Thomas Friedman says the US is falling behind on the global stage.
Thomas Friedman says the US is falling behind on the global stage.
A lot of pro football players cross-train. They practice the plays and the running, the throws and the tackles. We've even heard stories of pro athletes taking ballet lessons to lighten their footwork. But for NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, training also included chess.
When you talk about Japanese popular culture, there's one name that towers above all others. Literally. Godzilla. The giant green lizard recently became an official Japanese citizen. William Tsutsui knows all there is to know about this larger-than-life movie star; he's the author of "Godzilla on My Mind."
Writer Stephen Kuusisto is blind. He talks of what he remembers about visiting the seashore and a stable in Finland as a child.
Filmmakers Jon Betz and Taggart Siegel talk about their documentary "Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?"
Laura Van Den Berg has the kind of literary success writers dream of. Her debut novel comes out later this month, and already it's become one of the most anticipated books of the year. But for Laura, writing hasn't always been easy.
Suprabha Beckjord runs as a spiritual practice. She's a follower of Sri Chinmoy, who believed athletics could enhance spiritual enlightenment. So he set up various weightlifting, swimming, and distance running events. His most famous - and most grueling - is the annual Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. The race, which exceeds the distance from Boston to Los Angeles, takes place around a half- mile loop in Queens, New York. Suprabha Beckjord ran those 3100 miles for 13 years in a row. Her fastest race was 49 days and 14 hours, an average or more than 63 miles a day. Rehman Tungekar talks with her.
How do foods become trendy seemingly overnight? Journalist David Sax tracked the origins of a variety of food fads for his book, "The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy For Cupcakes But Fed Up With Fondue."