Hearsay With Cathy Lewis

From smart phones at our kitchen tables, to iPads on our couches, we are surrounded by technical devices. They're convenient and portable, but more and more Americans are finding it difficult to put them down and engage in the real world. On today's HearSay we'll talk with three women about their efforts to unplug, including an author who went on a six-month no-tech fast, and lived to tell the tale.

Today host Cathy Lewis is joined by both Virginia Senator Mark Warner (D) and Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss (R). The two are part of a bipartisan group of senators developing ideas for the federal budget. They believe the first step to reining in government spending has to be tackling the top four expenditures: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and defense spending. Call in with your questions or comments to 757-440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240.

Half of Americans have been affected by a disaster of some kind. In big disasters, regular people are the first and most important rescuers on the scene. But very few of us know what to expect until it is too late. On Tuesday's HearSay we'll talk with the author Amanda Ripley about her book "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes-And Why." Ripley reveals how human fear circuits and crowd dynamics work, why our instincts sometimes misfire in modern calamities, and how we can do much, much better.

Today we open up our lines and explore the headlines and we want to know your thoughts by calling in live at 440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at hearsay@whrv.org or join us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis.

Conventional wisdom has it that external rewards like money are often the most powerful motivations to perform and succeed. In his new book, author Daniel Pink refutes that thinking. In, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Pink writes that the secret to high performance and satisfaction-at work, at school, and at home-is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.

Today we examine the current headlines surrounding diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. The physicians of Fort Norfolk Medical Associates and the James E. Newby, Jr. M.D. Foundation are hosting a summit on healthy living with free health screenings this weekend and the event will be family centered focusing on activities and exhibits to promote a healthy heart and active living. Dr. Newby will join guest host Barbara Hamm Lee for the discussion. We'll also focus on how diabetes, obesity, and heart disease is affecting minorities.

On this month's "What's Cookin'" program with our favorite foodie Patrick Evans-Hylton, we'll talk about the serious issue of hunger in Hampton Roads. Each year, the FoodBank of Southeastern Virginia hosts "Taste of Hampton Roads," which raises funds and awareness of the hunger issue. Guest host Barbara Hamm Lee will find out more about this event and learn about the Foodbank's mission with its Chief Marketing Officer Susan Mayo. We'll also learn what it's like to work in the organization's Kid's Cafe that feeds almost 275,000 meals to approximately 4,700 children annually in the Hampton Roads region. Chef Johnny "Johnny Mo" Morrison, owner of Mallards on the Wharf on the Eastern Shore will also talk about his annual event "Music for the Hungry."

Today we open up our lines and explore the headlines and we want to know your thoughts by calling in live at 440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at hearsay@whrv.org or join us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis. Guest host Barbara Hamm Lee will take your calls.

Today we examine "How Do Presidents Succeed-and Fail?" The topic is part of an upcoming symposium at Colonial Williamsburg this week. Allan Nevins Professor of American History at Columbia University, Dr. Alan Brinkley will join us to talk about presidential power, how presidents use it, and how much they rely on principles and how much they rely on contingencies. We'll also be joined by Dr. John Gilmour, Professor of Government and Associate Director of the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy at the College of William & Mary.

The Academy Award nominated film "The King's Speech" is not only getting rave reviews from critics, but it's also opening the door to more discussions about speech impediments and speech therapy. In the film, Colin Firth portrays King George, the father of Queen Elizabeth who had a bad stutter. The film chronicles his work with a therapist to overcome his impediment. On today's HearSay, Cathy is joined by Ross Barrett, speech therapist and director of the Precision Fluency Shaping Program at the Eastern Virginia Medical School and also Jane Fraser, President of The Stuttering Foundation and co-author of "If Your Child Stutters: A Guide for Parents." Tune in!

On Tuesday's Technology show we continue our examination of how our online behaviors change our offline lives. Cathy and HearSay's Technology expert, Ed Sykes, are joined by a Harvard scholar for a discussion on how Egypt's uprising grew out of social media. In the second half of the program, we'll take a look at the evolution of online dating. Studies now find that one in five new relationships and one in six new marriages are between people who met through an online dating site. Join us and share your story!

We begin the week with the latest news headlines that have you talking. We open up our lines for you to let us know your thoughts by calling in live at 440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at hearsay@whrv.org or join us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis. Headlines this week include: The latest from the General Assembly, the Blue Planet Forum at Nauticus, and the upcoming weekend closures at Norfolk's Downtown Tunnel. The Blue Planet Forum is a free lecture series, presented by Nauticus, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, NOAA and Old Dominion University. The first lecture of the 2011 is "The Gulf Spill: Hitting Home," featuring David M. Kennedy, NOAA Acting Assistant Administrator. This is Wednesday, February 16th at 6:30pm. It's free, but seating is limited. RSVP online at www.cbf.org/blueplanet or by e-mail at blueplanet@cbf.org or call the Chesapeake Bay Foundation at (757) 622-1964.

We're in the grips of winter, but we have to keep our eyes on spring. HearSay's garden expert Jim Orband is on hand today to take your questions. He'll also discuss final landscape bed preparation, cool season vegetables, and any help that you need with pruning. We'll also check in with Kathy Van Mullekom at the Daily Press and get the latest on all things gardening in Hampton Roads.

Some people believe comedy is the best reflection of reality. Comedy often used to bring up current social, cultural or political issues and it allows audiences to take a different look at themselves. Today on HearSay, guest host Barbara Hamm Lee will specifically examine women comics on the program and talk with Dr. Linda Mizejewski, a Professor of Women's Studies at the Ohio State University. Dr. Mizejewski is also the keynote speaker at an upcoming 2011 Friends of Women's Studies Annual Dinner "Women on Top: Women Comics in the 21st Century" at Old Dominion University. ODU's Women's Studies Department Chair Dr. Jennifer N. Fish will also join us along with special guest, nationally-known comedienne Sheryl Underwood. Join the conversation for some serious talk--and probably some laughs!

Segment A: The Civil War Today we examine "The Revolutionary Origins of the Civil War." It's part of an upcoming program in Williamsburg entitled: "Storm on the Horizon: Slavery, Disunion and the Roots of the Civil War." Joining us for the conversation is one of the program's speakers, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gordon Wood, Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University. Wood examines the emerging sectional split from the Revolution to about 1820 which for much of that period was hidden from view. Local historian John Quarstein also joins for the conversation. Segment B: Textbook Errors: A History of Mistakes? There is legislation currently in the General Assembly to tighten the review process of textbooks in Virginia classrooms. The bill comes to light after a two elementary school history books were found with dozens of errors including that the United States entered World War I in 1916 instead of 1917 and that the Confederacy had 12 states instead of 11.

More than 20,000 veterans, active-duty troops and reservists who took out special government-backed mortgages lost their homes last year - the highest number since 2003. Today, we'll take a look at what programs and initiatives are available to help military members avoid foreclosure. We'll also talk with author Siobhan Fallon, whose new collection of short stories examines what is often called "the hardest job in the military" - that of a military wife. Her new book is titled, "You Know When The Men Are Gone."

HearSay From the Headlines: The Day Before GA Crossover, Redistricting, and Egypt's Uprising We begin the week with the latest news headlines that have you talking. We open up our lines for you to let us know your thoughts by calling in live at 440-2665 or 1-800-940-2240. You can also e-mail the program at hearsay@whrv.org or join us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis. Headlines include the latest on the Virginia General Assembly on this day before "crossover day," and the uprising in Egypt. We'll also talk with Jeff Reichert, writer/director of the the new documentary "Gerrymandering." The film examines redistricting as the results of the 2010 Census will certainly call for changes.

Pet Health HearSay's favorite veterinarian Dr. Phyllis Neumann joins guest host Barbara Hamm Lee to tackle your troubling pet problems. Send your questions in advance to hearsay@whrv.org or post them on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/hearsaywithcathylewis.

We'll talk about the controversial and acclaimed education documentary "Race To Nowhere." It's described as a close-up look at the pressures on today's students, offering an intimate view of lives packed with activities, leaving little room for down-time or family time.

"Public broadcasting in the United States was founded on principles of diversity and excellence of programming, responsiveness to local communities, and service to all." With the interactive evolution of the digital age, public broadcasting has become public media. Today, we'll talk about the future of public media in this vast world of communication and technology.