Airing this Month

Do Girls Need the HPV Vaccine? (January 5 – 11)

There is little doubt that the new HPV vaccine will help prevent cervical cancer. However, do we know enough about it to require it for sixth grade girls? Yvette Pearson and Kimberly Adams Tufts (Old Dominion University) discuss the health facts and ethical concerns behind the Commonwealth of Virginia's vaccine mandate.

Also featured: Lead in our drinking water may cause severe health problems particularly for young children. MacArthur Foundation award winner Marc Edwards (Virginia Tech) is defining new and more effective ways to prevent lead contamination in our water supply.

WGR News feature: A Virginia Tech water expert and a Washington, DC mom have teamed up to force the District public schools to remove dangerous levels of lead from their water fountains.  Nancy King, with the radio program "With Good Reason," reports on this unlikely duo and their safe water crusade. Click here to hear the two and a half minute feature.

Virginia legislation requiring HPV Vaccine for sixth grade girls

UPDATE: General Assembly delays effective date of mandantory vaccination until 2010.

Center for Disease Control's website about HPV

Manufacturer's website for Gardasil

EPA information on lead in water

The Lost Promise of Civil Rights (January 12– 18)

Before Brown v. Board…, African Americans wanted civil rights that addressed both economic and legal inequalities. When the NAACP fought for civil rights in Brown…, however, the economic component was left behind. In her recent book, Risa Goluboff (University of Virginia) explores how different things could have been.

Also featured: In 2003, electronic voting machines in Boone County, Iowa counted 140,000 votes for a population of around 50,000. Premchand Uppuluri (Radford University) cites such glaring errors when he argues for adjustments to electronic voting systems. Uppuluri wants electronic voting machines to have a paper trail and open-source software, allowing people to study and evaluate the process from within.

WGR News Feature: While most of the nation is re-hashing the primary and caucus results, a Virginia computer security expert is warning of potential problems when it is the Commonwealth's turn to vote.  Nancy King, with the radio program "With Good Reason," has more. Click here to listen to the two and a hlaf minute feature.

Counterfactuals (January 19 - 25)

What if the South had won the Civil War? Noel Hendrickson (James Madison University) helps students consider questions about what might have been if the past had happened differently. Instead of taking possibilities to bizarre realms of science fiction, they use philosophy, social science and history knowledge to answer big hypothetical questions in realistic ways. Also featured: Lt. Col. Atin Basu (Virginia Military Institute) studies the relationship between ethnic tensions and terrorism. His statistical analysis reveals that ethnic tensions do not cause terrorism, but may be symptoms of economic desperation.

WGR News Feature: "What if" questions have long intrigued political scientists and historians.  Nancy King, with the radio program "With Good Reason," chatted with a Virginia historian who says a classic "what if" incident has already occurred on the campaign trail for the nation's next president. Listen to the two and a half minute feature.

On and Off the Road (January 26 - February 1)

Why do drivers take dangerous risks on the road? Psychologist Bryan Porter (Old Dominion University) studies red-light running and drunk driving, and is working with the state of Virginia to evaluate the “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

Also featured: Asad Khattak (Old Dominion University) studies neo-traditional neighborhoods; new communities designed to reduce traffic by allowing people to walk more to meet their needs.

WGR News Feature: In the very near future, when you run a red light in parts of Virginia, it could turn into a memorable "Kodak moment" and end up costing you a 50-dollar ticket.  Nancy King, with the radio program "With Good Reason," reports on the new "red light camera enforcement program." Listen to the two and a half minute feature.