The US and China: Neither Friends Nor Rivals from The Takeaway: Early Edition by feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio)

As Washington prepares for a visit from Chinese President Hu Jintao this week, we take a look at what lies ahead in the shifting relationship between superpowers. Should we fear the "waking dragon"? We're joined by Gideon Rachman, chief foreign-affairs commentator for the Financial Times and author of "Zero-Sum Future: American Power in an Age of Anxiety," and Simon Tay, was an Asia Society 2009 Bernard Schwartz Fellow and is Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. He is also the author of "Asia Alone: The Dangerous Post-Crisis Divide from America." Listen to the podcast.

Alone Together from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

MIT professor Sherry Turkle discusses her new book Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, in which she examines how technology is diminishing our face-to-face contact and why that matters. The podcast will be available shortly, on this webpage.

King's New York Connection: MLK Jr's Friendship With Stanley Levison from News from WNYC New York Public Radio by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC Radio)

One of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most important political advisors, Stanley Levison, has remained largely hidden from public view — even 40 years after King’s death. A white Jewish lawyer from New York, Levison probably would have wanted it that way: his interest in the civil rights movement was largely selfless, and associations from his past meant that it was in the best interest of the civil rights movement to pretend that he wasn’t involved. King and Levison met sometime in 1956. King was just coming off of the successful bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, an episode that made him a sudden star in some circles. One of King’s biographers, David Garrow, said the civil rights leader would come to New York frequently to raise money — and likely stopped in at some fundraisers where Levison was present. It was during the run-up to the 1963 March on Washington that a piece of Levison’s past resurfaced and complicated his involvement. Jones, who has just published a book about the march, “Behind the Dream: The Making of the Speech that Transformed the Nation,” recalled that King and other civil rights leaders gathered at the White House in the summer of that year.

Please Explain: Salt from Please Explain from WNYC New York Public Radio Podcast

Salt is found on most dining tables and in most kitchens--but this ubiquitous household item has a long and curious history. It's a flavor enhancer, an ice melter, has been used as a currency, and has shaped civilization. Mark Kurlansky, author of ?Salt: A World History, and Dr. Sonia Angell, Director, Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control, New York City Health Department, explain what salt is, where it comes from, and discusses its influence on history and on our health. Listen to the podcast here.

The Anti-Vaccine Movement from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Dr. Paul A. Offit, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a founding advisory board member of the Autism Science Foundation, discusses the debate over vaccines and why the link between autism and vaccines has been discredited. His book Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All explains the origins of the anti-vaccine movement and how it has affected public health. Listen to the podcast.

That's Crazy from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

The mental health of the Tucson shooter has become central to the conversation about the deadly incident in Arizona last weekend. Slate.com senior editor Dahlia Lithwick looks at how mental health becomes political and the history of the insanity defense. Plus: Seth Mnookin, author of the new book The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear; Money U continues with a conversation about debt collection; and Nassau County’s money problems.

Who Will Be the Next RNC Chair? from The Takeaway: Early Edition by feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio)

Conservatives from across the country have convened in Washington this week to elect the next Republican National Committee Chair. With the 2012 presidential election right around the corner, Republican officials are looking for a leader who can rally the base, attract new voters and, of course, raise money. Michael Steele, the current RNC chair, doesn't seem to have enough support to win a second term, although he has in some ways raised the profile of the office during his term. What else does the RNC Chair need to ensure a GOP win in 2012? Joining us is Ron Christie, Republican political strategist, CEO of Christie Strategies and author of Acting White: The Curious History of a Racial Slur. Listen to the podcast.

Sounds of the Western from WNYC's Soundcheck by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Carter Burwell’s music for the Coen Brothers’ film True Grit turns its back on the legacy of film composer Ennio Morricone, whose scores for Sergio Leone’s “spaghetti Westerns” set the tone for genre's post-60s films. We’ll talk with Burwell about True Grit’s unlikely inspiration. And we’ll get a look at how the film fits into the canon of Westerns with Kathryn Kalinak, author of the book How the West Was Sung. Listen to the podcast.

Peter Bergen: History of the GWOT from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Peter Bergen, CNN's national security expert and author of Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden and The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda, offers an in-depth history of the War on Terror. Listen to the podcast.

The Caveman Diet from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Arthur De Vany, author of The New Evolution Diet: What Our Paleolithic Ancestors Can Teach Us about Weight Loss, Fitness, and Aging, discusses the paleo lifestyle movement and the caveman diet. Listen to the podcast.

Lockheed Martin and the Military-Industrial Complex from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

January 17th marks the 50th anniversary of President Dwight Eisenhower’s famous speech on the military-industrial complex. William Hartung, director of the New America Foundation’s Arms and Security Initiative, discusses the history of Lockheed Martin—the nation's largest weapons contractor. His book Prophets of War traces the company's rise from military aircraft manufacturer in WWI, to a major supplier of fighters and bombers for the Allies in WWII, to corporate behemoth with a major role in setting American foreign policy. Listen to the podcast.

Lessons Learned from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Bloomberg administration officials got grilled by the NY City Council yesterday about the city’s response to last month’s blizzard. WNYC’s Ailsa Chang breaks down the lessons learned as the city braces for another winter storm. Plus, WNYC's Bob Hennelly gives a preview of Governor Christie’s State of the State address; Eric Alterman on kabuki politics; New America Foundation fellow Parag Khanna talks about his new book How to Run the World: Charting a Course to the Next Renaissance; and a continued conversation about the shooting in Tucson, Arizona with NJ Congressman Bill Pascrell and others.

The Price of Everything from The Takeaway: Early Edition by feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio)

Everyday, all of us spend money on things — things we need, and things we don’t. And in turn prices are put on those things. But where do those prices come from? How much has to do with supply and demand? And how much has to do with bigger forces at play? Finance writer Eduardo Porter has been researching these questions for years. His new book is called “The Price of Everything: Solving the Mystery of Why We Pay What We Do.” Porter joins us to talk about the nature of value in modern society, some of its mysteries and explanations. Listen to the podcast.

Eric Alterman On Arizona And Obama from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Eric Alterman, columnist for The Nation, and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, is the author of Kabuki Democracy: The System vs. Barack Obama. He discusses the new political landscape in the light of the Tucson shooting, and next moves for the Obama administration. Listen to the podcast.

The Misinterpretation of Metaphors from The Takeaway: Early Edition by feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio)

Back in March Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords made a statement responding to Sarah Palin's anti-healthcare reform campaign, saying, "we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list. But the thing is the way that she has it depicted has the cross hairs of a gun site over our district." Could metaphors in that statement have had an effect on who Jared Loughner targeted in Arizona over the weekend? Our guest James Geary, a journalist and author of the upcoming book, "I Is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How It Shapes the Way We See the World," says that metaphors in political rhetoric and imagery have a profound and largely non-conscious effect on us. Listen to the podcast.

Backstory: Post-Soviet Moldova from WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Moldova—a nation created after the break-up of the Soviet Union and the subsequent reshuffling of borders. On this week's Backstory, Charles King, Professor of Government and International Affairs at Georgetown University, discusses Moldova's struggle to define itself. He's the author of the book The Moldovans: Romania, Russia, and the Politics of Culture, and of Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams, to be published in February. Listen to the podcast.

Seth Mnookin on The Panic Virus (On The Media: Friday, 07 January 2011) from On The Media by onthemedia@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

This week the British Medical Journal concluded an extensive investigation into a study that claimed a link between childhood vaccination and autism. Their conclusion? The study WAS A FRAUD. And yet, after a decade of no convincing evidence of a link, the panic remains and vaccination rates are down. Seth Mnookin, author of The Panic Virus, explains why it’s so hard to dislodge misinformation and fear. Download the podcast here.

Health Checklist from WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

Atul Gawande, author of The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, discusses his book and offers his take on how to improve our healthcare system. Listen to the podcast.

Backstory: Post-Soviet Moldova from Lopate - Underreported by listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio)

The year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Moldova—a nation created after the break-up of the Soviet Union and the subsequent reshuffling of borders. On this week's Backstory, Charles King, Professor of Government and International Affairs at Georgetown University, discusses Moldova's struggle to define itself. He's the author of the book The Moldovans: Romania, Russia, and the Politics of Culture, and of Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams, to be published in February. Download the podcast here.

Economists See Growth with Unemployment Report from The Takeaway: Early Edition by feedback@thetakeaway.org (Public Radio International and WNYC Radio)

The Labor Department is expected to release December unemployment numbers this morning. And there are rumors the president may also announce a new chief economic adviser to replace Lawrence Summers. Unemployment is likely to remain hovering around 10 percent, but the report is expected to show positive growth from a moth ago when unemployment rose to 9.8 percent from 9.6 percent. And last week, the new claims for jobless benefits increased, while the average number of Americans filing for unemployment insurance declined — a sign of a recovering economy. We talk with Harry Holzer, professor of public policy at Georgetown and a former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. He is also the author of the new book Where Are All the Good Jobs Going? His book is out this month from the Russell Sage Foundation. Download the podcast here.