Political signs line our streets and campaign commercials flood the airwaves - it's election season in Kansas City.
Voters
go to the polls on August 3rd. One of the bigger races is the
Republican primary competition for Kansas Senator Sam Brownback's seat
in the U.S. Senate, which pits conservative U.S.
Representatives Jerry Moran (KS-1) and Todd Tiahrt (KS-4) in a battle
for their primary's nomination.
Today, Steve Kraske talks with Kansas Congressman Todd Tiahrt in a discussion about his and his opponent's stances on issues ranging from taxes, health care, and regulation.
The recession we are in globally is the biggest one we've had since the Great Depression.
Consumer
prices fell for the third straight month, providing some bargains to
American shoppers. The Consumer Price Index dipped 0.1 percent in June,
amid lower prices for energy, food and airlines fares. Companies are
wary of raising prices because consumers have cut spending for two
straight months.
But what is the current state of the economy as a whole?
Today, Steve Kraske talks with Chris Lester, Senior Vice President of Business Growth for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, William A. Barnett, Oswald Distinguished Professor of Macroeconomics at KU, and Stephanie Kelton, associate professor of Economics in the UMKC College of Arts and Sciences.
We examine the economy. Are we rebounding or should we buckle down for the long haul?
Additional Information:
For more information about the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, click here.
Chris Lester
is senior vice president/business growth with the Greater Kansas City
Chamber of Commerce. Lester joined the Chamber in April 2009 after
serving for a decade as assistant managing editor/business with The Kansas City Star.
In his new role at the Chamber, Lester oversees a variety of small
business, entrepreneurship, mentoring, workforce development,
international trade and economic research programs. He also authors
blog and twitter accounts focusing on the regional economy and business
growth.
A native of Iowa, Lester joined The Star in 1985.
Over the next 10 years, he covered real estate, finance and economic
development for the business desk. He followed that with a three-year
stint covering City Hall during the Emanuel Cleaver administration. He
became business editor in 1998. During his reporting career, Lester
received the John Hancock and Gerald Loeb awards for business
journalism. He also was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for "Divided We
Sprawl," a six-day series on development in Kansas City.
In
his time as business editor, The Star's business desk was honored with
national awards from the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the
Scripps Howard Foundation and the Institute for Political Journalism.
This spring, The Star was honored by the Society of Business Editors
and Writers for having one of the three best business sections in the
country among large newspapers. Stephanie Kelton
is a Ph.D. economist with keen analytical skills and an international
reputation. A respected author and an acclaimed educator, Stephanie is
widely praised for her public policy analysis. Stephanie is employed
an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and
she is a Research Scholar at the prestigious Levy Economics Institute
in New York. Her writings have been published in countless books,
journals, encyclopedias and magazines. She is considered an expert in
the areas of public finance, financial accounting, economic development
and international finance.
She writes for the blog New
Economic Perspectives, and her work has been reprinted and cited by
scholars from around the world, including policymakers at the Bank of
England and the Bulgarian National Bank, and her writings are
considered required reading at Harvard's School of Law.
In
2009, Stephanie was appointed by Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson to the
Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Board (CURB). This prestigious five-member
board serves as a consumer advocate for residential consumers and small
businesses throughout the state of Kansas. She is also founder and
Managing Director of Safeguard Energy, LLC and President of the
WEET-Institute.
Stephanie holds a Ph.D. in economics from the
New School for Social Research, an M.Phil. in economics from Cambridge
University and Bachelor's degrees in business administration and
economics from California State University, Sacramento. She lives with
her husband and three children in Lawrence, KS.
William Arnold Barnett
is an American economist whose current work is in the field of chaos,
bifurcation, and nonlinearity in socioeconomic contexts, as well as the
study of the aggregation problem.
Barnett received his B.S.
degree from M.I.T., his M.B.A. from the University of California,
Berkeley, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University. He
has published 17 books (as either author or editor) and over 130
articles in professional journals.
Barnett is currently the
Oswald Distinguished Professor of Macroeconomics at the University of
Kansas. He was previously Research Economist at the Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.; Stuart Centennial
Professor of Economics at the University of Texas at Austin; and
Professor of Economics at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to
becoming an economist, he was a rocket scientist, working as one of the
system development engineers on the F-1 booster rocket engine for
Project Apollo at Rocketdyne.
Barnett is a leading researcher in
macroeconomics and econometrics. He is one of the pioneers in the study
of chaos and nonlinearity in socioeconomic contexts, as well as a major
figure in the study of the aggregation problem, which lies at the heart
of how individual and aggregate data are related. He is the originator
of the Divisia Monetary Aggregates. The earliest data with those
aggregates, extending back to 1959, were produced by Salam Fayyad, the
current Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority.
He
is Editor of the Emerald monograph series International Symposia in
Economic Theory and Econometrics, and Editor of the journal
Macroeconomic Dynamics, published by Cambridge University Press. He and
Nobel Laureate, Paul A. Samuelson, coedited the book, Inside the
Economist's Mind: Conversations with Eminent Economists.
The Federal Reserve System
was created by the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 and began operating in
1914. It is an unusual mixture of public and private elements.
A
network of 12 Federal Reserve Banks and 25 branches make up the Federal
Reserve System under the general oversight of the Board of Governors.
But what does the Fed do, how does it operate and with what authority?
Today, Steve Kraske talks with Tom Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. They will get to the heart of the Fed and its function in the US.
Tom Hoenig joins historian Allan Meltzer, author of the two-volume series A History of the Federal Reserve and Crosby Kemper III this evening
for an event titled "Figuring Out the Fed", a public conversation on
the past, present and future of the Federal Reserve System.
The program begins at 6:30 at the Central Library branch, 14 W. 10th Street. A 6 p.m. reception precedes the event.
Additional Information:
Listen to Gina Kaufmann's KC Currents piece about the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Money Museum.
For more information about the Federal Reserve, click here.
Tom Hoenig,
a Kansas City resident who serves as the top executive of the Federal
Reserve district serving the region, joined the Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation Board of Trustees in 2003.
Hoenig is president and
chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He
is also a member of the Federal Reserve System's Open Market Committee,
the key body with authority over national monetary policy. As a trustee
of the Foundation, he brings extraordinary expertise in matters of
national and international economics, research, business and finance.
Hoenig
joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in 1973 as an economist
and assumed the role of president on October 1, 1991. In that role, he
directs Federal Reserve activities in the seven-state Tenth Federal
Reserve District, which includes Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma,
Wyoming, the northern half of New Mexico and the western third of
Missouri.
A native of Fort Madison, Iowa, Hoenig earned a B.A.
in economics and mathematics from Benedictine College, Atchison,
Kansas, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from Iowa State
University.
He has served as an instructor of economics at the
University of Missouri-Kansas City and lectured on the U.S. banking and
regulatory system for the People's Bank of China. Hoenig serves as
Chair for Benedictine College, Atchison, Kan. He is a member of the
board of directors of the Midwest Research Institute and of Union
Station in Kansas City. He is a member of the banking advisory boards
at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and at the University of
Missouri-Columbia.
For the first time in 25 years, medical experts are proposing a major change in the criteria for Alzheimer's disease, part of a new movement to diagnose and, eventually, treat the disease earlier.
The new diagnostic guidelines, presented last week at an international Alzheimer’s meeting in Hawaii, would mean that new technology like brain scans would be used to detect the disease even before there are evident memory problems or other symptoms.
Today, Steve Kraske talks with Dr. John Morris, director of the Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Center for Aging, the
Memory and Aging Project, and the Memory Diagnostic Center at
Washington University in St. Louis, and Gwen Richards, a Kansas City woman diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's who is involved with Alzheimer's advocacy.
They will take a close look at the disease that literally steals memories.
Additional information:
To learn about the Missouri Alzheimer's Task Force, click here.
To hear an NPR Storycorps piece featuring Gwen Richards, click here.
John C. Morris,
M.D., is the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished
Professor of Neurology, professor of pathology and ommunology and of
physical therapy, and director of the Alzheimer Disease Research
Center, Center for Aging, the Memory and Aging Project, and the Memory
Diagnostic Center at Washington University in St. Louis. He is also
director of the multi-institutional Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's
Network. Morris was a 1974 graduate of the University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry. He completed residencies in internal
medicine and in neurology and neuropathology, the latter with Maurice
Victor and Betty Banker at the Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital.
He came to Washington University in 1982 as a postdoctoral fellow in
neuropharmacology, training with James Ferrendelli, and joined the
Memory and Aging Project under the direction of Leonard Berg in 1984.
Morris'
research involves clinicopathological studies of aging and dementia
with a focus on early-stage Alzheimer disease. Morris serves on many
scientific and community advisory boards and is a member or fellow of
numerous professional societies, including the American Academy of
Neurology, the American Neurological Association, the American
Geriatrics Society, and the Society for Neuroscience. He has received
many honors, including the Distinguished Achievement Citation from his
alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan University (2000), the Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Alzheimer's Association (2004), the 2004 MetLife
Foundation Award for Medical Research, and the 2005 Potamkin Prize for
Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Disease from the American
Academy of Neurology.
Alaturka was formed in 2009 with the vision of creating an equal "auditory handshake" between two musical cultures - American jazz and Turkish classical music.
Founder
and director Beau Bledsoe joined with Istanbul darbuka virtuoso Sait
Arat and two of Kansas City's most acclaimed jazz musicians, Rich
Wheeler and Jeff Harshbarger, to form a quartet in which both cultures are treated with equal respect.
The
collaboration has resulted in an intriguing new sound that has garnered
the ensemble multiple invitations to perform throughout the U.S. and
abroad.
Today, Steve Kraske welcomes Alaturka in the studio for a discussion about their passion for music and a special live performance.
Alaturka CD Release Event Sunday, July 25, 8 pm 4536 Main Street more info
Also today, Frank Byrne, executive director of the Kansas City Symphony, returns with his picks for classical music you need to hear.
Byrne's selections celebrate Sir Charles Mackerras, an Australian conductor who passed away last week.
Mackerras
is known for playing a crucial role in establishing Janacek's operas in
the West, making important discoveries about vocal ornamentation in
Mozart operas and serving as an elegant conductor of Gilbert and
Sullivan's operettas and Mozart, Mendelssohn and Brahms symphonies.
Frank Byrne's Classical Picks:
Composer Bedrich Smetana Piece Dance of the Comedians from The Bartered Bride Album Kaleidoscope - An Orchestral Spectacular Orchestra/conductor London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Charles Mackerras CD Label Number Mercury Living Presence 434 352-2
Composer George Frideric Handel Piece Overture to the Music for the Royal Fireworks Album Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks Orchestra/conductor Wind Ensemble/Sir Charles Mackerras CD Label Number Testament SBT 1253
Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piece Adagio from Serenade for 13 Winds "Gran Partita" Album Mozart Gran Partita Orchestra/conductor Orchestra of St. Luke's/Sir Charles Mackerras CD Label Number Telarc CD-80359
Composer Franz Josef Haydn Piece Minuet from Symphony No. 100 "Military" Album Haydn Symphonies 100 and 103 Orchestra/conductor Orchestra of St. Luke's/Sir Charles Mackerras CD Label Number Telarc CD-80282
Composer Giuseppe Verdi Piece Overture to Nabucco Album Charles Mackerras Verdi Orchestra/conductor Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir Charles Mackerras CD Label Number Testament SBT 1326
Composer Sir Arthur Sullivan/arranged Mackerras Piece Openiing Dance from Pineapple Poll Album Pineapple Poll and The Lady and the Fool Orchestra/conductor London Philharmonic/Sir Charles Mackerras CD Label Number EMI Classics for Pleasure 0 7777 67697 2 1
Looking for something fun and unique to do
this weekend?
Finally today: Brian McTavish of KC Confidential
offers five events, concerts, gatherings or other interesting things
to do in Kansas City this weekend.
It's what we call Up
to Date's weekend to do list.
"Dreamgirls": 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Starlight Theatre in Swope Park.; Tickets: $10 to 85.
"Beauty and the Beast"
7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Jewish Community Center, 5801 W.
113th Street, Overland Park. Tickets: $22 adults; $11 children.
Kansas City Fringe Festival Kickoff:
Youth Fringe: 7 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Plaza
Library, 48h and Main; Fringe Academy workshops: 10 a.m., noon, 2 and 4
p.m. Saturday, City in Motion, 3925 Main; Youth Fringe admission: free;
Fringe Academy workshop admission: $20
Swope Park Party in the Park: Family friendly activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Swope Parkway and Meyer Boulevard
Hyde Park Children's Film Festival: Danny Cox concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday followed by 8:30 p.m. movie “Coraline,” 36th and Gillham Road.
Additional
Information:
Brian McTavish follows popular
culture in the belief that the search for significance can lead
anywhere. Brian explains, "I've written articles and reviews...,
reviewed hundreds of concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these
high arts all sprang from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget,
Shakespeare was once Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online
magazine KC
Confidential.
Cynthia
Haines' and Steve Walker's Three to See Favorite
Art, Independent and Foreign Films of the Week:
Cynthia:
Winter's Bone Micmacs Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky
Steve:
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work I Am Love Winter's Bone
The national NAACP Conference is being held at Bartle Hall. Up to Date will be airing live from the conferenceMonday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
To kick off our coverage, we will bring you First Lady Michelle Obama's speech at the NAACP Conference broadcast live.
Following the speech, Steve Kraske will be joined by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, The Kansas City Star's Lewis Diuguid and others for commentary.
Additional Information: Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II
is currently serving his third term representing the Fifth District of
Missouri in the House of Representatives and sits on the exclusive
Financial Services Committee, Homeland Security Committee and the
Speaker's Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
Congressman
Cleaver arrived in Kansas City as an activist in the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference charged with founding a Kansas City chapter of
the civil rights organization. In 1974, after the Kansas City Chapter
of the SCLC received its charter, he began his pastoral career at St.
James United Methodist Church with a membership of 47. Today, St. James
has a membership of 2,800.
In 1979 Cleaver was elected to the
City Council of Kansas City. After three terms, he ran for and was
elected to the office of Mayor, where he made history as the first
African American to hold the City's highest office.
Lewis Diuguid is the author of A Teacher's Cry: Expose the Truth About Education Today. He has been a journalist for more than 30 years and serves as vice president for community resources at The Kansas City Star.
He
has been involved in the newspaper's diversity initiative since its
inception in 1993. He writes columns for The Star often focusing on
diversity issues. Diuguid is a certified diversity facilitator.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.
From
the ballot box to the classroom, the thousands of dedicated workers,
organizers, leaders and members who make up the NAACP continue to fight
for social justice for all Americans.
Today, Up to Date broadcasts live from NAACP Conference at Bartle Hall. Steve Kraske will talk with NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous about the association's past, present and future.
Additional Information: For more information about Benjamin Todd Jealous or the NAACP, click here.
Benjamin Todd Jealous
grew up believing that there was no higher calling than to further the
cause of freedom in this country and in the world. Now, as the 17th
President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAACP, and the youngest
person to hold the position in the organization's nearly 100-year
history, Jealous is well positioned to answer the call.
During
his career, he has served as president of the Rosenberg Foundation,
director of the U.S. Human Rights Program at Amnesty International and
Executive Director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association
(NNPA), a federation of more than 200 black community newspapers. From
his early days of organizing voter registration drives up until his
nomination and election as NAACP president, Jealous has been motivated
by civic duty and a constant need to improve the lives of America's
underrepresented. All things considered, Jealous' leadership roles and
active community involvement have well prepared him for his current
duties as president of the NAACP. In fact, his path through journalism
and the Black Press is not unlike several other former NAACP
presidents, including Roy Wilkins, Walter White, Ida B. Wells and
W.E.B. Dubois.
Active in civic life, Jealous is a board member
of the California Council for the Humanities, and the Association of
Black Foundation Executives, as well as a member of the Asia Society.
He is married to Lia Epperson Jealous, a professor of constitutional
law and former civil rights litigator with the NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund. They presently reside in Washington, DC with their
young daughter.
Some
scholars say integrated churches are rare because attending one is like
tiptoeing through a racial minefield. Just like in society, racial
tensions in the church can erupt over everything from sharing power to
interracial dating.
But advocates for interracial churches argue
that churches should be interracial whenever possible because their
success could ultimately reduce racial friction in America.
Today, Up to Date broadcasts live from the NAACP Conference at Bartle Hall. Steve Kraske will host a religion roundtable with religious leaders.
We will examine the state of the church and the possibility that segregation does still exist within churches.
Kansas
City is quickly becoming a hub for artistic expression. The new
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Nerman Museum of
Contemporary Art and even a new artistic director at The Kansas City
Repertory Theatre have helped keep a buzz in the air.
With so much happening in the city, it can be hard to decide what events to attend because there are so many options.
Today, Steve Kraske talks with The Kansas City Star's Steve Paul, Harlan Brownlee of the KC Arts Council and Alex Morales of KC Studio.
Our experts bring us the state of the arts in Kansas City.
Additional Information: StevePaul
is a senior writer and arts editor for the Kansas City Star. From 1994
- 1998 Steve worked as the Star's Deputy Features Editor.
He
serves on the boards of the UMKC Friends of the Library and the
Community Advisory Board of KCUR. Paul is a former board member of the
National Book Critics Circle.
In 2009, he received the
Architectural Advocate of the Year Award from the Kansas City Chapter
of the American Institute of Architects.
Harlan Brownlee,
President and CEO of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City,
possesses a passion for the arts guided by a disciplined approach to
change. Understanding the transformational power that the arts have to
improve the quality of life for a community, he has lead the Arts
Council of Metropolitan Kansas City in developing community
partnerships dedicated to insuring access to the arts and cultural
development for the region. Brownlee has worked for more than twenty
years in the arts education field as a performing artist, educator, and
arts administrator. From 2005 to 2009, he served as the Executive
Director for Kansas City Young Audiences, a non-profit dedicated to
engaging all youth in the arts, promoting creativity, and inspiring
success in education.
Mr. Brownlee is on the Kennedy Center's
National touring roster for the Partners in Education program and has
conducted master classes, workshops and residencies extensively in the
Midwest and throughout the United States. In addition, he has been an
adjunct professor for Rockhurst University's School of Education and
the University of Missouri - Kansas City's School of Education. Since
1996, Harlan has served as a consultant for the Missouri Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education and as a member of the Fine Arts
Task Force. AlexMorales is Corporate Creative Director for Townsend Communications and its publication, KC Studio magazine.
Morales
is also Graphic Designer at BurningStar Studios and served as Creative
Director at PlattForm Advertising and as Youth Advocate at Mattie
Rhodes Center.
He attended both the University of Kansas and Staffordshire University.
Looking for something fun and unique
to do this weekend?
Later
on today's program Brian McTavish of KC Confidential offers five
fun and unique
things to do in Kansas City this weekend.
It's what we call Up
to Date's weekend to do list.
Up to Date's Weekend To-Do List:
Jeff Hamilton Trio: 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Jardine's Restaurant and Jazz Club, 4536 Main St.; Tickets: $25.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee":
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m.
Sunday. American Heartland Theatre at Crown Center, 2450 Grand;
Tickets: $27 to $35 for adults depending on show times, less for
seniors and students.
Additional
Information:
Brian McTavish follows popular culture in
the
belief that the search for significance can lead anywhere. Brian
explains, "I've written articles and reviews..., reviewed hundreds of
concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these high arts all sprang
from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget, Shakespeare was once
Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online magazine KC Confidential.
Up to Date is off for the Independence Day holiday.
But still tune in to KCUR.
In Up to Date's place, KCUR will air a 30-minute show that highlights sounds of the 4th of July followed by the Capital Steps special (these two will also air Sunday at 6 p.m.).
Today, Steve Kraske sits down with Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who is in town for a conference about cancer treatments and trials. We will talk with her about health care reform, Medicare and other prominent issues facing the country.
Secretary
Sebelius has been a leader on some of the Obama administration's top
priorities. As the country's highest-ranking health official, she has
been a powerful voice for reforming our health insurance system.
She was also charged by the president with coordinating the response to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus.
And
under her leadership, HHS has provided a wide range of services from
health care to child care to energy assistance to help families weather
the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Because
of the recession, we've hit the time when Social Security is paying out
more than it takes in - seven years ahead of schedule. And the boomers
haven't even hit regular retirement age yet.
The country's budget deficit continues to mount.
The
problem with deficits is that they soak up national savings and crowd
out productive investment. Since America's savings pool is shallow, the
impact of large deficits is especially harmful. The U.S. net national
savings rate is already low, both relative to other developed nations
and to our own history. Current fiscal policies are due to push net
national savings still lower, ultimately driving it beneath zero.
Today, Steve Kraske talks with Robert Bixby, executive director of The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility.
They will discuss the national deficit, what brought us to this point and what needs to happen to turn around the debt trend.
Additional Information:
For more information about The Concord Coalition, click here. Robert L. Bixby is executive director of The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility.
The
Concord Coalition was founded in 1992 by former U.S. Senators Warren
Rudman (R-NH) and the late Paul Tsongas (D-MA). Former Senator Bob
Kerrey (D-NE) now serves as Co-Chair of the organization.
Mr.
Bixby was named executive director of the Concord Coalition in 1999,
after serving as the organization's Policy Director, National Field
Director, and in other capacities since 1992. He frequently represents
Concord's views on budget and entitlement reform policy at
congressional hearings and in the national media.
Mr. Bixby has
a bachelor's degree in political science from American University in
Washington, D.C., a juris doctorate from George Mason University School
of Law in Arlington, Va., and a master's degree in public
administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
University. Prior to his work with the Concord Coalition Mr. Bixby
practiced law and served as the Chief Staff Attorney of the Court of
Appeals of Virginia.
Soon election season will be in full swing. Now is the time to get updated on the key issues and candidates.
Today, Steve Kraske sits down with our Political Pundits, The Kansas City Star'sDave Helling, KU political science professor Burdett Loomis and KMBC-9 political reporter Micheal Mahoney.
They will discuss midterm elections, President Obama and more.
Additional Information:
For more information about Dave Helling, click here.
Dave Helling
has been involved in radio, television and print media since 1977.
Currently, he is multi-media reporter for The Kansas City Star,
providing videos for web, as well as regular contributions to the print
edition. He produced the "Truthwatch" series of stories, examining
claims made in political advertising and is a longtime political and
government reporter.
Dave came to Kansas City in 1984 as
report/anchor for WDAF-TV Kansas City and from 1999 to 2005 was
anchor/reporter for KCTV-5 Kansas City. In previous positions, he has
been a reporter for the Washington, D.C., Bureau of KARD-TV Wichita,
KARD-TV Wichita, KHGI-TV Kearney, Neb., and KHAS Radio, Hastings, Neb.
Born in Texas and raised in Overland Park, Kansas, Dave is a 1973
graduate of Shawnee Mission West High School and a 1977 graduate of
Creighton University, Omaha, where he served as student body president
in his senior year.
Awards include Freedom on the Press Award, ACLU; three Emmy nominations; and Silver medalist, New York Film Festival.
For more information about Burdett Loomis, click here.
Burdett Loomis is a professor of political science at the University of Kansas, where he has taught since 1979.
He
has published more than 25 books in various editions on American
politics, and for several years wrote a column on Kansas politics.
For more information about Micheal Mahoney, click here.
Micheal Mahoney
started at KMBC in February of 1980. Before coming to Kansas City, he
worked at the WOI-TV, the ABC affiliate in Des Moines-Ames, Iowa from
1978-1980. He was there 2 years, and during part of that time, he was
the Des Moines bureau chief which means he was in charge of the
coverage of the Iowa State government.
Micheal is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, 1972-76
Awards
in television include a 1993 Emmy for spot news Coverage of the 1993
Flood. In 1981, Micheal received the Mall Dodson National Headliners
Award for continued coverage of the Hyatt Regency Skywalks disaster. On
July 17, 1981, he was the only reporter present at the moment the Hyatt
Skywalks fell down, killing more than 100 people in Kansas City. He
appeared on "Nightline" with Ted Koppel that evening and stayed with
the story for months afterwards, earning the Headliner Award.
In the process of acquiring tremendous wealth and fame, how did Playboy founder Hugh Hefner alter American life and values?
Steven Watts, professor of history at the University of Missouri, says profoundly.
Watts says Hefner believed from the beginning that he could overturn social norms and take America with him.
Today, guest host Bill Anderson talks with Watts about his new book, Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream.
After
spending several years studying the cultural icon, Watts had this to
say: "When I started to do the project and started to look into his
career and his activities more deeply, I think I came to see him as an
important cultural figure in the post WWII period, primarily - as you
know from reading the book - from his role in the sexual revolution,
but also because of his role in sort of advancing this consumer ideal
in the post-war world. So I think, in general, I came to see him as a
lot more important, rather than merely a celebrity."
Additional Information:
For more information about Steven Watts and his book, click here.
Professor Steven Watts specializes in the cultural and intellectual history
of the United States. He has published articles and essays in the American Quarterly, Journal of American History, Journal of the Early Republic and American Studies.
The Republic Reborn won the annual
book prize from the National Historical Society and was runner-up for
the best book award from the American Studies Association while The Magic Kingdom was reviewed in
major media venues throughout the country, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, The Nation and Commentary. His work on Walt Disney
led to appearances on a CBS/Time Magazine documentary, "Makers of the
Twentieth Century," while his expertise on Henry Ford produced an
appearance on an NBC/CNBC documentary titled "Money and Power." His
latest work is a biography of Hugh Hefner: Mr. Playboy: High Hefner and the American Dream.
Professor Watts teaches the survey of American
History, upper-division courses on American cultural history, and
graduate seminars in historiography and cultural history. He has won two
prestigious teaching prizes at the University of Missouri-Columbia: The
Provost's Outstanding Junior Faculty Teaching Award (1988) and The
William T. Kemper Teaching Award (1995).
Looking for something fun and unique to do
this weekend?
Later
on today's program Brian McTavish of KC Confidential
offers five events, concerts, gatherings or other interesting things
to do in Kansas City this weekend.
It's what we call Up
to Date's weekend to do list.
Up to Date's Weekend To-Do List:
Pat Benetar Book Signing & Rock Concert Signing:
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Unity Temple on the Plaza, 707 W. 47th;
Admission: Copy of Between a Heart and a Rock Place purchased from
Rainy Day Books.
"All Shook Up":
8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Theatre in the Park at Shawnee Mission
Park, 7900 Renner Road; Admission: $8 adults, $6 ages 4 to 10, free for
ages three and younger.
"Annie Get Your Gun": 8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Oak Grove Park, 76th and N. Troost in Gladstone; Admission: Free.
Rock 'n' Roll Dream Concert: 7 p.m. Saturday. Capitol Federal Park at Sandstone in Bonner Springs; Admission: $20.
Additional
Information:
Brian McTavish follows popular
culture in the belief that the search for significance can lead
anywhere. Brian explains, "I've written articles and reviews...,
reviewed hundreds of concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these
high arts all sprang from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget,
Shakespeare was once Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online
magazine KC
Confidential.
Up to Date'sDVD Gurus
are back with their favorite sports movies. We will be bringing you the
classics that you need to watch or re-watch this summer like
"Caddyshack," "Tyson" and, of course, "Rocky."
Join us as filmprofessor/screenwriter Mitch Brian and critic Jason Heck review their DVD picks that are sure to keep you entertained and away from the scorching heat outside.
Cynthia
Haines' and Steve Walker's Three to See Favorite
Art, Independent and Foreign Films of the Week:
Estate planning: The process of anticipating and arranging for the disposal of an estate.
Some people view estate planning as dwelling on death, while others see it as just being prepared.
No
matter your position, if you postpone planning until it is too late,
you run the risk that your intended beneficiaries - those you love the
most - may not receive what you would want them to receive whether due
to extra administration costs, unnecessary taxes or squabbling among
your heirs.
Today, guest host Stephen Steigman talks with attorneys Dan Sturdevant, of Sturdevant Law Office, and Tommy Taylor, of Polsinelli Shughart, about wills, trusts, estate taxes and more.
They will offer tips for estate planning and might even share success and horror stories from their years of experience.
Additional Information: For info about living trusts, click here.
For info about estate taxes and how to legally minimize your obligation, click here.
For info about protecting your children With your last will and testament, click here.
For info about when to update your will, click here.
For info about your will's validity when you move out of state, click here. Tommy W. Taylor
has more than 30 years of experience in estate and business planning
for owners of small- to medium-sized closely held businesses.
He
is also experienced in the use of living trusts, irrevocable life
insurance trusts, charitable foundations, charitable trusts,
shareholder agreements and deferred compensation agreements for estate
and business planning purposes.
Dan Sturdevant
has almost 35 years of experience in the areas of probate and trust
administration of decedent estates; conservatorship estates and living
trusts; estate planning and general practice.
Sturdevant is an
accomplished author on the subjects of probate and estate law,
including co-author of a chapter in the Missouri Bar Association's CLE
Deskbook Missouri Litigation Settlements, "Settlements in Probate
Court." He often speaks at various Bar Association and civic events,
including the Missouri Bar Probate Annual Seminar and "Probate and
Estate Administration" seminar of the University Missouri - Kansas City.
Sturdevant
was recently a recipient of the Presidential Award from the Kansas City
Metropolitan Bar Association and has served this Bar Association in a
variety of ways. He is current President of the Missouri-Kansas
Riverbend Chapter, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation.
The Missouri River is a vital resource to the state, providing more than 50 percent of all Missourians with their drinking water.
It
also provides a low-cost, energy efficient, high-volume and low
emission transportation choice for agricultural producers and industry
to transport bulk commodities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been holding meetings about the future management of the Missouri River.
Will
Kansas Citians and other Missouri residents suffer as a result of
decisions made by the Corps of Engineers regarding storage and use of
water throughout the Missouri River basin? And with so many
stakeholders involved, who has the strongest claim to water rights, who
decides how the Missouri's water is distributed and how are those
decisions made?
Today, guest host Brian Ellison talks with Vincent Gauthier, executive director of the Kansas City Port Authority, John Grothaus, chief of planning for the U.S Army Corps of Engineers in Kansas City, and a riverboat captain about the future of the Missouri River.
A new study has found that as Americans are gaining more body fat, so are their babies.
More than 74,000 births were reviewed and it was found that the measure of body fat composition in newborns increased significantly over a 15-year period, mirroring similar increases among pregnant mothers.
This
increase is not good news. The mother's obesity can cause complications
during the pregnancy and it may set the stage for future obesity in the
child.
Today, guest host Brian Ellison talks with Diane Daldrup, the State Director of Program Services for the Greater Kansas Chapter of the March of Dimes, and Dr. Elaine Carroll, specialist in obstetrics and gynecology practicing at KU Medical Center and several other medical offices.
They will discuss maternal obesity, the culture of c-sections, the decline in premature births, preeclampsia and more.
Additional Information:
Dr. Elaine Carroll is a native of Chicago. She graduated from Rush Medical
College
in Chicago in the top 10 percent of her class. She completed
her residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology
at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in
1993.
After several
years in practice as a general obstetrician and
gynecologist, she decided
to pursue additional training in Maternal Fetal
Medicine. Dr. Carroll completed
her fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine in 1998 and
her fellowship research
was presented at the opening session on The Society for
Maternal Fetal Medicine
in 1999.
Since completing her fellowship, Dr. Carroll has primarily
been in academic
practice. She has practiced at the University of Missouri
at Columbia, the
University of Chicago, and most recently at Loyola
University Medical Center
in Chicago. Her areas of interest include maternal
diseases, which complicate
pregnancy, premature labor, cervical insufficiency, and
rescue cerclage. Dr.
Carroll is board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology
and Maternal
Fetal Medicine. She sees patients at the KU Medical
Center campus,
the Overland Park office, and several outside sites.
Diane Daldrup
is the State Director of Program Services for the Greater Kansas
Chapter of the March of Dimes. In her current role, Diane is
responsible for the management of all mission activities for the
Greater Kansas Chapter. Her principle role and responsibilities
include program services, public affairs and advocacy, grants
management and volunteer development.
The March of Dimes
Greater Kansas Chapter, which encompasses the state of Kansas and the
bi-state Kansas City community, raised more than $2.78 million in 2009.
Before
her role with the March of Dimes, Diane was Executive Director of
Health Resource Partners and Director of Program Development for the
Kansas Hospital Association. Diane has seventeen years experience in
the nonprofit sector - most of it in the health care industry. She is a
recognized leader in the bi-state community for her work in health care
workforce development and regional collaborative creation.
She
has provided consulting expertise throughout the United States on the
regional collaborative model and in 1999 spoke to policy makers on Vice
President Gore's "Regional Initiative Task Force" in Washington, D.C.
In addition, she served as Coordinator for the six-year Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation grant project "Colleagues in Caring: Regional
Collaborative for Nursing Workforce Development." A native of Kansas
City, Diane graduated with honors from Friend's University in Wichita,
Kan., with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Many environmental, social and economic problems either stem from or are increased in magnitude by overpopulation.
Some
scientists even maintain the world's population will soon reach a level
where there will not be enough resources to sustain life as we know it.
Are we truly overpopulated or are our resources just not well distributed? Who,
if anyone, has the right to decide if population needs to be
controlled? What is the impact of too many people on the environment
and on the people themselves?
China's "one child" policy is
probably the best known population control effort of recent times. But,
does history reveal any other attempts to control a population?
Today, guest host Laura Ziegler talks with reporter Julia Whitty, author of the recent Mother Jones article "The Last Taboo", Robert Walker, executive vice president of the Population Institute and others about the facts and myths involving population.
Additional Information:
Julia Whitty
was born in Bogota, Colombia, and emigrated as a child to the United
States with her Tasmanian father and Anglo-Indian mother. She holds
dual American and Australian citizenships.
Her latest book Deep Blue Home: An Intimate Ecology of Our Wild Ocean will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in July 2010. Her award-winning book The Fragile Edge: Diving & Other Adventures in the South Pacific was published by Houghton Mifflin in 2007. Her award-winning short story collection A Tortoise for the Queen of Tonga was published by Houghton Mifflin in 2002.
Whitty is environmental correspondent at Mother Jones and a blogger at The Blue Marble.
A
former filmmaker, her more than 70 nature documentaries have aired on
PBS, Nature, The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Outdoor Life
Channel, Arts & Entertainment, and with many other broadcasters
worldwide. Whitty is on the Board of Advisors of BlueVoice. She lives
in California.
Learn more about Julia Whitty and her work on her website.
Robert Walker is the Executive Vice President of the Population Institute,
where he directs the organization's advocacy and public education
activities, including its work on issues related to health, economic
development, sustainability and the environment.
Prior to
joining the Population Institute in February 2009, Mr. Walker was
President of the Population Resource Center. He formerly was the
Executive Director of the Common Cause Education Fund, a nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization working to promote open, honest and accountable
government.
He also served for three years as President of
Handgun Control, Inc. and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, and
four years as legislative director at Handgun Control, where he led the
lobbying campaigns that led to the successful passage of the Brady Law
and the federal assault weapons ban. Prior to his work for Handgun
Control, Mr. Walker worked for a total of 14 years on Capitol Hill,
including five years as a legislative aide to Rep. John B. Anderson and
six years as Legislative Director to Rep. Mo Udall, the Chairman of the
House Interior Committee. He also served for two years as Legislative
Counsel for the American Association of Retired Persons.
Mr.
Walker received his B.A. in Economics from Rockford College and his
J.D. from the University of Illinois School of Law. He attended the
University of Sydney in Australia under a Rotary graduate fellowship.
Steven W. Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute,
is an internationally recognized authority on China and population
issues, as well as an acclaimed author, speaker. He has worked
tirelessly since 1979 to fight coercive population control programs and
has helped hundreds of thousands of women and families worldwide over
the years.
In 1979, Steven was the first American social
scientist to visit mainland China. He was invited there by the Chinese
government, where he had access to government documents and actually
witnessed women being forced to have abortions under the new "one-child
policy." Mr. Mosher was a pro-choice atheist at the time, but
witnessing these traumatic abortions led him to reconsider his
convictions and to eventually become a practicing, pro-life Roman
Catholic.
He is also the author of the best-selling A Mother's Ordeal: One Woman's Fight Against China's One-Child Policy. Other books include Hegemon:
China's Plan to Dominate Asia and the World, China Attacks, China
Misperceived: American Illusions and Chinese Reality, Journey to the
Forbidden China, and Broken Earth: The Rural Chinese.
Articles by Steve have appeared in The
Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, The New Republic, The Washington
Post, National Review, Reason, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Freedom
Review, Linacre Quarterly, Catholic World Report, Human Life Review,
First Things, and numerous other publications.
Steven Mosher lives in Virginia with his wife, Vera and their nine children.
Looking for something fun and unique
to do this weekend?
Later
on today's program Brian McTavish of KC Confidential offers five
fun and unique
things to do in Kansas City this weekend.
It's what we call Up
to Date's weekend to do list.
KCRiverFest:
Gates open at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (fireworks 10:05 p.m. both
days). Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park, accessible from Missouri
Highways 9 and 210 and U.S. 169; Admission: $6, ages 5 and younger free.
Santana with Steve Winwood: 7 p.m. Sunday (fireworks following show). Starlight Theatre in Swope Park; Tickets: $39 to $249 (four pack: $24.75 each).
Brian McTavish follows popular culture in
the
belief that the search for significance can lead anywhere. Brian
explains, "I've written articles and reviews..., reviewed hundreds of
concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these high arts all sprang
from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget, Shakespeare was once
Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online magazine KC Confidential.
But how about Beaujolais and brats?
Riesling
and ribs? Champagne and charbroiled burgers? Merlot and
macaroni salad? OK... maybe that's going a little too far. But one
doesn't need to look much further for a good pairing of wine and summer
food than today's program with Doug Frost, host of KCPT TV's Kansas City version of "Check, Please!" and one of three people in
the world to hold the dual designation Master Sommelier and Master
of Wine.
Today, Frost joins guest host Stephen Steigman and Chef Ted Habiger of Room 39 for an in-studio
tasting and discussion about wine pairings (and beer, too) for your
summer gathering.
Whatever your plans entail - from a backyard barbecue to a large gathering under a tent or
a park picnic, you're sure to learn something new
about wine and discover a variety you might not have considered before.
Whatever your taste - just follow Doug's advice: "a good wine...
is one you like."
Additional
Information:
Doug Frost
is a Kansas City author who writes and lectures about wine, beer and
spirits. In 1991 he passed the rigorous Master Sommelier examination
and two years later became America 's eighth Master of Wine in the
American Midwest. He was the second person in history to complete both
exams and eight years later he is still one of only three people in the
world to have achieved both these remarkable distinctions.
The
two examinations test candidates' knowledge of wine and wine
production, storage, and marketing as well as requiring the candidates
to demonstrate their ability to describe, analyze and identify many
blind, or unidentified, wines. The tests are intensely difficult and
many of the brightest minds and palates in the wine industry are unable
to complete the programs. And now, according to USA Today , "Frost
likely knows as much as anyone in the world about how to make, market,
serve and identify wines."
Mr. Frost's love of wine began many
years ago as a waiter and wine steward, although he dates his first
interest to a glass of Louis Martini 1968 Special Select Pinot Noir
when he was fifteen years old. Frost was a fine wine wholesaler in the
Kansas City area for fourteen years and, in that capacity, represented
most of the best wineries and estates from America and the world.
His
most recent book, On Wine,
published by Rizzoli International, was released in the fall of 2001.
The Washington Post calls it "fabulous, witty, engaging and wise.
conveys more accumulated wine wisdom than most books 10 times as thick."
His
first book, Uncorking Wine,
was released in the summer of 1996, and is still a staple for many
restaurant and retail companies and their staff and management.
He
has
written about wine and spirits for many publications including New
York Times Digital, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Underground Wine
Journal, Practical Winery & Vineyard and is a columnist and
contributing editor for Sante Magazine, as well as the beverage
columnist for the Kansas City Star . He has written for many years for
local and national journals; specializing in art, food and music as
well as writing film reviews for Public Radio.
Frost is a
featured speaker at the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine seminars,
at many Wines from Spain events, at the annual Cheers Beverage
Conference, at the Telluride Wine Festival, for the Marriott Sommelier
Program and frequently lectures and consults for retailers, restaurants
and wholesalers around the country. He is the program director for the
Monterey Wine Festival, America's oldest continuous wine festival.
Frost
judges
for many wine competitions including the International Spirits
Competition, the Sonoma Harvest Fair, the San Francisco Wine
Competition, the San Diego Wine Competition, the Riverside
International Wine Competition, the Dallas Morning New Wine Competition
and is the director of the Jefferson Cup Invitational. He is also the
director of America 's Best Wine Lists, a wine list competition
sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
He
is
proud of the past two decades that he has spent educating the public
and wine and hospitality professionals in the United States, both in
his work and as a personal passion. In 1996, he was honored as a
nominee for the James Beard Award as Outstanding Wine and Spirits
Professional; past recipients include Robert Mondavi, Marvin Shanken,
Andre Tchelistcheff and Randall Graham.
His work history
reflects a lifetime in restaurants, in hotels, managing in-house and
off-site caterings and working in all levels of the wine, retail,
restaurant and hospitality industries.
Mr. Frost lives with his
wife and two children in Kansas City, where he spends his spare time
listening to his massive punk rock and weird music collection.
Ted Habiger began
his restaurant career as a server at the 75th Street Brewery in 1994
where he worked his way through bartender, line cook and sous chef. In
1995, he entered fine dining first as a line cook, then sous chef of
Steve Cole's Cafe Allegro. In 1997, he was named Chef de Cuisine and
held the position for three years. He was reviewed by the New York Times
travel section in December 1997 stating that Cafe Allegro was one of
the "best in the city, and... certainly is the top tier". The Kansas
City Star awarded him with three and a half stars. In May 2001, Ted
moved to New York City to work for Danny Meyer's renowned Union Square
Cafe. He trained under James Beard Award winner Michael Romano and chef
de cuisine Dan Silverman, becoming sous chef in late 2001. In 2003, Ted
moved back to Kansas City working part-time at 40 Sardines while he
launched Seasons Catering and Room 39 with Andy Sloan.
Cynthia
Haines' and Steve Walker's Three to See Favorite
Art, Independent and Foreign Films of the Week:
Cynthia:
Winter's Bone Ondine Mother and Child
Steve:
Exit Through the Gift Shop Winter's Bone Please Give
Inventing is a creative process. An open and curious mind enables
one to see beyond what is known.
Inventors think outside of the
box. As Thomas Edison put it, "There are no rules here - we're trying
to accomplish something new."
Today, we delve into the world of
inventors. Guest host Brian Ellison talks with Doug Hall, founder and CEO of the Eureka! Ranch, an
international invention agency, about the state of invention in the United States, how inventors get patents, and how they bring their products to market.
We also talk
with local inventors, Steve Pope and Carrie Jeske, about their creative processes and inventions.
The Inventors Club of Kansas City hosts its 5th annual National Invention Contest on August 3rd at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center. Click here for more information about the Club and details on how to enter the contest.
For more information
about Eureka! Ranch, click here.
Doug Hall began his inventing
career at age 12, inventing and selling a line of magic and juggling
kits. After earning a chemical engineering degree from the University of
Maine, he joined Procter & Gamble where he rose to the rank of
Master Marketing Inventor - inventing and shipping a record nine
innovations in 12 months using a disciplined system for thinking smarter
and more creatively about growth.
Hall is the founder and CEO of
the Eureka! Ranch, located in Cincinnati with offices in London, UK,
and Monterrey, Mexico. The Ranch is an "invention & research think
tank" that specializes in helping corporate leaders and real world
entrepreneurs develop Measurably Smarter choices for growth. Corporate
clients such as American Express, Ford, Nike and Walt Disney. It seems
to work - the Ranch has a world-class 88 percent client repeat rate and
surveys indicate the average American home uses 18 products or services
that Hall and his team have invented or reinvented.
For more information about Inventive Ideas, click here.
Carrie Jeske is founder and president of Inventive Ideas, a Kansas City,
Mo., C-Corporation that launches original products into the
market. Starting in 2000, she launched SportsShade, through the stages of
conceptual design, patenting, market research, prototype development,
and product distribution. She offers her experience through a line of
products and services designed to grow people and projects. SportsShade is market tested at 10,000 units averaging $200,000 annual
sales and is available for license or acquisition.
Steve Pope is native to Kansas City, married for 13 years with two children 10 and 8. With nearly 20 years experience, he is CEO of R2FACT Inc., www.r2fact.com a consulting firm in Kansas City, MO, specializing in Design, Engineering, Prototyping and Manufacturing from "Idea to Delivery" as well as Graphic and Web Site support for Marketing and Sales. He holds a MS in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology 1998 and BFA in Industrial Design from the University of KS 1991.
Sports fans have gone on something of a roller coaster ride over the
past few weeks with the unrest surrounding the Big 12, Pac-10 and Big
Ten conferences.
Last Monday afternoon, the Big 12
announced that it would survive and advance as a 10-team conference.
The
frenzy surrounding the fate of the conferences has brought up questions
about the business of college sports. A new report from the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics titled "Restoring the Balance: Dollars, Values, and the Future of College Sports" reveals huge disparities between spending on athletics and academics.
Today, guest host Brian
Ellison talks with Knight Commission executive director Amy Perko about the
commission's report that calls for financial reforms in college sports. Also joining us today is Larry Ganong, chair of MU's Intercollegiate Athletics Committee.
We will discuss the impact athletics have on
academics, recruitment, funding and the image of schools and their
communities.
Additional Information: Amy Perko has served as executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics since 2005 after contributing to the Commission's work as the associate director for nearly two years.
A member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame, Perko played basketball at Wake Forest and was named to the Academic All-America team three times and earned All-ACC honors twice.
After graduating from Wake Forest, Perko earned a master's degree from the University of Richmond.
She worked at the NCAA for more than six years, and then at the University of Kansas as the Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator. Perko left Kansas in 2001 to return to North Carolina when she was the first Team President named by the National Basketball Association for one of its men's basketball development teams, the Fayetteville Patriots.
Perko is married to Rick Perko and they have two daughters: Anna and Kate. Larry H. Ganong, Ph.D., is chair of MU's Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and professor of Nursing and Human Development and Family Studies. Ganong has been at MU for nearly 30 years. He is a leading authority on remarriage and stepfamily dynamics, having conducted research on stepfamilies for over three decades. He has authored or co-authored seven books and over 180 articles and book chapters. Many of these publications were written with his wife and colleague, Marilyn Coleman. In addition to publishing in academic journals, Ganong has written for popular magazines and conducted many workshops about remarriage and stepparenting in the United States and Great Britain.
Ganong has a joint appointment between Nursing and Human development and Family Studies. His research interests are multidisciplinary. Consequently, he has published his research in the journals of several disciplines, including nursing, family studies, psychology, sociology, health education, and counseling. He serves or has served on the editorial boards of the best family science journals (Journal of Marriage and Family, Family Relations, Journal of Family Issues), as well as on the boards of journals from nursing (Journal of Family Nursing) and other fields.
Divorce later in life is not as rare as you might think. In fact, it may well become more common as Americans live longer.
The news that Al and Tipper Gore are separating after 40 years of marriage is just another example of that.
Should people be married forever? Is the institution of marriage outdated?
Today, guest host Brian Ellison talks with Stephanie Coontz, professor of family studies at Evergreen State College and author of A History: How Love Conquered Marriage, and with Kansas City area marriage/family counselors about the institution of marriage.
Additional
Information:
For more information about Stephanie Coontz or her books, click here.
Stephanie Coontz teaches history and family studies at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., and is director of Research and Public Education for the Council on Contemporary Families, which she chaired from 2001-04. Coontz is the author of "A Strange Stirring": The Feminine Mystique and the Wives of "The Greatest Generation" (Basic Books, forthcoming 2010) and the award-winning Marriage, A History: How Love Conquered Marriage(Viking Press, 2005). She also wrote The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap (1992 and 2000, Basic Books), The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America's Changing Families (Basic Books, 1997), and The Social Origins of Private Life: A History of American Families . She edited American Families: A Multicultural Reader (Routledge, 2008). Her writings have been translated into French, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Czech, German, Norwegian, Turkish, Greek, Chinese, Ukrainian and Japanese.
Coontz has testified about her research before the House Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families in Washington, DC, and addressed audiences across America, Japan, Australia and Europe. She has appeared on the Today Show, Oprah Winfrey, Crossfire, 20/20, NPR, CNN's Talk Back Live, CBS This Morning, Leeza, the O-Reilly Factor and MSNBC with Brian Williams, as well as in several prime-time television documentaries, including ones hosted by Walter Cronkite and Barbara Walters. Most recently she appeared on CSPAN as one of the featured authors in the kickoff conference for "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Changes Everything." Coontz has published articles in the New York Times, The Observer/Guardian, The Times of London, Wall Street Journal, Salon, Washington Post, Newsweek, Harper's, Vogue, LIFE, Time-LIFE Books, and Mirabella, as well as in such academic and professional journals as Family Therapy Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, National Forum, and Journal of Marriage and Family.
Looking for something fun and unique to do
this weekend?
Later
on today's program Brian McTavish of KC Confidential
offers five events, concerts, gatherings or other interesting things
to do in Kansas City this weekend.
It's what we call Up
to Date's weekend to do list.
Up to
Date's Weekend To-Do List:
Roger Daltrey: 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway; Tickets: $20 to $95.
Art of the Car Concours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Kansas City Art Institute campus, 45th and Oak streets; Admission: $12, ages 10 and younger free (benefits KCAI student
scholarships).
Sprint Center Concert Weekend: Tool (progressive metal): 8 p.m. Friday; Tickets $49.50 and $59.50. Michael Buble (Sinatra-like pop): 8 p.m. Saturday; Tickets $49.50 to $89.50. Tim McGraw (country): 7 p.m. Sunday; Tickets $45 and $65. Sprint Center, 14th and Grand.
"Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story": New Theatre Restaurant. 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, 11:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday; Tickets: $32 to $51, depending on performance time.
Brian McTavish follows popular
culture in the belief that the search for significance can lead
anywhere. Brian explains, "I've written articles and reviews...,
reviewed hundreds of concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these
high arts all sprang from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget,
Shakespeare was once Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online
magazine KC
Confidential.
In need of a great way to kick back and relax this weekend?
Well, head to a local theater, avoid the heatwaves outside and enjoy a flick.
Today, film critics Cynthia Haines and Steve Walker discuss thelatest in art, independent, foreign and documentary films playing in area theaters.
You'll find a complete list of the films we talk about posted below Cynthia and Steve's "Three to See: Favorite Art, Independent and Foreign Films of the Week."
Cynthia
Haines' and Steve Walker's Three to See Favorite
Art, Independent and Foreign Films of the Week:
Cynthia:
Winter's Bone Ondine Mother and Child
Steve:
Exit Through the Gift Shop Winter's Bone Please Give
Political signs line our streets and campaign commercials flood the airwaves - it's election season in Kansas City. 
The recession we are in globally is the biggest one we've had since the Great Depression. 
The Federal Reserve System
was created by the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 and began operating in
1914. It is an unusual mixture of public and private elements.
Tom Hoenig joins historian Allan Meltzer, author of the two-volume series A History of the Federal Reserve and Crosby Kemper III this evening
for an event titled "Figuring Out the Fed", a public conversation on
the past, present and future of the Federal Reserve System.
For the first time in 25 years, medical experts are proposing a major change in the criteria for Alzheimer's disease, part of a new movement to diagnose and, eventually, treat the disease earlier. 
Alaturka was formed in 2009 with the vision of creating an equal "auditory handshake" between two musical cultures - American jazz and Turkish classical music. 
Also today, Frank Byrne, executive director of the Kansas City Symphony, returns with his picks for classical music you need to hear. 
Looking for something fun and unique to do
this weekend? 
Listen
Podcast
Chris Lester
is senior vice president/business growth with the Greater Kansas City
Chamber of Commerce. Lester joined the Chamber in April 2009 after
serving for a decade as assistant managing editor/business with The Kansas City Star.
In his new role at the Chamber, Lester oversees a variety of small
business, entrepreneurship, mentoring, workforce development,
international trade and economic research programs. He also authors
blog and twitter accounts focusing on the regional economy and business
growth.
Stephanie Kelton
is a Ph.D. economist with keen analytical skills and an international
reputation. A respected author and an acclaimed educator, Stephanie is
widely praised for her public policy analysis. Stephanie is employed
an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and
she is a Research Scholar at the prestigious Levy Economics Institute
in New York. Her writings have been published in countless books,
journals, encyclopedias and magazines. She is considered an expert in
the areas of public finance, financial accounting, economic development
and international finance. 
William Arnold Barnett
is an American economist whose current work is in the field of chaos,
bifurcation, and nonlinearity in socioeconomic contexts, as well as the
study of the aggregation problem.
Tom Hoenig,
a Kansas City resident who serves as the top executive of the Federal
Reserve district serving the region, joined the Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation Board of Trustees in 2003.
John C. Morris,
M.D., is the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished
Professor of Neurology, professor of pathology and ommunology and of
physical therapy, and director of the Alzheimer Disease Research
Center, Center for Aging, the Memory and Aging Project, and the Memory
Diagnostic Center at Washington University in St. Louis. He is also
director of the multi-institutional Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's
Network. Morris was a 1974 graduate of the University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry. He completed residencies in internal
medicine and in neurology and neuropathology, the latter with Maurice
Victor and Betty Banker at the Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital.
He came to Washington University in 1982 as a postdoctoral fellow in
neuropharmacology, training with James Ferrendelli, and joined the
Memory and Aging Project under the direction of Leonard Berg in 1984.
Brian McTavish follows popular
culture in the belief that the search for significance can lead
anywhere. Brian explains, "I've written articles and reviews...,
reviewed hundreds of concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these
high arts all sprang from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget,
Shakespeare was once Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online
magazine 
It's a big week in Kansas City. 
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. 
Some
scholars say integrated churches are rare because attending one is like
tiptoeing through a racial minefield. Just like in society, racial
tensions in the church can erupt over everything from sharing power to
interracial dating.
Kansas
City is quickly becoming a hub for artistic expression. The new
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Nerman Museum of
Contemporary Art and even a new artistic director at The Kansas City
Repertory Theatre have helped keep a buzz in the air.
In need of a great way to kick back and relax this weekend?
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II
is currently serving his third term representing the Fifth District of
Missouri in the House of Representatives and sits on the exclusive
Financial Services Committee, Homeland Security Committee and the
Speaker's Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
Lewis Diuguid is the author of A Teacher's Cry: Expose the Truth About Education Today. He has been a journalist for more than 30 years and serves as vice president for community resources at The Kansas City Star. 
Benjamin Todd Jealous
grew up believing that there was no higher calling than to further the
cause of freedom in this country and in the world. Now, as the 17th
President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAACP, and the youngest
person to hold the position in the organization's nearly 100-year
history, Jealous is well positioned to answer the call.
Steve Paul
is a senior writer and arts editor for the Kansas City Star. From 1994
- 1998 Steve worked as the Star's Deputy Features Editor. 
Harlan Brownlee,
President and CEO of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City,
possesses a passion for the arts guided by a disciplined approach to
change. Understanding the transformational power that the arts have to
improve the quality of life for a community, he has lead the Arts
Council of Metropolitan Kansas City in developing community
partnerships dedicated to insuring access to the arts and cultural
development for the region. Brownlee has worked for more than twenty
years in the arts education field as a performing artist, educator, and
arts administrator. From 2005 to 2009, he served as the Executive
Director for Kansas City Young Audiences, a non-profit dedicated to
engaging all youth in the arts, promoting creativity, and inspiring
success in education.
Alex Morales is Corporate Creative Director for Townsend Communications and its publication, KC Studio magazine. 
Up to Date is off for the Independence Day holiday.
Today, Steve Kraske sits down with Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who is in town for a conference about cancer treatments and trials. We will talk with her about health care reform, Medicare and other prominent issues facing the country. 
Because
of the recession, we've hit the time when Social Security is paying out
more than it takes in - seven years ahead of schedule. And the boomers
haven't even hit regular retirement age yet. 
Soon election season will be in full swing. Now is the time to get updated on the key issues and candidates.
In the process of acquiring tremendous wealth and fame, how did Playboy founder Hugh Hefner alter American life and values? 
Up to Date's DVD Gurus
are back with their favorite sports movies. We will be bringing you the
classics that you need to watch or re-watch this summer like
"Caddyshack," "Tyson" and, of course, "Rocky." 
Robert L. Bixby is executive director of The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility.
Dave Helling
has been involved in radio, television and print media since 1977.
Currently, he is multi-media reporter for The Kansas City Star,
providing videos for web, as well as regular contributions to the print
edition. He produced the "Truthwatch" series of stories, examining
claims made in political advertising and is a longtime political and
government reporter. 
Burdett Loomis is a professor of political science at the University of Kansas, where he has taught since 1979. 
Micheal Mahoney
started at KMBC in February of 1980. Before coming to Kansas City, he
worked at the WOI-TV, the ABC affiliate in Des Moines-Ames, Iowa from
1978-1980. He was there 2 years, and during part of that time, he was
the Des Moines bureau chief which means he was in charge of the
coverage of the Iowa State government.
Professor Steven Watts specializes in the cultural and intellectual history
of the United States. He has published articles and essays in the American Quarterly, Journal of American History, Journal of the Early Republic and American Studies. 
Estate planning: The process of anticipating and arranging for the disposal of an estate.
The Missouri River is a vital resource to the state, providing more than 50 percent of all Missourians with their drinking water.
A new study has found that as Americans are gaining more body fat, so are their babies. 
Many environmental, social and economic problems either stem from or are increased in magnitude by overpopulation.
Looking for something fun and unique
to do this weekend? 
Beer
and brats? Sure.
Tommy W. Taylor
has more than 30 years of experience in estate and business planning
for owners of small- to medium-sized closely held businesses. 
Dan Sturdevant
has almost 35 years of experience in the areas of probate and trust
administration of decedent estates; conservatorship estates and living
trusts; estate planning and general practice.
Dr. Elaine Carroll is a native of Chicago. She graduated from Rush Medical
College
in Chicago in the top 10 percent of her class. She completed
her residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology
at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in
1993. 
Julia Whitty
was born in Bogota, Colombia, and emigrated as a child to the United
States with her Tasmanian father and Anglo-Indian mother. She holds
dual American and Australian citizenships.
Robert Walker is the Executive Vice President of the 
Steven W. Mosher, president of the 
Brian McTavish follows popular culture in
the
belief that the search for significance can lead anywhere. Brian
explains, "I've written articles and reviews..., reviewed hundreds of
concerts, films and plays. And the thing is, these high arts all sprang
from the pop culture of their day. Don't forget, Shakespeare was once
Spielberg." Brian is a contributor to the online magazine 
Doug Frost
is a Kansas City author who writes and lectures about wine, beer and
spirits. In 1991 he passed the rigorous Master Sommelier examination
and two years later became America 's eighth Master of Wine in the
American Midwest. He was the second person in history to complete both
exams and eight years later he is still one of only three people in the
world to have achieved both these remarkable distinctions.
Ted Habiger began
his restaurant career as a server at the 75th Street Brewery in 1994
where he worked his way through bartender, line cook and sous chef. In
1995, he entered fine dining first as a line cook, then sous chef of
Steve Cole's Cafe Allegro. In 1997, he was named Chef de Cuisine and
held the position for three years. He was reviewed by the New York Times
travel section in December 1997 stating that Cafe Allegro was one of
the "best in the city, and... certainly is the top tier". The Kansas
City Star awarded him with three and a half stars. In May 2001, Ted
moved to New York City to work for Danny Meyer's renowned Union Square
Cafe. He trained under James Beard Award winner Michael Romano and chef
de cuisine Dan Silverman, becoming sous chef in late 2001. In 2003, Ted
moved back to Kansas City working part-time at 40 Sardines while he
launched Seasons Catering and Room 39 with Andy Sloan. 
Inventing is a creative process. An open and curious mind enables
one to see beyond what is known. 
Sports fans have gone on something of a roller coaster ride over the
past few weeks with the unrest surrounding the Big 12, Pac-10 and Big
Ten conferences. 
Books hold the power to influence children, shaping their lives in a way few other things can.
Divorce later in life is not as rare as you might think. In fact, it may well become more common as Americans live longer. 
Doug Hall began his inventing
career at age 12, inventing and selling a line of magic and juggling
kits. After earning a chemical engineering degree from the University of
Maine, he joined Procter & Gamble where he rose to the rank of
Master Marketing Inventor - inventing and shipping a record nine
innovations in 12 months using a disciplined system for thinking smarter
and more creatively about growth.
Carrie Jeske is founder and president of 
Steve Pope is native to Kansas City, married for 13 years with two children 10 and 8. With nearly 20 years experience, he is CEO of R2FACT Inc., www.r2fact.com a consulting firm in Kansas City, MO, specializing in Design, Engineering, Prototyping and Manufacturing from "Idea to Delivery" as well as Graphic and Web Site support for Marketing and Sales. He holds a MS in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology 1998 and BFA in Industrial Design from the University of KS 1991.
Amy Perko has served as executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics since 2005 after contributing to the Commission's work as the associate director for nearly two years. 
Larry H. Ganong, Ph.D., is chair of MU's Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and professor of Nursing and Human Development and Family Studies. Ganong has been at MU for nearly 30 years. He is a leading authority on remarriage and stepfamily dynamics, having conducted research on stepfamilies for over three decades. He has authored or co-authored seven books and over 180 articles and book chapters. Many of these publications were written with his wife and colleague, Marilyn Coleman. In addition to publishing in academic journals, Ganong has written for popular magazines and conducted many workshops about remarriage and stepparenting in the United States and Great Britain.
Stephanie Coontz teaches history and family studies at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., and is director of Research and Public Education for the Council on Contemporary Families, which she chaired from 2001-04. Coontz is the author of "A Strange Stirring": The Feminine Mystique and the Wives of "The Greatest Generation" (Basic Books, forthcoming 2010) and the award-winning Marriage, A History: How Love Conquered Marriage(Viking Press, 2005). She also wrote The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap (1992 and 2000, Basic Books), The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America's Changing Families (Basic Books, 1997), and The Social Origins of Private Life: A History of American Families . She edited American Families: A Multicultural Reader (Routledge, 2008). Her writings have been translated into French, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Czech, German, Norwegian, Turkish, Greek, Chinese, Ukrainian and Japanese.