Mad Cow Disease Found in Washington State; Open Phones: Finding the Meaning of the Holidays; The Evolutionary Key to Becoming Human
Mad Cow Disease Found in Washington State
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced Tuesday that the US Department of Agriculture has diagnosed a presumptive positive case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in an adult Holstein cow in the state of Washington. Larry talks with experts about the ramifications of yesterday's announcement on beef consumption and the beef industry. Joining Larry are Dr. Richard Breitmeyer, California State Veterinarian, Dr. Dean Cliver, Professor, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health and Reproduction, Holly Foster, Public Relations Coordinator for the California Beef Council, and David Ropeik, Director of Risk Communications at the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis.
Open Phones: Finding the Meaning of the Holidays
During the holidays, we rush around, buying presents and participating in the commercial nature of the season. But, how do we send the message to kids that gifts are not as important as people, when we spend all our time buying gifts for the holidays? On the other hand, we don't want to be scrooges and make everyone feel guilty for wanting to offer just the right gift and for going to great lengths to get it. Where is the balance? Also, why do the holidays make us feel both happy and sad? Is there such a thing as the "true meaning" of the holidays? Larry takes listener calls.
The Evolutionary Key to Becoming Human
What distinguishes humans from their closest evolutionary ancestors? Anthropologist Craig Stanford believes that upright posture is what made us human since it led to the development of a larger brain size and by freeing our lungs, to the ability to use speech. He joins Larry Mantle for a conversation about what, in evolutionary terms propelled us to become human. Professor Stanford's new book is called Upright: The Evolutionary Key to Becoming Human (Houghton Mifflin.)