOHNSON of Hiram College in Ohio and JIM GERAGHTY of the National Review. They'll discuss a year that included stimulus packages, auto industry bailouts, Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize just after increasing U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the health care bill debate, climate change, Sarah Palin's resignation and book tour, town hall meetings and tea parties, new terror threats and a new meaning for "hiking the Appalachian trail."

Arianne Cohen: The Tall Book December 31
Hour 2 6' 3" author ARIANNE COHEN talks about her new book, "The Tall Book."

Terrorism threats, Al Qaeda, airline safety and intelligence December 30
Hour 1 What have we learned about terrorism threats, airline safety and intelligence gathering from last week's attempted attack on a Detroit-bound airplane? Our guests include Clark Kent Ervin, head of the Aspen Institute's Homeland Security Program and first Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Kevin Mitchellof the Business Travel Coalition and Gregory Johnsen of Princeton University.

Au Revoir To All That December 30
Hour 2 Do French children still grow up knowing how to make the family mayonnaise? Does a young French person know the difference of a good and bad baguette? Is the Michelin Guide still relevant? Our guest, American Michael Steinberger, has had a long personal and professional relationship with France and French food and sees a national decline in interest in keeping up its culinary heritage. He sees more foodies going to other countries and their own backyards for gastronomic inspiration. We'll talk with Slate's long-time wine columnist about his observations of France's food crisis and why the past few decades' economic and political forces have influenced the change in attention to tradition. Michael Steinberger's new book is called, "Au Revoir To All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France."

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter December 29
Hour 1 It’s been a tumultuous year for Philadelphia Mayor MICHAEL NUTTER. Today on "Radio Times," we’ll talk to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter about what happened in 2009, and what to expect in 2010.

Ayn Rand and the World She Made December 29
Hour 2 Before Madeline Albright was famous for her pins, writer and philosopher Ayn Rand sported a large dollar-sign broche on her lapels. An advocate of laissez-faire capitalism and individual rights, Rand's political objectivism is cynical of "Big Government," in which Libertarians resonate. Writer Anne C. Heller, takes us from Rand's childhood during the Russian Bolshevik Revolution through her personal and political writer life as a screenwriter and intellectual in the United States. Heller's new book is called, "Ayn Rand and the World She Made."

The Polar Bear December 28
Hour 1 This hour, we head to the Arctic to look at the life and times of the world’s largest land predator - the polar bear. Science writer Richard Ellis celebrates the majestic bear and its struggles to survive climate change. His new book is "On Thin Ice: The Changing World of the Polar Bear."

Eating Animals December 28
Hour 2 In his first non-fiction book, Eating Animals, author Jonathan Safran Foer takes on the U.S. meat industry and the large factory farms that dominate it, as well as the lies we tell ourselves about eating animals. Foer is the author of Everything Is Illuminated, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Cold December 25
Hour 1 According to our guest, biologist BILL STREEVER, cold - as in the temperature - has gotten a bad rap. His new book, "COLD: Adventures in the World's Frozen Place" provides a collection of vignettes about the science, history, geography and ecology of cold temperatures.

A conversation with author Gregory Maguire December 25
Hour 2 The broadway hit musical Wicked was based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name. He's written many other books some of which are revisionist retellings of classic children's stories including, "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" and his most recent, "Matchless", an updated version of Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Little Match Girl." His other new book, "Making Mischief", is a tribute too the work of Maurice Sendak. He’s here to talk about his life, his novels and his commitment to children’s literacy.

Just War December 23
Hour 1 In his Nobel Peace Prize speech, President Obama spoke of a “just war” and a "just peace." This speech was nine days after he announced sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. This hour, we talk about what it means to wage a "just war" in the modern age with University of Notre Dame peace studies professor DAVID CORTRIGHT and US Naval War College military ethicist MARTIN COOK.

To give or not to give (holiday presents) December 23
Hour 2 To give or not to give -- that is the question when it comes to holiday gifts. Our guest, JOEL WALDFOGEL of Penn's Wharton School says that holiday shopping does the economy no good. On the other hand, says Harvard psychology professor, giving is good for our souls. They both join Marty to talk about it.

A look inside Philadelphia’s criminal justice system December 22
Hour 1 A Philadelphia Inquirer investigative series published last week reported that only one in five of Philadelphia violent-crime prosecutions results in a felony conviction, the nation's lowest rate for a major urban area. We talk with journalists CRAIG McCOY and DYLAN PURCELL about their four-part series.

Loneliness December 22
Hour 2 A new study says that loneliness, like a virus, can be contagious -- lonely people can pass on their loneliness to others. Researchers have also found that loneliness is bad for your health and may be as dangerous as high blood pressure, obesity or smoking. University of Chicago Neuroscientist JOHN CACIOPPO explains his surprising findings on loneliness and what it means for a society in which many people report feeling increasingly socially isolated.

Pennsylvania politics December 21
Hour 1 More Bonusgate indictments, stalemate on table games, threats of more layoffs, and a look at the upcoming gubernatorial and senate races. We'll catch up on what's been going on in Harrisburg with WHYY’s SCOTT DETROW and JOHN MICEK of the Allentown Morning Call.

Reaction to the climate change talks in Copenhagen December 21
Hour 2 Climate change talks in Copenhagen ended on Friday. What if anything was accomplished? We post that question to two environmentalists who have been on the front line of the movement to combat global warming - TED NORDHAUS of the Breakthrough Institute and University of Pennsylvania professor DAN JANZEN.

The week in politics December 18
Hour 1 It’s been a busy week for congress and the Obama administration. More hurdles to health care legislation, the global climate summit, movement on transferring Guantanamo Bay prisoners, and increasing criticism of the administration. We talk politics with political scientist ROSS BAKER and the Inquirer’s DICK POLMAN.

Many Americans Mix Multiple Faiths December 18
Hour 2 How are Americans exploring faith? A new study by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life reveals many people are mixing Eastern and Western disciplines with experiences of supernatural phenomena and spiritual energy, are in touch with the dead and use astrology as a guide in their belief system. We talk with the senior researcher of this Pew Forum study, GREGORY SMITH and STEPHEN PROTHERO, Professor of Religion at Boston University.

Is it time to get out of Afghanistan? December 17
Hour 1 President Obama announced in a speech at West Point that that he is sending 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan. He also set a date to begin troop withdrawal - July, 2001. According to polls, about half of Americans say they support the escalation in Afghanistan. But others believe we are fighting an unwinnable war and it is time to get out. This hour, a conversation with two critics of Obama’s Afghanistan policy. ANDREW BACEVICH is a retired colonel and a professor of history and international relations at Boston University. HILLARY MANN LEVERETT is the CEO of STRATEGA , a political risk consultancy.

Twentysomethings and the recession December 17
Hour 2 The job crisis is hitting young people hard and some experts say it will hard for them to recover. We’ll talk about the personal and professional challenges of young adults trying to make it in these difficult economic times. Our guests are PETER COY of BusinessWeek, ANDREW SUM of Northeastern University and CHARLES IRWIN of the University of California at San Francisco.

Reforming the Financial Markets December 16
Hour 1 A financial reform bill passed in the House last week that increases regulation of financial firms, creates a consumer protection agency, and ensures more transparency in the derivative markets. The Senate is now drafting their own financial reform bill. Meanwhile, Obama met with some of the countries top bankers and Citigroup announced that it was going to payback the $20 billion bailout money at received. This hour, a discussion of financial reform and the role of federal regulation with a journalist and two economists -- SHAWN TULLY of Fortune, PETER MORICI, University of Maryland, and ALEX POLLOCK of the American Enterprise Institute.

The difference between men and women when it comes to infidelity December 16
Hour 2 Events in the news got us thinking about how men and women cheat on their partners. Are their motivations different? Do they carry out their infidelities in different ways. Joining us are anthropologist LIONEL TIGER and Philadelphia Inquirer science writer FAYE FLAM.

Tensions among students at South Philadelphia High School December 15
Hour 1 Racial and ethnic tensions at South Philadelphia High School have been escalating over the past few weeks with claims that the School District has done little to protect Asian American students against violence from African American students at the school. Marty talks with JERRY MONDESIRE of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP and ALLAN WONG who serves on the Mayor’s Commission on Asian American affairs.

Lessons in Disaster December 15
Hour 2 Do history lessons offer instructive guidance so we do not repeat the mistakes of the past? Our guest, international affairs scholar, GORDON GOLDSTEIN revisits the role of McGeorge Bundy, National Security Advisor to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, as one of the principal architects of the Vietnam War. Bundy and Goldstein worked together on the new book, “Lessons in Disaster,” to explore what happened and what might have been in the legacy of the Vietnam War.

Righteous Dopefiend: A community of heroin addicts December 14
Hour 1 University of Pennsylvania anthropologist PHILIPPE BOURGOIS spent 12 years studying, learning from and often living with a community of homeless heroin addicts and crack smokers in San Francisco.

Dangerously Funny December 14
Hour 2 Before Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” and HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Mahr” there was The Smothers Brothers. According to TV and culture critic, DAVID BIANCULLI, the three years’ run of The Smothers Brothers introduced the American TV-watching public to new art and artists and questioned the Johnson and Nixon administrations before CBS finally fired them after many battles of censorship.

The week in politics December 11
Hour 1 We'll cover everything from the President's Nobel Peace prize acceptance speech and Dick Cheney’s latest comments on the new administration to health care on the Hill and the climate summit in Copenhagen. Guests include CHRIS HAYES of the Nation Magazine and REIHAN SALAM of the New America Foundation.

Athletes and concussions December 11
Hour 2 Last week, the NFL issued new guidelines on managing players with concussions. Previously the league has faced widespread criticism on its approach to their handling of the issue. We talk about the NFL's actions and what it means to athletes of all ages with New York Times sportswriter ALAN SCHWARZ and Boston Unversity neurologist BOB STERN.

New ideas for health care legislation and is it possible to control costs? December 10
Hour 1 Senate majority leader Harry Reid announced Tuesday night a new compromise for health care legislation among Senate democrats centered on expanding Medicare. The New Republic's JONATHON COHN explains what it's about. Then we talk to LEN NICHOLS from the New America Foundation about health care costs. Can we bend the curve?

Terry Teachout – Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong December 10
Hour 2 Wall Street Journal drama critic TERRY TEACHOUT says innovative jazz composer and trumpet player Louis Armstrong "has done more than any other performer to shape America's collective personality." Born in New Orleans to a poor, 15 year old domestic and prostitute, Armstrong grew into one of the most famous people in the world. Many people attribute Armstrong to popularizing jazz throughout the world, characterizing him as a jolly, humble and sunny presence that inspired generations, both musically and spiritually, almost forty years after his death. TEACHOUT's new book is called, "Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong."

Same-sex marriage in New Jersey December 9
Hour 1 A bill to legalize same-sex marriages will be voted on by the New Jersey Senate tomorrow [12/10]. Supporters hope the lame-duck Legislature approves it so that lame-duck Democratic Governor Jon Corzine can sign it before Republican Chris Christie takes office, as Christie has vowed to veto the bill. Today on Radio Times, Marty will talk to LEN DEO of the New Jersey Family Policy Council, an opponent of same sex marriage, and a supporter, ED BAROCAS of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. Then we'll hear from a pair of columnists, the Newark Star-Ledger's PAUL MULSHINE, who opposes the bill, and Bergen Record editorial page editor ALFRED DOBLIN, who supports it.

The debate over Precious December 9
Hour 2 The new movie "Precious" is the story of a 350 pound, illiterate, mother of two, sexually-abused, 16 year old black girl from Harlem. It's raised some complicated issues about race and class - in filmdom and the real world. We talk about Precious with writers ERIN AUBRY KAPLAN whose commentaries on the film were published on Salon.com and Chicagotribune.com and RAINA KELLEY of Newsweek.

U.S.-Iranian relations December 8
Hour 1 Iran has charged three Americans arrested near the Iranian border in July with espionage. One of them, Josh Fattal, was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Elkins Park. His family and supporters say that Josh was not a spy, just a tourist hiking in Kurdistan, Iraq, when he may have strayed into Iranian territory. Joining us will be LAURA FATTAL, Josh’s mother, as well as JOEL SIMON, head of the Committee to Protect Journalists, who is supporting the effort to free the hikers. Also helping us understand the recent history of U.S.-Iranian relations is MARK BOWDEN, journalist and author of "Guests of the Ayatollah: The First Battle of America's War with Militant Islam."

Who is flying the plane? December 8
Hour 2 The common airline passenger concern of how a plane stays in the air may now be replaced with ‘who is flying the plane?' The idea of the captain in the cockpit piloting a plane as a grace-under-pressure act of courage may be a dated convention as the development of digital computers controlling flight instead of relying on mechanical back-ups has become more standard. Our guests include PATRICK SMITH who writes the "Ask the Pilot" column for Salon.com and WILLIAM LANGEWIESCHE, writer, pilot and international correspondent for “Vanity Fair,” whose new book “Fly By Wire” describes this new strain of airplane and what it means to modern air travel.

UN Climate Change Conference December 7
Hour 1 For the next twelve days, world leaders, negotiators, and scientists will meet in Copenhagen at the UN Climate Change Conference to try to iron out an international agreement to combat global warming. Some have called the conference the most important meeting since the end of World War II, our final chance to prevent climate disaster; however, it is unlikely that the talks will produce a legally binding treaty. This hour, we get an overview of the conference and the issues from a Time science reporter BRYAN WALSH and climate scientist MICHAEL OPPENHEIMER of Princeton University.

Free Range Kids December 7
Hour 2 How much independence should we give our young children? In 2008 writer LENORE SKENAZY intentionally let her nine-year old son ride the subway alone in Manhattan and wrote about it in her column in the New York Sun. Soon after a flurry of interviews and appearances on TV talk shows, Skenazy’s name came up in Google as “America’s Worst Mom." Skenazy's response to her experience and her op-ed observations of over-sensitive parenting has become a book: "Free Range Kids: Giving our Kids the Freedom We Enjoyed Without Going Nuts with Worry."

How is President Obama doing? December 4
Hour 1 More than a year after his election, a few days since announcing a major shift in strategy in the war in Afghanistan, and a week before accepting the Nobel Peace Prize, we take stock of President Obama, how he's doing and his record of accomplishments, especially in light of two wars, a lengthy domestic agenda punctuated by health care reform and economic stimulus, and much more. Joining us on Radio Times are JANE HAMSHER of the liberal firedoglake blog, and JOHN H. RICHARDSON, who writes the Richardson Report column for Esquire Magazine.

A conversation with writer and poet MARY KARR December 4
Hour 2 In her new memoir, "Lit," MARY KARR describes her early life as a writer, wife and mother – years in which she used drugs, drank and wound up getting divorced. This is the third of Karr’s memoirs. Her previous books include "The Liar’s Club" about her volatile relationship with her mother, and "Cherry," which focused on her adolescence. She's also published several volumes of poetry.

What Tiger Woods tells us about celebrity, privacy and our need to know December 3
Hour 1 What Tiger Woods tells us about celebrities' privacy vs. public curiosity. Icon Tiger Wood is having trouble at home. Does he owe us an explanation and why do we care anyway? Guests include crisis management counselor ERIC DEZENHALL.

John Brown's legacy, 150 years later December 3
Hour 2 John Brown has been called “the most controversial of all 19th Century Americans”. He was a strident abolitionist who has been viewed as both a fanatic and martyr for the raid on the Harpers Ferry armory he meant to ignite a slave uprising, an act that is viewed as a catalyst for the Civil War. That raid happened 150 years ago October, and Brown was hanged 150 years ago this week, and the famous "John Brown's Body" traveled through Philadelphia, the home of the largest northern free black community, after his execution. On today’s Radio Times, we’ll talk to DAVID S. REYNOLDS, author of "John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War and Seeded Civil Rights"; SEAN WILENTZ, Princeton University History professor; and CHARLES L. BLOCKSON, a Philadelphia-based African American Historian and book collector and curator emeritus of The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University.

Moving forward in Afghanistan December 2
Hour 1 President Obama laid out his Afghanistan strategy in a major speech last night from West Point. We get reaction from STEVEN METZ of the Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute and TRUDY RUBIN of the Philadelphia Inquirer who returned last week from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America" December 2
Hour 2 The populations of rural communities in the United States continue to dwindle, especially among the young and college-bound. Philadelphia-based authors and sociologists PATRICK CARR and MARIA KEFALAS - he's an associate professor at Rutgers-New Brunswick, she's an associate professor at St. Joseph's University - join us to discuss their new book, "Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America."

Economic recovery in review December 1
Hour 1 All estimates point to a growing economy, but the recovery is not quite fast enough for average Americans to feel the improvement. We talk about economic policies - what's worked and not worked and what it will take to get Americans working and spending again. Our guests are economists JAMES GALBRAITH and LARRY MISHEL.

"Steel Pier, Atlantic City" December 1
Hour 2 Atlantic City's Steel Pier was called, "The Showplace of the Nation." Writer and radio producer STEVE LIEBOWITZ has put together a collection of essays and photos telling the eighty-year story of the diving horses, big bands, acrobats and other entertainment one could take in down the shore for the price of one ticket. We'll talk with Liebowitz and with one of the Pier's former diving horse riders, SARAH HART. Leibowitz's new book is called, "Steel Pier, Atlantic City."