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THIS WEEK ON THE INFINITE MIND:

Lupus: The Great Pretender (Broadcast beginning the week of October 8, 2008) A woman travels from doctor to doctor complaining of aches and pains, confusion and depression, and is told repeatedly that there’s nothing wrong with her. But there’s something seriously wrong. It’s Lupus, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the body’s soft tissue and can dramatically affect the brain and behavior as well. Guest host Dr. Fred Goodwin explores a disease known as “The Great Pretender,” a disease with an array of baffling symptoms that make accurate and timely diagnosis difficult. Lupus is one of many autoimmune disorders including Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid arthritis which affect more than 8.5 million people in the United States. Dr. Goodwin’s guests include Amy Butler Greenfield, a Massachusetts-based writer with Lupus, and Virginia Ladd, president of the Autoimmune Disease Association. Lupus expert Dr. Daniel Wallace discusses the effects of Lupus on the brain and behavior as well as potential new therapies. We hear from actress Kellie Martin whose younger sister, Heather, died in 1998 of complications from Lupus. We also speak with Gail Bruner and Dr. Robert Scofield of the National Native American Lupus Project, about the impact that Lupus has on Native Americans and John Hunter Bear Gray, a Native American civil rights activist who is living with Lupus. Dr. Ann Traynor of the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center talks about the exciting results from stem cell transplants in people with severe Lupus symptoms. And commentary from Eugenie Seifer Olson, a Boston- based writer whose real-life experiences with Lupus turn up in the pages of her novel, The Pajama Game.

PAST SHOWS ON THE INFINITE MIND:

Dying Before Our Eyes (Broadcast beginning the week of October 1, 2008) This week on The Infinite Mind, "Dying Before Our Eyes." We hear from health experts who tell us that incredibly people with serious mental illnesses are dying 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. Plus a look at the common medical conditions causing these deaths. What are they, and how can they be prevented? And with this alarming mortality rate for this segment of the American population, why isn't more being done to address the problem? We speak with Linda Rosenberg, President and CEO of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare; Dr. Benjamin Druss, Rosalynn Carter Chair, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University; and Dr. Joe Parks, Medical Director of the Missouri Department of Public Health.

 

Satisfaction (Broadcast beginning the week of September 17, 2008) In this hour, we explore Satisfaction. If, in the immortal words of the apparently immortal "Rolling Stones," you feel you "can't get no... satisfaction" you're not alone. Research suggests that when it comes to pursuing satisfaction, many Americans are going the wrong way. It seems we would do well to rethink expectations, scale back on options, and be grateful for what we have. Guests include Dr. Barry Schwartz, professor of social theory and social action, Swarthmore College; Dr. David Myers, professor of psychology, Hope College, Michigan and Dr. Mike McCullough, associate professor of psychology and religion, University of Miami; philosopher-diva, singer-songwriter Nora York; veteran restaurant reviewer Mimi Sheraton; and storyteller Peninnah Schram. Plus commentary from John Hockenberry.

Hearing (Broadcast beginning the week of September 10, 2008) Guests include Dr. Brenda Ryals, a professor and hearing researcher at James Madison University; Dr. Albert Bregman, a professor of psychology and hearing researcher at McGill University in Montreal, Canada; Dr. Sarah Woolley, a postdoctoral fellow in Behavioral Neurobiology at The University of California at Berkeley; Dr. Natan Bauman, the founder and director of The Hearing, Balance and Speech Center in Connecticut; Ms. Kathy Peck, the founder of the grassroots organization H.E.A.R - Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers; Dr. David Silbersweig, a neurologist and psychiatrist who directs the neuropsychiatry program at Cornell University; and Mr. Randy Thom, a re-recording mixer and sound designer for Skywalker Sound, a division of Lucas Digital. Commentator John Hockenberry explains why he thinks, of all the senses "it's clear that hearing has the most imagination."

Taking Games Seriously Broadcast beginning the week of August 13, 2008 We look at video games and new research about what sort of threat they pose to society. We also hear from a leading expert in education and video technology who says that integrating video games into our school system is critical for helping children become competittive in a global economy, and researchers who are designing a new breed of video games that can put children into professional careers in virtual worlds. We are joined by Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson, co-founders of the Center for Mental Health and Media in Boston, Dr. David Williamson Shaffer, of University of Wisconsin, who is developing "serious" games that help children learn, and Gina Navoa Svarovsky and Padraig Nash of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with a student who has played the "epistemic" games.

Hypochondria Broadcast beginning the week of July 16, 2008 It's the butt of jokes and the bane of the medical community, but hypochondria is a real illness, and people with it suffer real pain. We'll explore everything from the history of the disorder to the latest treatments. Guests include: Dr. Arthur Barsky, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the director of psychosomatic research at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston; Carla Cantor, the author of "Phantom Illness: Recognizing, Understanding, and Overcoming Hypochondria"; Dr. Susan Baur, the author of "Hypochondria: Woeful Imaginings"; and Gene Weingarten, a humor columnist for The Washington Post and the author of "The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death."

Telling Their Stories (Broadcast beginning the week of June 18, 2008) We will hear from Rita Charon, the Director and Founder of the Program in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University's Department of Medicine, along with one of her patients; Rafael Campo, director of the Harvard Program in the Medical Humanities; James W. Pennebaker. Professor and Chair Department of Psychology The University of Texas Austin; and Dr. Craig Irvine, director of education at Center for Family Medicine at Columbia and a core faculty member at Columbia's Program in Narrative Medicine.    We are also joined by Dr. Dan McAdams, professor of psychology and human development at Northwestern University. His research focuses on how adults construct narratives to give shape and meaning to their lives. He looks at the way the story is told -- its structure and content -- and its correlation with various indexes of personal and social functioning. He has written or edited 12 books, including The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live By, which won the American Psychological Association's 2006 William James Award.

Foods and Moods (Broadcast beginning the week of May 14, 2008) This week on The Infinite Mind, a special encore broadcast, as we look at Foods and Moods. Just thinking about eating your favorite foods can make you feel good. Now, scientists are unearthing surprising links between the foods you eat and behavior. We'll hear about the latest research. Noted food critic and Gourmet magazine editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl starts the show with a reading about comfort food. Then, on a low carb diet? Feeling irritable or even blue? You are probably not alone. We speak with two M.I.T. researchers, Richard Wurtman, MD and Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., who have investigated the possible links between serotonin and carbohydrate cravings, and explain why low carb diets might be making people crabby or even depressed. Also, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, the National Institutes of Health researcher who helped first identify the link between Omega-3 fatty acids and depression, reveals new research indicating that eating fish may reduce violence in society. Plus, a visit to one of New York's hottest new restaurants, "Public," which has won awards for a mood that compliments the food. And we'll hear from Johns Hopkins anthropologist Dr. Sidney Mintz about the social role of food in cultures throughout the world, from "sinful" foods to why customers in Asia flock to McDonalds even though people may not like the food.

Rewiring the Brain II (Broadcast beginning the week of May 7, 2008) A decade after The Infinite Mind first looked at the "neuroplasticity" of the brain (it's ability to rewire itself), we revisit the subject, and look at the bold, new breakthroughs in our understanding and practical uses of this science. Host Dr. Fred Goodwin speaks with Dr. Norman Doidge, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst at Columbia University and the University of Toronto, and author of the New York Times bestseller, "The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph From the Frontiers of Brain Science," who chronicles how "people rewire their brains with their thoughts, to cure previously incurable obsessions and traumas." Plus a look at neuroplasticity and meditation. We hear from Sharon Begley, science writer for Newsweek magazine and co-author with of "The Mind and The Brain: Neuroplasticity and The Power of Mental Force." She is also author of "Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves." She is joined by Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the Mayo Clinic's Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program. And we'll hear about brain gyms and mind exercises from Dr. Larry McCleary, a neurosurgeon and author of "The Brain Trust Program:  A Scientifically Based Three-Part Plan to Improve Memory, Elevate Mood, Enhance Attention, Alleviate Migraine and Menopausal Symptoms, and Boost Mental Energy." He joins us with "news you can use" about building connections in your brain, fighting off dementia, and ending up smarter than most in your old age.

Educating Dick and Jane (Broadcast beginning the week of April 23, 2008) This week on The Infinite Mind, “Educating Dick and Jane.” We'll look at the latest science about how boys and girls learn, the similarities and differences. Host Dr. Fred Goodwin is joined by Louann Brizendine MD, Director of the Women's Mood and Hormone Clinic of the University of California at San Francisco, and author of the book "The Female Brain," who details how the less than 1% difference in genetic coding influences stark differences between how boys and girls learn. Plus, a special report on single sex schools. How well do they work? And "news you can use" for parents from leading child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan about tailoring the learning environment to the strengths of the child.

A Different Sports Legacy: Head Traumas and Concussions (Broadcast beginning the week of April 9, 2008) This week on The Infinite Mind, “A Different Sports Legacy: Head Traumas and Concussions.” What happens when you play rough with your brain? We will hear from leading researchers about the links between concussions, memory loss and depression. And we hear first-hand experiences of what it's like to "get your bell rung" on the NFL playing field. Plus, the latest on preventing sports-related head trauma. Joining host Dr. Fred Goodwin is Dr. Robert Cantu, Chief of Neurosurgery Service and Director of Sports Medicine, Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA, and author of 300 publications on concussions. We also speak with Dr. Julian Bailes, chair of the West Virginia University Department of Neuosurgery and Dr. Benett Omalu, of University of California at Davis, regarding landmark research into the brains of deceased NFL players, which reveal startling links between concussions, and mood and memory disorders. We also speak with NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who discusses his own experience, and whether a sports career is worth the risk of concussions; sports agent Lee Steinberg, who represents Moon, and Troy Aikman, and has been an outspoken critic of current safety standards, and we talk with Chris Nowinski, a former Harvard wrestler, turned World Wrestling Federation competitor ("Joe Harvard"), about his quest to warn other athletes about the potentially lethal dangers he’s experienced and uncovered in others. Plus, a doctor from the Centers for Disease Control on how parents can protect their children from concussions on the playing field.

Prozac Nation: Revisited (Broadcast beginning the week of March 26, 2008) This week on The Infinite Mind: Prozac Nation: Revisited. In the wake of new high-profile violent acts by people taking anti-depressant medications, including the recent Northern Illinois University shootings, and new research on antidepressant medications and their possible link to "suicidality," we look at the science on the connection between antidepressants and violent behavior. Is there a link between antidepressants and suicide? The answer may surprise you. Joining us are Nada Stotland, president of the American Psychiatric Association; Peter Pitts, a former FDA official who participated in the administration’s labeling of antidepressants as dangerous, who is now director of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and a public relations consultant to pharmaceutical companies; and Andrew Leuchter, director of the Laboratory of Brain, Behavior, and Pharmacology and Senior Research Scientist at UCLA, who has studied how press coverage and public alarm about antidepressants affects the nation’s health and willingness to be treated for real, life threatening illnesses. Note: At the time this show was produced, we were unaware that Mr. Pitts is currently engaged in public relations activities for pharmaceutical companies. The Infinite Mind regrets this omission from the original program.

Handedness (Broadcast beginning the week of March 5, 2008) What do Leonardo da Vinci, Oprah Winfrey, and The Infinite Mind's host all have in common? They're all left-handed. This show explores what handedness reveals about how the brain works. Boxers Mike Smith and Christina Beccles from Gleason's Boxing Gym reflect on why it is that "southpaws are like a plague in boxing." Dr. Stanley Coren, Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, discusses pathological left-handedness and what he calls "the left-handed syndrome." Dr. Daniel Geschwind, Director of Neurogenetics at the University of California, Los Angeles, explores the link between handedness and language. Wordsmith Richard Lederer comments on "when you're right, you're right" and other gauche assumptions. And Dr. Stephen Christman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toledo in Ohio, talks about why what hand you rely on may be less significant than how strongly you rely on it... and the surprising links between handedness and memory.

	ALTRUISM (broadcast beginning the week of February 27, 2008) Is everything we do motivated by selfishness? Can a person ever act only in the best interest of another person? And when we do charitable acts -- such as giving money to a homeless person - is that a truly selfless act?

BODY CLOCKS (beginning February 20, 2008 ) Think better in the afternoon? Sleep better in the winter? Suffer jet lag? That’s because you have not one but several internal clocks, or brain cells controlling the timing of your behavior. In this show, host Dr. Fred Goodwin explores the mysterious phenomenon of “body clocks.”Finally, our commentator John Hockenberry says, "Throw away your alarm clocks!" He's got something better – the Millennium 3000 Big Ben Body Chromolite Circadian Clock Adjuster. It keeps him so refreshed and awake that he never needs to sleep at all.

	TOURETTE'S SYNDROME (broadcast starting February 13, 2008) The guttural noises, the sudden jerks of the head, and arms . . . the occasional curse word. This week’s host Dr. Fred Goodwin explores what's behind the constant need for motion and the uncontrollable urges which typify Tourette's Syndrome.

WOMEN AND MENTAL ILLNESS (Broadcast beginning the week of February 6, 2008) Women are more likely to have clinical depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. And their roles - particularly as mothers – can further compound their mental health problems. This program explores both the biological and social forces shaping women’s experience of mental illness. Guests include Charlotte Willis, a mother and participant in the Thresholds Mothers Program, Rush Medical College professor of psychiatry Nada Stotland, documentary maker and women’s studies professor, Allie Light, and Harvard University psychiatrist Lee Cohen.

AN EDUCATED CONSUMER (broadcast beginning January 30, 2008) Right now in the United States, tens of millions of Americans live as part of a minority group that is routinely denied jobs, housing and basic human rights. This group has no widely recognized leaders, no Martin Luther King, Susan B. Anthony or Cesar Chavez. For the 44 million Americans living with mental illness, change is coming through the efforts of unsung heroes and revolutionary, grass-roots approaches to transformation. Plus commentary from John Hockenberry.

PERFECT PITCH (broadcast beginning January 23, 2008) Why can some people name a note as soon as they hear it when others can't tell one from another? In this hour, we'll explore the mysterious ability known as perfect pitch. A cellist with perfect pitch will give a guided tour through the notes and keys. We'll also hear from a psychologist and geneticist who have different ideas about how many people have perfect pitch and why. And a report on Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which can cause physical and mental problems - and a sensitivity to music and pitch. Guests include: Gordon Grubb, a cellist with the Grossmont Symphony; Dr. Dan Levitin, a record producer and psychology professor at McGill University; Dr. Peter Gregersen, Chief of the Division of Biology and Human Genetics North Shore University Hospital; Dr. Ursula Bellugi, professor and director of the laboratory for cognitive neuroscience at the Salk Institute; Dr. Glen Schellenberg, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto; and Dr. Howard Lenhoff, professor emeritus at the University of California at Irvine.

Shoplifting (Broadcast beginning the week of January 16, 2008) This week on The Infinite Mind we’re talking about Shoplifting. We explore the science behind the urge to steal, and the paradox of how a petty crime and a compulsive behavior remain celebrated in our society. Host Dr. Peter Kramer discusses shoplifting as a teen rite of passage with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, and speaks with director and star of the film "Thirteen," Catherine Hardwicke and Nikki Reed who give us their take on why teens steal. Criminologist Richard Hollinger details the motives behind shoplifting and tracks the billions of dollars of losses to the retail industry. And, psychiatrists Dr. Jon Grant and Dr. Eric Hollander dissect what’s going on in the brains of people with kleptomania. Historian Elaine Abelson takes us back 200 years to the origins of the kleptomania diagnosis and explains how wealthy shoplifting women used biology as a defense in court. And comedian and jazz singer Lea Delaria performs her take on Jane’s Addiction’s hit college rock song Been Caught Stealin’. With commentary from John Hockenberry.

	THE JOB FOR YOU (broadcast starting the week of December 26, 2007) Looking for a new job? Wish you were? Afraid you will be? This week on The Infinite Mind, we focus on how to find "The Job For You." Plus John Hockenberry offers thoughts on what constitutes the perfect job: volunteering.

STORYTELLING (broadcast starting December 12, 2007) The magic words "once upon a time" transport us to other worlds and other times. Storytelling is the primary technology of a preliterate age and has traveled through time to make its mark on history. Our brain constructs images and puts them into a narrative flow; our body projects those images onto an audience in front of the hearth, around a fire, sitting in the kitchen or on a stage. Guests include Diane Wolkstein, a master storyteller from New York City; Dr. Joseph Sobol, director of the Storytelling Graduate Program at East Tennessee State University and author of "The Storytellers' Journey: An American Revival;" Donald Davis, one of the nation's foremost storytellers; and Linda Blackman, founder and director of The Mothers' Living Stories Project. With commentary by John Hockenberry.

	PEACE (broadcast starting December 5, 2007) It's easy to say "give peace a chance," but why is that so hard to do? This week, The Infinite Mind explores the art and science of resolving interpersonal conflicts peacefully, examine some common obstacles to peace, sit in on a mediation session between a landlord and his angry tenant, and probe the role of interfaith dialogue in promoting peace.

REMEMBERNG ALZHEIMER'S: A SPECIAL REPORT (broadcast starting November 28, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, a new, special report on the effects of Alzheimer's Disease on one family, and the latest news on breakthroughs in research and treatments for the disorder. "Remembering Alzheimer's" features American Public Media's Brian Newhouse who examines the impact that Alzheimer's had on his father and family. The show also includes conversations with leading researcher Dr. Marilyn Albert, Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Dr. Peter Reed, Senior Director of Programs for the National Alzheimer's Association. Additionally, we hear a dramatic and gripping first-person account of what it's like to live with Alzheimer's, from James Smith, 47 years old, a former executive with American Express who was recently diagnosed with the illness.

MUSIC OF THE INFINITE MIND # 3 (Broadcast starting week of October 31, 2007) In our third annual presentation of musical artists who have visited the studios of The Infinite Mind to perform and discuss their songs, we travel from Bernstein to Broadway, Nashville to the West Village ... and to the East Village as well. The program begins with Linda Muggleston singing "100 Easy Ways to Lose a Man" from the Leonard Bernstein's first Broadway show, the Tony-award winning Wonderful Town. Muggleston performed the song before a live audience of 3,500 at our State of Mind: America 2004 presentation at Radio City Music Hall in May 2004. Carrie Newcomer shares two songs, both of them for our show on dreams: "Sparrow" and "Moon Over Tuscon." Longtime New York singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega explains the inspirations and meaning behind her ballad "The Queen and The Soldier," while the Nashville group BR5-49 takes us back to the 1950s with a performance of Hank Williams' great hit, "Your Cheatin' Heart." Next, we return to Radio City Music Hall and our live State of Mind: America 2004 production and a visit from the cast of the surprising Broadway musical hit, Avenue Q. In the Tony Award-winning play, a crew of puppets living in New York's East Village offer up a kind of Sesame Street for adults as they explore the word of the day, "Schadenfreude," German for those who gain pleasure in the misery of others. Nora York is a singer, composer, and vocal teacher in New York. She joins us to perform one of her signature pieces, "What I Want," from our program on "Satisfaction." Dublin-born Susan McKeown uses the music of tradition to explore her desire to be a mother in "Mother of Mine," from The Infinite Mind program "Pregnancy and the Mind." From the Tony award-winning musical Wicked (the story of Oz told from the standpoint of the witch), Eden Espinosa performs the show-stopping "The Wizard and I" at our State of Mind live broadcast at Radio City Music Hall. Finally, longtime The Infinite Mind commentator John Hockenberry (with guitar) ruminates on the true measure of fame, as he pictures his own life as TV biography (guitar and all!)

ASPERGER'S SYNDROME: A SPECIAL REPORT (Part Two of Two) beginning September 19, 2007 In one of our most important programs to date, this second of a two-part special report on Asperger’s Syndrome offers a groundbreaking and extraordinary look at Asperger's in children and young adults. We meet Anders, a 17-year-old boy with Asperger’s, and his mother Carol, who talks about her surprise when Anders suddenly began speaking like a professor and using four-syllable words.  We also speak with film producer Robert Lawrence, about his forthcoming film, Mozart and the Whale, starring Josh Hartnett and co-written by "Rain Man" screenwriter Ron Bass, which tells the tale of Donald and Isabelle, two "Aspies in love." Dr. Stanley Greenspan, founder of the DIR/Floortime approach, explains how children with autistic disorders can significantly build their capacity for emotional understanding and interpersonal connections through intensive play. Dr. Richard Howlin, a psychologist who works with teens with Asperger's, talks about the special challenges it poses with family, school, peers and especially dating.  Finally, summing up the two-part series is commentator and visionary Howard Bloom, who reaches back to his childhood in Buffalo, and even further back to the dawn of man, to examine the lessons each of us can glean from our own handicaps and weaknesses.

ASPERGER'S SYNDROME: A SPECIAL REPORT (Part One of Two) (Broadcast beginning September 12, 2007) “Let’s not use the word ‘cure’ if you don’t mind… When you talk about cure you imply that we’re broken. I don’t feel broken.” So says Liane Holliday Willey, a woman who not so long ago would have been described as a “victim” of Asperger’s Syndrome. It’s been more than 60 years since the Austrian doctor Hans Asperger identified the condition that bears his name, but it has only been in the past decade or so that we have begun to understand its broader implications. Asperger’s Syndrome may be a part of the autistic spectrum, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that an “Aspie” can’t function in the world. In this, the first in a two-part special report on Asperger’s Syndrome, we hear from Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen, a researcher at Cambridge University, on recent advances in recognizing the condition. We meet Dr. Michael Fitzgerald of Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, a child psychiatrist who’s made quite a stir diagnosing Asperger’s Syndrome among the dead. Then, in a panel discussion, three adults – Liane Holliday Willey, Stephen Shore, and Michael John Carley – talk about growing up as loners with Asperger’s. Now they celebrate their membership in the community of “Aspies.” Finally, in a commentary, Dr. Arthur Caplan, head of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, asks, “If you could go back in time and stop the birth of the world’s most famous nerd, would you have done so?”

Four Lives III (Broadcast beginning the week of September 5, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, Four Lives III, the story of four remarkable people whose lives were made extraordinary following their unexpected encounter with a disorder of the mind. Portia Iversen was an Emmy Award-winning set designer and writer, married to a top action film director. But when her three year-old son was diagnosed with autism, their lives changed forever, and they set out to change the way America dealt with the disorder. Later, when Portia heard about a young boy from India who had learned to communicate despite his profound autism, her life, and that of her son, changed dramatically again, the result of a miraculous and controversial method of communications. Alice Petree and Linda Gregory lived in the same small east Florida community, knew people at the same church, and easily could have been friends. But their paths never crossed until an unspeakable tragedy occurred involving Alice’s brother Alan, and Linda’s husband Gene. A shooting left Alan, struggling with schizophrenia, and Gene, a sheriff’s deputy both dead. The two women made it their life’s work to help change the way law enforcement respond to people affected by mental illness. Jeff Bell is a successful broadcast journalist. But following the birth of his daughter, he found himself becoming obsessed with insignificant events, and news stories he was covering. Later, he figured out that he is one of four million Americans living with OCD. Now, through public talks and a new book, Jeff tells his story to help others.

Humor (Broadcast beginning the week of August 28, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, what makes "funny funny?" We hear from several of America's leading comedians and researchers studying humor and the brain. Host Dr. Fred Goodwin's guests include Margaret Cho, an experienced stand-up performer, filling clubs throughout the country. She's released two albums of her comedy material and starred in a network television sit-com and an HBO special. Also, Phil Proctor and Peter Bergman, original members of the legendary Firesign Theater, a group of four comics who first came to fame on the underground FM airwaves of the late 1960s and 1970s. Their humor is surreal, absurdist, and satirical, with plenty of wordplay. They've been called the Marx Brothers of the baby-boom generation. Also, essayst Anne Beatts, and leading researchers who study the neuroscience of humor.

Money and the Mind (Broadcast beginning the week of August 21, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, we explore Money and the Mind. Can you "buy" happiness? How does money change people, for better and worse? Guests include: behavioral economists Dr. Eldar Shafir, Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University, Dr. Robert Frank, Professor of Economics, Ethics and Public Policy at Cornell University, and Dr. Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick in England; James Cramer, co-founder of TheStreet.com and SmartMoney magazine; and writer Sandra Cisneros.

 

Genius (Broadcast beginning the week of August 14, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind: Genius. We see it in figures as different - and distant - as Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein: a rare combination of unusual intelligence, remarkable insight, and amazing inventiveness. It's called genius, and most of us, at one point or another, wish we had it. But what is genius, and where does it come from? Are there many types of genius? Guests include Dr. Dean Keith Simonton, Dr. Ellen Winner, Dr. Darold Treffert, and Dr. Harold Bloom. Plus commentary by John Hockenberry.

Time (Broadcast beginning the week of August 7, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, time is something we're all familiar with. We observe it, mark it, wish for more or less of it, and even try to escape it. Our relationship with time is constantly changing. But what is time, and why do we measure it as we do? How does our perception of time influence our behavior? And with recent scientific advances, including the discovery of "black holes," time travel may be closer than you think! Guests include Dr. Anthony Aveni, an astronomer and anthropologist who studies time-keeping and the history of humans' relationship to time; Dr. Philip Zimbardo, professor of psychology at Stanford University and author of the Zimbardo Time Perception Inventory which measures the relationship between time perception and behavior; Dr. Clifford Pickover, science fiction novelist, and staff member at IBM’s T. J. Watson Research Center; Dr. Paul Hudson, co-founder of the International Time Capsule Society, who discusses the first modern time capsule and its eccentric creator; and we hear a report on the art and science of the public fascination with time travel, and what it says about who we are. Plus commentary by John Hockenberry.

Sex Talk (on the TV & Radio) (Broadcast beginning the week of July 31, 2007) Everyday, on TV and on the radio, people are exposing themselves. Why would anyone air their most private thoughts in the most public of media? And, host Dr. Peter Kramer asks, if you have a problem with your sex life, are call-in shows the right place to get an answer? The Infinite Mind’s Mary Carmichael runs these questions by media theorist Mimi White, psychologist Dr. Joy Davidson, and psychiatrist Dr. Spencer Eth. Then, we give the country’s best-known “sexperts” a chance to answer for themselves: Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Dr. Drew Pinsky, and Dan Savage, the author of “Savage Love,” all join Dr. Kramer for interviews. Finally, New York City writer Sharon Lerner wonders if explicit sex shows and abstinence-only education are two opposite ends of the same spectrum.

Vacation (Broadcast beginning the week of July 24, 2007) In this hour, we explore Vacation: why is it important? Guests include: Dr. Geoffrey Godbey, a professor of leisure studies at Penn State University and the co-author of Time for Life: The Surprising Way Americans Use their Time; Joe Robinson, the author of Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life and the founder of the Work to Live Campaign, which is lobbying for a paid vacation law covering all Americans; Dr. Cindy Aron, a professor of history at the University of Virginia and the author of Working at Play: A History of Vacations in the United States, and award-winning writer Elliott Hester, who is more than halfway through a yearlong trip around the world. Plus, Devorah Klahr reports on the Fresh Air Fund, and commentary by John Hockenberry.

Dyslexia (Broadcast beginning the week of July 17, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind: as many as one in seven American children are affected to some degree by Dyslexia, which disables language skills but often bestows special abilities in the visual and spatial realm. This program explores what dyslexia is, and what it is not, with guests including author and producer Stephen J. Cannell, Thomas Viall, formerly of the International Dyslexia Association, Yale researcher Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Toronto entrepreneur Jay Mandarino, author Thomas G. West, virtual reality pioneer Daniel Sandin, children's author Jeanne Betancourt and her daughter, filmmaker Nicole Betancourt.

Animal Companions (Broadcast beginning the week of July 10, 2007) This week, The Infinite Mind explores Animal Companions. Can having a fish help people with Alzheimer's disease? Does having a dog lower your risk of depression? Join Dr. Fred Goodwin as we hear the latest research on the health, and mental health, benefits of having pets. Guests include Dr. Alan Beck, Director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University and co-author of Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship; Dr. Susan Cohen, a social worker at the Animal Medical Center in New York City; Dr. Harriet Ritvo, a professor of history at MIT whose books include The Animal Estate: The English and Other Creatures in the Victorian Age; and pet trainer Bash Dibra whose books include DogSpeak and CatSpeak. Plus, commentary by John Hockenberry.

Aphasia (Broadcast beginning the week of July 3, 2007) Join host Dr. Fred Goodwin this week as The Infinite Mind looks at Aphasia, when words disappear. Aphasia is the terrifying loss of language: destruction of speech, reading, writing or comprehension. It occurs when there is damage to the brain from a stroke, head trauma, certain neurological diseases, that has affected the language areas of their brain. Guests include neurologist David Caplan, mezzo-soprano Jan Curtis, science historian Anne Harrington, speech pathologist Audrey Holland, stroke survivor Tom Flynn and researcher and neurologist Steven Small. Commentary by John Hockenberry.

Empathy (Broadcast beginning the week of June 26, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, join host Dr. Peter Kramer as we strive to understand Empathy. More than just caring, empathy is a complex neurological mechanism that holds society together. We’ll learn about what goes on in our brains when we tune into each other’s emotions, and what it means if we can’t. We talk with biologist and primate expert Dr. Frans de Waal about the biological history of empathy in humans. Next, Caroline Arbour speaks with Mary Gordon, founder of the Roots of Empathy program for elementary school students in Canada, and how empathy may be something we're hard-wired for, but it's also something that can be taught. Then Jennifer Ehrlich speaks with Dr. Read Montague and his mathematical models of trust that are shedding light on our fundamental human drives. After the break, Mary Carmichael joins comedian Joe Wong in the studio, for a take on how humor can translate cross-culturally, and the empathy element inherent to comedy. Jennifer Chu sat in on a special "Empathy 101" class at Tufts University Medical School, and spoke with some med students about how they're improving their bedside manner. And while empathy is at the heart of today's psychotherapy, it wasn't always that way...Dr. Kramer speaks with Drs. Anna and Paul Ornstein, pioneers in the field of self-psychology, about their work and how empathy helped them survive the Nazi Holocaust. Finally, commentator John Hockenberry laments the inescapable nature of empathy...through the mere thought of drowning a kitten.

Music of The Infinite Mind Vol.4 (Broadcast beginning the week of June 19, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, a special collection of performances and conversations with some of the top artists who've joined us in our studios! We begin with Louden Wainwright III who says that with age, comes wisdom, and he performs the world premiere of his song about aging: Doin' the Math. Next, writer's block is something all creative people dread; Aimee Mann talks about her own experiences with it and how she wrote Calling it Quits about it. For our show on Shoplifting, comedienne and singer Lea DeLaria has appropriated the Jane's Addiction song Been Caught Stealin' and given it a jazz beat. She also confesses her own reasons for shoplifting as a child. ("Something about nuns" she says) Christopher Louviere played lead guitar for legendary Cajun folk singer Clint West for seven years, now he's struck out on his own with an album titled the same as our show: Hypomania. Louviere himself is diagnosed with bipolar disorder; he talks about his experiences and plays the song Benzo Train from the album. After a short break, we come to the Black Eyed Peas, who joined us for our show on Religion to talk about how religion, spirituality...and the 9/11 attacks...affected their rap spiritual, and number one hit, Where is the Love? The Infinite Mind's Jackson Braider introduces us to the Multitasking genius of Charles Ives, a composer who wrote extraordinary symphonies of multitasking. And did it while inventing life insurance for the common man, no less. Finally, the ladies of Menopause: The Musical say their minds go void, and they get annoyed, but they're still smiling and singing through it all.

Hypomania (Broadcast beginning the week of June 12, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, with host Dr. Peter Kramer, we’re talking about hypomania, a symptom of bipolar disorder that starts out as exhilaration but can spiral out of control. On the plus side, it’s characterized by quickness of thought, high energy, and grand ambitions. But it’s also accompanied by irritability and an inflated ego. Broadcast journalist Jane Pauley tells us how hypomania made her motivated and vivacious, but so impulsive that she bought a cottage on a whim. Psychiatrists Dr. Sheri Johnson and Dr. Ronald Kessler discuss hypomania and bipolar disorder, and why people who experience hypomania can seem like creative visionaries. Ben Bardy describes his high-flying hypomanic dream of building an amusement park. Best-selling author and psychologist Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison tells us about hypomania and exuberance in her own life, as well as the lives of some of America’s most beloved historical figures. Also offering a personal testament is Chris Louviere, a bipolar folk singer and guitarist who performs his song “Benzo Train.” Andy Behrman, author of “Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania,” reminisces about his years in New York City, America’s mecca of hypomania. And psychiatrists Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Peter Whybrow ponder the idea that hypomania is a natural way of life for Americans, and discuss whether its dominance in our culture is making us more productive or burning us out. With commentary from John Hockenberry.

Childhood's End (Broadcast beginning the week of June 5, 2007) When our grandparents were young, adolescence was thought of as a short passage between childhood and adulthood. Now it starts early.... and does it ever end? Today's program, Childhood's End, explores the sometimes blurry lines between child and adult. Dr. Goodwin's guests include Ms. Kay Hymowitz, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor of "City Journal"; Dr. Reed Larson, professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Dr. Jeffrey Arnett, a researcher in developmental psychology at the University of Maryland; Dr. Laurence Steinberg, Professor of Psychology at Temple University; and Dr. Ronald Dahl, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Eighteen-year-old reporters Jessica Margolis-Pineo and Valerie Randall of the Blunt/Youth Radio Project in Portland, Maine, contribute a report on what they think it might mean to be an adult today. We also hear from a 13-year-old boy, Zachary Charles, as he prepares for and later recalls his bar mitzvah.

Habit (Broadcast beginning the week of May 22, 2007) Why do we do the things we do -- over and over and over again? In this show, we explore habit. Guests include Dr. Ann Graybiel, a professor of neuroanatomy in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT; Dr. Kurt Fischer, the director of the Mind, Brain & Education program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education; Dr. Bruce Masek, the clinical director of Child Psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School; and stand-up comic Sean Conroy.

Fears and Phobias (Broadcast beginning the week of May 15, 2007) Fear is normal. If we didn't have a fight or flight instinct, our species would have died out a long time ago. But some people are ruled by fear, by phobias that dictate where they go and what they do or, more commonly, where they don't go and what they don't do. This week on The Infinite Mind, you'll hear from people who have phobias and from doctors who treat them; about the difference between fears and phobias; about the regions and chemicals in the brain responsible for fear and anxiety; and about a virtual reality program used to treat fear of flying.

"Dude, Where's my Walker?" (Broadcast beginning the week of May 8, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, "Dude, where's my walker?: the science of memory loss for the baby boom generation. The Baby Boomers are hitting their 50's & 60's... and the 50's and 60's are hitting back. No aspect of aging scares the boomers more than memory loss. In this program, we look at what they're doing about it. We visit a memory workshop to find out if two days of coaching can really improve the brain’s recall. Dr. Gary Small takes less time than that – in just 15 minutes, he teaches our host, Dr. Peter Kramer, an on-air trick for remembering unrelated words, and also explains how memory works (and why it sometimes doesn’t). Dr. Antonio Convit tells us that when it comes to memory, you are what you eat. The ladies of “Menopause: The Musical” sing about their own memory woes. And Drs. Gary Lynch and Roger Stoll, of Cortex Pharmaceuticals, say that someday a revolutionary “smart pill” could make all these worries a thing of the past. With commentary from John Hockenberry.

Lies Lies Lies (Broadcast beginning the week of May 1, 2007) This week, The Infinite Mind takes a look at lying, from the vague lies of politeness (for instance, "Fine, thank you" or "You look wonderful") to serious lies ("I didn't do it," for example). The show starts off with a look at a character from the children's animated show "Rugrats," and follows up with a look at real children, with child psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Berger. Dr. Paul Ekman, University of California, San Francisco, clues us into what he's found in over thirty years of researching why and how people lie. J.J. Newberry, of the Institute of Analytic Interviewing, tells us how he puts Dr. Ekman's findings into action in training police. And is lying in therapy necessarily bad? According to some psychiatrists, lies, fantasy, dreams, and the truth itself are all grist for the mill. We also hear from filmmaker Pola Rapaport, about her recent documentary, "Family Secrets." Plus, John Hockenberry recalls the Rodney King case, in which the adage "the camera never lies" was turned on its head.

Siblings (Broadcast beginning the week of April 24, 2007) In this hour, we explore Sibling relationships. Four out of five Americans have a brother or sister. Best friend? Worst enemy? One thing's for sure - nobody can push your buttons like a sibling. How do the bonds between brothers and sisters change over time? Are birth order and spacing between siblings less important than we thought? We'll have the latest research. Guests include: psychologists Dr. Judy Dunn, Dr. Laurie Kramer, and Dr. Peter Goldenthal; brothers Matt Lee and Ted Lee, who share a byline in The New York Times; and the brother and sister who lead the musical group the Cowboy Junkies.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: "The Transmission of Experience" Part four of a special four-part series taped live in Second Life, the 3D on-line virtual community. (Broadcast beginning the week of April 17, 2007) Due to the sad news about Kurt Vonnegut's death at age 84 on April 11, 2007, we are airing his last interview for the Infinite Mind that originally aired on October 18, 2006. This week on The Infinite Mind, the fourth installment of our special series, "Through the Looking Glass," examining the world of virtual on-line communities. This week, in part four, we examine The Transmission of Experience, as host John Hockenberry is joined live in Second Life by author Kurt Vonnegut, whose writing has chronicled the intersection of humanity and technology, from his books Slaughterhouse Five and Cat’s Cradle, to his latest work Man without a Country.What does the literary titan from the typewriter era make of this new revolutionary medium? Find out for yourself by clicking here and viewing the live interview with Kurt Vonnegut in Second Life. In the second half of the show, executive producer of The Infinite Mind, Bill Lichtenstein offers his essay, “The Transmission of Experience” which examines the potential of this new medium of 3D virtual reality and the transmission of experience over a digital cable. What does this revolutionary medium can do that books, radio, TV, film and the internet just can't?Finally, John Hockenberry looks back on this landmark four-part series. Read more about The Infinite Mind in Second Life in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Rolling Stone, and Wired. Click here to visit Second Life.

In Any Language: Mental Health Care for Immigrants (Broadcast beginning the week of April 10, 2007) In this hour, we explore Mental Health Care for Immigrants, with host Dr. Peter Kramer. Guests include Dr. Arthur Kleinman, professor of medical anthropology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and one of the world's leading experts in medical anthropology and cross-cultural psychiatry; Dr. Jane Delgado, a clinical psychologist and the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health; Dr. Mohamed Farrag, a psychologist and the clinical director of ACCESS: the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn, Michigan; and Dr. Yinka Akinsulure-Smith, a psychologist from Sierra Leone who works at the Bellevue /NYU Program for Survivors of Torture.

Bullying (Broadcast beginning the week of April 3, 2007) Beat up during recess? Teased on the school bus? New research shows bullying has serious consequences for children on both sides of the problem. Guests include Dr. Howard Spivak, the director of the Tufts University Center for Children and the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Violence; Dr. Susan Limber, a developmental psychologist and a researcher at the Clemson University Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life in South Carolina; John Scagliotti, the award-winning director of Oliver Button is a Star - a film that deals with building acceptance for kids who don't fit boy/girl stereotypes; and Dr. Gary Namie, a social psychologist who, with his wife Ruth Namie, co-founded The Workplace Bullying & Trauma Institute in Bellingham, WA and co-wrote The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity On the Job.

Place (Broadcast beginning the week of March 27, 2007) In this hour, we explore Place. We look at what connects us to certain places and not to others, and what happens when we lose that special relationship to our surroundings. Guests include Dr. Susan Ossman, visiting professor of anthropology at Georgetown University and an expert on media and migration; Dr. Kent Curtis, director of education at the Walden Woods Project, a land conservancy based on the environmental philosophy of writer Henry David Thoreau; and Dr. Roberta Feldman, architect, psychologist, and director of the City Design Center in Chicago. We also hear from a New York office worker whose sense of place was shattered by the World Trade Center attacks, attend a "feng shui" design session at our production facilities, and learn about life in cyberspace with reporter Ellen Horne. Plus, commentary by John Hockenberry.

Laughter (Broadcast beginning the week of March 20, 2007) We all do it. It's fun. It feels good. And many scientists say there's evidence it's good for you. This week on The Infinite Mind we look at laughter, comedy, laugh tracks, and laughter as therapy. Guests include standup comedian and actor Eddie Izzard; Dr. Jo-Anne Bachorowski, assistant professor of psychology, Vanderbilt University; and Dr. Robert Provine, professor of psychology and neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore County. We examine the pros and cons of recent research looking at laughter as therapy, hearing from scientists, therapists, and patients. A report on Hollywood's love/hate relationship with laugh tracks features professional laugh-track sweetener David Maitland, and writer/producers Larry Gelbart and Bill Lawrence. Concluding the show, commentator John Hockenberry answers the age-old riddle "Why did the caterpillar cross the roadway?"

How We Think (Broadcast beginning the week of March 13, 2007) In this hour, we explore How We Think. We ponder life and death; we write love poems and compose symphonies. What makes human beings so special? Guests include Dr. Mark Turner, who teaches both English and cognitive science at the University of Maryland and is the co-author of The Way We Think;. Dr. Kevin Dunbar of Dartmouth, who studies how people think, reason, and solve problems; and writer and poet Floyd Skloot, author of In the Shadow of Memory. We also examine how we make decisions and visit a small school in Wisconsin where students are being challenged to think like scientists. WIth commentary by John Hockenberry.

Numbers and the Mind (Broadcast beginning the week of March 06, 2007) Why are some people math whizzes while others are scared to do simple arithmetic without a calculator? This week we explore differences in math ability; new and old debates on math education (remember "The New Math?"); the link between autism and skills in rapid-fire calculation; and Hollywood's fascination with brilliant, troubled mathematicians. Plus a trip to AT&T's research labs and some of the best minds working in mathematics today. Guests include Brian Butterworth, Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology in the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College in London; Keith Devlin, executive director of The Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University; Jeremy Kilpatrick, professor of mathematics education at the University of Georgia; Gary Mesibov, professor of psychology at The University of North Carolina; Jerry Newport; and AT&T mathematics researchers David Applegate and Jeff Lagarius.

Hypochondria (Broadcast beginning the week of February 27, 2007) It's the butt of jokes and the bane of the medical community, but hypochondria is a real illness, and people with it suffer real pain. We'll explore everything from the history of the disorder to the latest treatments. Guests include: Dr. Arthur Barsky, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the director of psychosomatic research at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston; Carla Cantor, the author of "Phantom Illness: Recognizing, Understanding, and Overcoming Hypochondria"; Dr. Susan Baur, the author of "Hypochondria: Woeful Imaginings"; and Gene Weingarten, a humor columnist for The Washington Post and the author of "The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death."

Hypnosis (Broadcast beginning the week of February 20, 2007) "You are growing verrrr-yyyyy sleeee-ppy." You may have heard Hollywood's version of hypnosis. This week, "The Infinite Mind" explores the science behind hypnosis and how it really works. We look at how and why medical doctors, dentists, therapists, and police investigators use this powerful tool to soothe pain, lose bad habits, reconstruct memories, and even solve crimes. Experts in hypnosis separate science fact from science fiction, answering questions like "Could a hypnotist make someone fall in love through hypnosis?" and "Could an unscrupulous person use hypnosis to make someone commit a crime?" Guests include Dr. David Spiegel, Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine; Jane Parsons-Fein, Director of the Parsons-Fein Institute for Hypnosis and Psychotherapy; Alan Scheflin, Professor of Law at Santa Clara University; and forensic psychologist Dr. Melvin Gravitz. Plus commentary - with a nod to Dick van Dyke - from John Hockenberry.

Multitasking (Broadcast beginning the week of January 30, 2007) “To do two things at once - is to do neither,” Roman philosopher Publilius Syrus wrote in 100 A.D., and modern science may just be proving him right. Between the cell phone and the PDA, wi-fi and lattes – in short, between getting wired and going wireless – we are supposedly doing more in less time than ever. In fact, some believe the more we have to juggle – the more we multitask – the better. But is that really true? A growing body of research suggests that our pursuit of increased productivity through multitasking actually results in diminishing capacity. The Infinite Mind looks at some of the many facets of multitasking as Dr. Peter Kramer speaks with Professor David Meyer, a research psychologist from the University of Michigan who’s tracked the downside of multitasking and Carleton Kendrick, Ed.M., LCSW, a family therapist who’s explored what happens when we don’t leave the multitasks at the office. Also on the program: The Infinite Mind’s Aaron Read takes us to Logan Airport to see multitasking in action; Ohio housewife Amy Seagar describes her fight against the use of cell phones by drivers and the tragic events that led to it; The Infinite Mind’s Jackson Braider examines the role of multitasking in the music of Charles Ives; and commentator Howard Bloom says we may act like we just invented multitasking, but we’ve really been doing it for years.

Sense of Touch (Broadcast beginning the week of January 23, 2007) This week on The Infinite Mind, we examine the Sense of Touch. Guests include Dr. Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School; Dr. Susan Lederman, director of the Touch Laboratory Queen's University in Ontario; Dr. Shelby Taylor, adjunct professor of psychology at the California State University, Fullerton; Ann Cunningham, a tactile artist and teacher at The Colorado Center for the Blind; Greg Wong, a student of Ann Cunningham's; and Julie Deden, director of The Colorado Center for the Blind. Also featured is a report by Devorah Klahr on an infant massage class that Stony Brook University Hospital offers free to parents of premature infants. Plus, John Hockenberry on what he's learned about sense of touch by living with a spinal cord injury that's led to the loss of sensation through much of his body.

Synesthesia (Broadcast beginning the week of January 16, 2007) Host Dr. Fred Goodwin begins the show referring to examples of sensory overlap that anyone can relate to: a loud color, a sharp taste. Dr. Goodwin then explains that synesthesia is a similar merging of the senses, that is involuntary. Goodwin says synesthesia might be explained by the fact that different sensory pathways run across one another in the brain. Guests of the show include Dr. Julia Cochran, a therapist and synesthete who lives outside Savannah, Georgia, who talks about her experiences both seeing sound and hearing vision; Dr. Peter Grossenbacher, a professor of psychology at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and a board member of the American Synesthesia Association, who describes the many forms of synesthesia; Cynthia Kurtz, a researcher who uses her association of letters and numbers with colors to read more quickly and write better; Carol Steen, an artist who makes sculpture and paintings based on the shapes she sees with sounds and touch; .Pat Duffy, language teacher and author, who talks about how she used her the colors she associates with the letters of the Western alphabet to learn Chinese; and finally Dmitri Nabokov discusses synesthesia that he shares with his father, the writer Vladimir Nabokov.

Weather and the Mind (Broadcast beginning the week of January 03, 2007) Are blue skies smiling above you? Or are you under the weather? Do you know which way the wind is blowing? We often talk about how we feel in terms of the weather, but how much does what's happening outside affect what is going on inside the human mind? The show includes an interview with Dr. Norman Rosenthal, the author of "Winter Blues" and the developer of "the light box" as a treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Anthropologist Dr. Benjamin Orlove discusses how people around the world relate to their local weather. Dave Thurlow, the long time host of public radio's "Weather Notebook," speculates on the link between weather lore and optimism. Writer Jan de Blieu discusses and reads from her award-winning book "Wind: How the Flow of Air Has Shaped Life, Myth, and the Land." And we ride along with a tornado-chasing tour guide, whose itinerary across the Mid-West gives a whole new meaning to "whirlwind tour." Jungian analyst Dr. Beverley Zabriskie offers insight into our fascination with extreme weather. Commentary by John Hockenberry.

Religion: Beyond Belief (Broadcast beginning the week of December 19, 2006) Forty years ago, Time magazine posed the provocative question "Is God Dead?" on its cover. Today, Time and other leading news magazines and media organizations regularly report on the explosion of interest in religion and spirituality in America, and indeed, throughout the world. Polls show that nine out of ten Americans believe in God and nearly half attend a church, synagogue, mosque or other house of worship each week. What accounts for this new interest in time-honored religious practices and beliefs? And what is it that religion or spirituality provide in the first place?

Hoarding and Clutter (Broadcast beginning the week of November 21, 2006) Just in time for the holidays . . . when does enough become too much? And why is it so hard for compulsive savers to know the difference? We examine hoarding, which involves the accumulation and inability to throw away unneeded possessions, to the point that a home may become so filled with stuff that furniture and rooms can no longer be used for their intended purposes. Guests include Dr. Randy Frost, a pioneer researcher in the study of clinical hoarding and Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, a neurobiologist who is pinpointing where in the brain the problem seems to originate. Author Denise Linn, addresses non-clinical forms of hoarding with tips on how to recognize -- and get rid of -- clutter. This week's host Dr. Fred Goodwin begins with an essay about his own recent experience in coming to terms with getting rid of clutter. While his story is not an example of clinical hoarding, he notes that it bears a resemblance to some of the stories we'll hear later in the program. He needed someone else's help in assessing and getting rid of what he didn't need -- old magazines, out of date text books, etc -- and he had to overcome thoughts of how the material really might be useful someday ("What if I might someday want to write a history of psychiatry? etc."). For awhile, he compromised by stashing the clutter in his garage, but when his township's yearly "take it away free" day rolled around, he finally threw it out for good. Looking around the now empty garage he felt a sense of accomplishment and relief. "Now the car could fit!" While clinical hoarding falls in the more severe end of the spectrum of "saving" behavior, Dr. Goodwin notes that studying this condition throws light on more common patterns too.

Cheating (Broadcast beginning the week of November 8, 2006) In this hour, we explore Cheating. Four out of five high school students say they've cheated. More than half of medical school students say the same thing. Even The New York Times has cribbed from somebody else's paper. Is everybody doing it? Guests include Dr. Howard Gardner, professor in Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and co-director of a large-scale research study called the GoodWork Project; renowned primate researcher Dr. Frans de Waal, professor of psychology at Emory University; Dr. Helen Fisher, research professor in the department of anthropology at Rutgers University and author of Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Mating, Marriage, and Why We Stray; and country music group BR5-49, who perform the Hank Williams classic, "Your Cheatin' Heart."

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THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: "Virtual Music" Part three of a special four-part series taped live in Second Life, the 3D on-line virtual community. Broadcast beginning the week of October 11, 2006 This week on The Infinite Mind, the third installment of our special series, "Through the Looking Glass, examining the world of virtual on-line communities. This week, in part three, we examine Virtual Music. Musical artists and performers are finding their niche in the burgeoning music scene in on-line virtual communities, like Second Life. On the virtual stage, musicians are able to play in front of live audiences gathered from all over the globe without even leaving their homes. They are able to reach more of their fans, earn more money and get more exposure than they do in real life.This week host John Hockenberry welcomes Suzen Juel, singer/songwriter who has been performing in the Minnesota Twin Cities area for over 15 years, who talks about her alter ego “Juel Resistance” and the “realities” of the virtual music industry.Also on the program is one of the biggest and most famous performers in the entire world - of Second Life, that is - Cylindrian Rutabaga, an Atlanta-based artist who launched her career in Second Life and has gone off to perform in the real world as well. In the second half of the program, the much publicized interview and performance with singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega,the first major musical artist to perform live in Second Life, and the first live broadcast to emanate from "in world." Suzanne Vega performs "The Queen and the Soldier," "Tom's Diner" and "Unbound," taped live for The Infinite Mind at our virtual amphitheater in Second Life in front of an avatar audience of more than 100 Second Life residents.

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THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: Virtual Culture Part two of a special four-part series taped live in Second Life, the 3D on-line virtual community. (Broadcast beginning the week of October 4, 2006) This week on The Infinite Mind, the second installment of our special series, "Through the Looking Glass,” and our look at the virtual of on-line communities. In part two, we examine “Virtual Culture.” Careers, real estate, relationships and education are all thriving within virtual platforms like Second Life, which is looking more like a sophisticated civilization than a video game or diversion from reality. But how do real world institutions function in Second Life? How do you run a business? Get an education? Attend a support group? Build a relationship? How about love? What about sex? Is it safe? Can it transcend into real life? Host John Hockenberry is joined by Neil and Casey Nafus, married in real life, who make their living in Second Life. Neil is a graphic artist and Casey designs virtual clothing. Together they expect to make $200,000 next year. Also on the program, Lynn Giles and Frank Somers, a couple who met and fell in love in the virtual world of Second Life. They are now are a very real life couple, who talk about the fast-paced dating culture of Second Life and the qualities in each other’s avatars that they first admired. We hear from John Lester, Community Manager at Linden Lab, and a former Information Technology Director at Massachusetts General Hospital, who talks about his work to promote academic, therapeutic and scientific uses of Second Life. The program also features a discussion with a former speech pathologist and current Second Life support group leader, The Sojourner, who describes the “emotional bandwidth” that brings virtual social interactions to another level because “consequence-free” environments allow people to gain confidence and cultivate their creativity. And Torley Wong, a classically trained pianist and keyboardist with a rare medical condition, Hyperacuity, that sidelined his career in music. He discusses how Second Life helped him find a new life and career as a music manager. Finally, John Hockenberry speaks with John Maeda, a world-renowned graphic designer, visual artist, and computer scientist at the MIT Media Lab, and a founding voice for “simplicity” in the digital age. The interview was taped live for The Infinite Mind at our virtual amphitheater in Second Life in front of an avatar audience of more than 100 Second Life residents.

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THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: Virtual Communities Part one of a special four-part series taped live in Second Life, the 3D on-line virtual community. (Broadcast beginning the week of September 27, 2006) This week on The Infinite Mind, we make broadcast history as we air the first of four special programs taped inside a three-dimensional virtual on-line community. Over the next three weeks, The Infinite Mind will present a special four-part series, "Through the Looking Glass." These landmark programs will examine the development and state of on-line virtual communities, including their technology, culture and art. We will also examine how this new medium of "3D virtual reality" is processed by the human mind in a manner that is different than other media, and look at its powerful potential for such uses as broadcast, education, outreach, and social marketing. The programs were taped, in part, in front of a live "virtual audience," inside the 3-D virtual web world of "Second Life." Guests include singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega; author Kurt Vonnegut; designer John Maeda; and futurist Howard Rheingold. Joining host John Hockenberry in our first program, "Through the Looking Glass: Virtual Communities (Part One) are Philip Rosedale, founder of Linden Lab, which runs "Second Life," the virtual platform in which the programs were taped; Bill Lichtenstein, president of Lichtenstein Creative Media, which produces The Infinite Mind, and web developer Drew Stein, of Infinite Vision Media, which built a 16-acre "virtual broadcast center" for The Infinite Mind in Second Life; Thomas Malaby, an anthropologist who, under a National Science Foundation grant, spent more than a year studying human behavior and virtual communities in Second Life; and Howard Rheingold, whose book "Virtual Community" predicted the formation of on-line worlds. Click here to visit Second Life.

SEPTEMBER 2001 LESSONS LEARNED: Resilience Broadcast beginning the week of September 20, 2006) How is it that adversity can defeat some people, and bring out the best in others? Since the terrorists attacks on the United States five years ago, many Americans have risen to new challenges with courage and grace. This show explores what lets some people not only "bounce back" from disaster, but even gain in strength through adversity. The show includes interviews with psychologist Dr. Al Siebert, author of The Survivor Personality; and Dr. Karen Reivich, Co-Director of the Penn Resiliency Project at the University of Pennsylvania. One of the world's best known neuro-biologists, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, discusses how stress harms us . . . and helps us. And storyteller Laura Simms shares an Arabic story that reveals how even in grief we are not alone. John Hockenberry contributes a moving, insightful commentary on volcanoes, SCUD missiles, terrorism, and resiliency. (Click here to listen to commentary.)

THE SCIENCE OF WINNING (Broadcast starting week of Sept, 13, 2006) America has always been a country where competition and winning matters. Politics. Sports. Our economy is capitalist and competition rules the marketplace. Who ever said that it's not whether you win or loose that counts, probably lost, so says tennis star Martina Navratilova. It's the ethos of many top competitors and not only in athletics. This week on The Infinite Mind, we will talk about the experience of winning from those to do it for a living at the highest level. We will also look at the science of winning and the implications for all of us. We will even look to the animal kingdom; what can we learn from lizards? Are certain of us born with tendencies, aggression or confidence that makes us winners? Can we acquire winning ways? Does winning reshape our attitudes, our biology? And what about losing?  Our guests include Dr. John Tauer; Associate Professor of Psychology at St. Thomas University who specializes in intrinsic motivation, competition, cooperation and goal theory who is able to put his theories to practice as the assistant coach of the St. Thomas men's varsity basketball team which he has helped lead to 10 conference titles in the last 18 years. Jim Fannin, the "ZoneCoach," author, consultant and mental coach for the world's top athletes and corporate executives discusses the mental strategies and mindsets of what he terms, "true champions." In the second half of the show, The Infinite Mind's Mary Carmichael interviews Martina Navratilova, tennis superstar. Navratilova, who is winner of an astounding 58 tennis grand slams including her 12th grand slam mixed doubles championship at the 2006 US Open, talks about her drive and mindset related to winning, and her motivation for coming back from retirement at the age of 49 to compete in this year's Grand Slam tournaments. We will also listen in on what has been a long time, ongoing conversation about the biological consequences of winning between two old friends. Howard Bloom is a paleopsychologist, author of "Global Brain, The Evolution of Mass Mind From the Big Bang to the 21st Century," and has been called "the next Stephen Hawking" by Gear Magazine, and "the latest great thinker in the lineage of "Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Freud, and Buckminster Fuller" by Channel4 TV in Britain. Bloom chats with Dr. Neil Greenberg, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee, about everything from lizards to baboons to the testosterone levels of fans of winning soccer teams. Finally, we will hear from John Hockenberry on what he believes are the "real" competitive sports designed for "real" men: debate and chess.

IN THE LINE OF FIRE: A SPECIAL REPORT (in memory of Wayne Fenton) Broadcast starting September 6, 2006 Dr. Wayne Fenton was as comfortable on the streets as he was in the lab; a sort of a Renaissance psychiatrist who bridged the gap between research, treatment and public policy. But over the Labor Day weekend, Wayne Fenton’s efforts to care for a critically ill young man went tragically awry. The eminent psychiatrist, deputy director for clinical affairs at the National Institute of Mental Health, was found beaten to death in his office. The patient, a bright, 19-year old college-bound ice hockey player, confessed to police and was charged with first-degree murder. In this special edition of The Infinite Mind, we’ll speak with the nation’s top mental health policy makers and advocates about the life and work of Dr. Wayne Fenton, hear an interview with Dr. Fenton himself about his work with seriously ill patients and his efforts to understand the nature of psychosis, and we'll try to make some sense of his death, a death that came in the line of duty. Host Dr. Fred Goodwin's guests include: Thomas Insel, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), who worked closely with Dr. Wayne Fenton for the past six years at NIMH, where Dr. Fenton helped develop new diagnostic tools and treatments for servere mental illnesses such as schizophrenia; Tom Bernard, Co-President and Co-founder of Sony Pictures Classics, who was a close friend of Wayne Fenton; and David L. Shern, Ph.D., the CEO and president of the National Mental Health Association, the nation’s oldest and largest mental health advocacy group. The program also includes excerpts from Lichtenstein Creative Media's Peabody Award-winning "Voices of an Illness" series, narrated by Jason Robards, that provides a window on the interaction between Dr. Fenton and one of his seriously ill patients, a young woman who had been suffering from schizophrenia; both Dr. Fenton and the patient, who had since recovered, explain what happened when she was first brought to Dr. Fenton's office while she was in a severely psychotic state. We also hear the first-person story of a New York City accountant, who has recovered from schizophrenia, and describes living with the stigma of the mental illness.

KIDS AND FIRE (Broadcast starting August 23, 2006) Kids are often fascinated with fire, but how do you know when childish curiosity is crossing the line into problem behavior? This program explores children’s sometimes deadly attraction to fire, and some innovative ways that psychologists are working to keep them safe. Award-winning public radio science reporter Michelle Trudeau is our guest host. Guests include Dr. David Wilcox, Dr. Eva Thury, Laura Simms, stories from children who have set fires and commentary from John Hockenberry.

COINCIDENCE (Broadcast starting week of August 16, 2006) We've all experienced it - a friend calls just as we are thinking of him, or a romantic partner has the same birthday we do. Some coincidences are small, and seemingly inconsequential, but others have the potential to change lives. What causes a coincidence to happen, and what does it mean? Is every coincidence meaningful? And what are the odds of a particular coincidence happening? This week we explore the nature of coincidence with scientists, psychotherapists, mathematicians, and people like you. Guests include: Jungian analyst and psychotherapist Robert Hopcke, who has authored books on coincidence and the related theory of synchronicity ("Coincidences are meaningful for what they tell us about ourselves"); cognitive scientist Josh Tenenbaum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who studies how coincidences work in the brain ("They seem to be the source of some of our greatest irrationalities"); and statistician Karl Sigman at Columbia University, who computes the odds that coincidences will happen. The program also includes quirky first-person accounts of coincidence from writers, filmmakers, identical twins, and others, and from the producer of this show, who experienced an unusual coincidence while working on it.

MIDLIFE (Broadcast starting week of August 9, 2006) Menopause, andropause – how about a sanity clause? Midlife crises may be common but they are not mandatory. This new program, hosted by Dr. Peter Kramer, explores midlife and its subtle and not-so-subtle shifts in perspective. We look at the challenges of parenting young children in the middle years, and the perils of midlife unemployment. We’ll also look at mental health in midlife.

	EMPATHY (Broadcast starting week of August 2, 2006) This week on The Infinite Mind we strive to understand Empathy. More than just caring, empathy is a complex neurological mechanism that holds society together. We’ll learn about what goes on in our brains when we tune into each other’s emotions, and what it means if we can’t. Dr. Peter Kramer is our host.

NEUROPROSTHETICS (Broadcast starting week of June 21, 2006) This week on The Infinite Mind we devote the hour to Dr. John Donoghue and his ground-breaking work in an emerging field that scientists are calling neuroprosthetics. Donoghue is head of the neuroscience department at Brown University and co-founder of Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, based in Foxborough, MA. Donoghue and his team of colleagues invented a brain-interface technology that enabled a paralyzed person to operate a computer and robotic arm by thought alone. In this program we visit Donoghue’s laboratory at Brown University and ask him to describe the efforts that led to his breakthrough. We’ll talk about ethics, science, commerce and the future of this exciting new field. We’ll also hear from Richard Martin, a journalist who interviewed Matthew Nagle, the first human subject in Donoghue’s trial. Martin will talk with us about other possible medical and military applications for Donoghue’s work and the ethical implications of the innovations. With commentary from John Hockenberry.

	WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN (Broadcast starting June 7, 2006) The definition of manhood is changing, and many men are searching for a new understanding of masculinity suited to the post-modern age. Joining us to discuss contemporary manhood and its transformation are Robert Bly, award-winning poet and author of the seminal men's book Iron John.

FOUR LIVES II (Part Two of Two) (Broadcast starting week of May 31, 2006) This week on The Infinite Mind: the second in our series telling the remarkable stories of Four Lives. In this episode, we hear two more moving tales of recovery from mental illness. First, Caris Corfman is an actress who lost her short-term memory after a brain operation in 1993. Like the character in the film “Memento,” she can only hold on to new memories for about five minutes before they slip away. But, she says, in spite of her disability, the show must go on. She and her father join The Infinite Mind’s Emily Fisher to talk about her remarkable new one-woman play, “Caris’ Peace,” as well as her life offstage. In our second half, Judge Sol Wachtler, former head of the New York State Court of Appeals, joins The Infinite Mind’s Dr. Peter Kramer for a rare, in-depth interview. In the early 1990s, Judge Wachtler was on the fast track to the highest levels of public power. But in private, he was battling bipolar disorder, secretly seeing doctors who prescribed the wrong medications and made him even sicker. Suddenly, the nation learned his secret. In 1992 he was arrested for sending threatening letters to his former mistress and imprisoned for 11 months. Today, he says, he has rebuilt a new life for himself as a mental health advocate -- and he’s come to terms with his old one.

FOUR LIVES II (Part One of Two) Broadcast starting week of May 24, 2006) This week and next on The Infinite Mind: the remarkable stories of Four Lives, told in a special double broadcast. In the first episode, we hear two powerful tales of recovery from mental illness.First, the former First Lady of New Jersey, Mary Jo Codey, in one of the most remarkable interviews to air on The Infinite Mind, reveals her courageous battle to overcome the postpartum depression that caused her to constantly think of killing herself and her newborn son. After her husband was elected governor and a radio "shock jock" made her private struggle the brunt of a public joke – foreshadowing a similar, acrid exchange between Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields -- Ms. Codey realized she had a cause worth fighting for. She joins The Infinite Mind’s Mary Carmichael for a startlingly candid discussion.Next, renowned TV newscaster Jane Pauley tells The Infinite Mind’s Bill Lichtenstein how steroids and anti-depressants, intended to treat a case of hives, instead sent her spiraling into depression and mild mania, unmasking a hidden vulnerability to bipolar disorder. When she started thinking about suicide, her doctor sent her to the hospital, and in the process, she re-evaluated who she was – emerging as an advocate for people with living with bipolar disorder and mental illnesses. Next week, on The Infinite Mind, we’ll hear two more compelling stories of recovery. Judge Sol Wachtler, the former head of the New York State Court of Appeals, will join host Dr. Peter Kramer for the first in-depth conversation about his illness and his stint in prison for acts related in part to his undiagnosed manic depression. And actress Caris Corfman will tell The Infinite Mind’s Emily Fisher how she’s reclaiming the spotlight after an operation damaged her pituitary gland, leaving her unable to remember any new information – including the lines of her deeply personal one-woman show – for more than about five minutes.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? (Broadcast starting week of May 10, 2006) This week on The Infinite Mind, host Dr. Peter Kramer explores the psychology and history of names, and how they shape our identity.  We take a closer look at the curious coincidence of people whose names match their profession, and we speak with film makers Alan Berliner and Grace Lee, who both made documentaries charting their quest for the people who share their name.  We analyze how products like IPod and Viagra were named with Steve Manning, managing director of Igor, a "naming company."  William Bright, a linguist and anthropologist specializing in place names, tells us how places like Boring, Oregon and Intercourse, Pennsylvania got their names. And commentator John Hockenberry explains why names will never hurt him.

ECT Update (beginning May 3, 2006) Electroshock therapy: It’s a charged topic. Is it something out of Frankenstein, or a modern medical miracle? Research shows today’s electroconvulsive therapy is the quickest, most effective way to treat major depression. But there are risks; for one, nearly everyone experiences memory loss. We’ll investigate the very real pros and cons of electroconvulsive therapy. With Oscar-nominated actress Marsha Mason reading the work of Sylvia Plath.

DEPRESSION IN THE BRAIN (beginning April 26, 2006) In the encore presentation, host Dr. Peter Kramer examines new research on the biology of depression including new findings showing depression is not only a disease that affects the balance of chemicals in the brain, but the anatomy of the brain, as well. This is the latest scientific evidence confirming that clinical depression is a physical, medical illness which causes changes in the brain. Guests include: Dr. Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the author of both popular and academic books related to stress and its effects; Virginia Heffernan, the television critic for the online magazine Slate and a contributor to the anthology "Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression"; Dr. Yvette Sheline, associate professor of psychiatry and radiology at Washington University in St. Louis; Dr. Ronald Duman, a neuroscientist and professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Yale University; and singer-songwriter Dar Williams, who performs and