By Dan Bammes

Salt Lake City, UT – It was just over a year ago that former governor Mike Leavitt left Utah to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Now President Bush has appointed him to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Supporters say his experience as a governor will help him in that new position, but critics worry his advocacy of block-grant funding and policy waivers could hurt families who might otherwise be entitled to federal assistance.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004 – Doug investigates the extraordinary history of the Roman alphabet with author David Sacks. From Semitic-speaking mercenaries in Egypt through standarizations in the 19th century, Sacks' book "Letter Perfect" is an entertaining account of what makes our language today.

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Monday, December 13, 2004 – TR Reid of the Washington Post joins Doug to discuss his book "The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy."

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Friday, December 10, 2004 – What does the news of Urban Meyer's move reveal about the state of college athletics? Doug talks with Salt Lake Tribune sports writer Gordon Monson and Ithaca University sports management professor Ellen Staurowsky about the coaches and the student athletes that make up the industry.

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By Dan Bammes

Salt Lake City, UT – White-crowned sparrows taken from their nests in the Wasatch Mountains as babies learned how to sing their distinctive song even though they had never heard it in nature. University of Utah Biology Professor Gary Rose and doctoral student Stephanie Plamondron presented them with segments of the song out of order, and the birds were able to put it together. Their results have implications for the way humans learn language as well.

Wednesday, December 8, 2004 – Author Austin Phelps suggested "Wear the old coat and buy the new book." Doug talks to local experts about the books that should be on your holiday list this season. He's joined by Catherine Weller of Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore, Ken Sanders of Ken Sanders Rare Books, and Betsy Burton and Janet Lund of The King's English Bookshop.

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Thursday, December 9, 2004 – Have you ever picked up a piece of paper only to discover that it's a lost letter from someone you have never heard of? Have you ever bought a used book and found a picture from a stranger's birthday party? Davy Rothbart collects these items and has published them in his new book "Found : The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World."

University of Utah – The Hinckley Institute of Politics presents a discussion on why transatlantic relationships are worsening. What can be done? Originally aired on Dec. 07, 2004 from a Nov. 19 recording.

Tuesday, December 7, 2004 – The Utah Department of Transportation has released a new Environmental Impact Statement for the Legacy Parkway project. The new proposal calls for a 14-mile freeway from central Davis County to northern Salt Lake County. A federal court stopped construction on the Legacy Highway three years ago, and the new EIS is intended to meet the court's objections. Critics of the plan have proposed their own alternative that focuses on transit development rather than building a new freeway.

Monday, December 6, 2004 – In 1986, nautical archaeologist Shelley Wachsmann excavated a fishing boat in the Sea of Galilee. Radio-carbon dated to about 15 B.C., the find is a unique look into life at the time of Christ. Wachsmann will be in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, December 7 at the Salt Lake City Public Libary at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 581-6927 or visit the Utah Museum of Natural Historyweb site.