Need to Know - Season 2011

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Foster Care, A ‘Lost Boy’ of Sudan

1 - Foster Care, A ‘Lost Boy’ of Sudan

Air Date: January 7, 2011

On the eve of Sudan’s historic elections, we profile a “lost boy” who returned to aid his hometown. Plus: medicating foster kids, more “fixing America” and advice from Peter Sagal.

Gun Control, Haiti, High-Speed Rail

2 - Gun Control, Haiti, High-Speed Rail

Air Date: January 14, 2011

In light of the Arizona shooting, we revisit a story on gun rights. Also: Two Haitian children treated in Boston after the earthquake, a look at high speed rail and author Peter Bergen on al Qaeda.

Care for Disabled Adults, Michael Vick’s Dogs, China

3 - Care for Disabled Adults, Michael Vick’s Dogs, China

Air Date: January 21, 2011

This week, we visit with parents struggling to maintain care for their developmentally disabled adult children in the face of budget cuts. Plus: where are Michael Vick’s dogs now? And: the Amy Chua phenomenon.

Aging in the Car-Happy Suburbs, Congo, A New 'New Deal'?

4 - Aging in the Car-Happy Suburbs, Congo, A New 'New Deal'?

Air Date: January 28, 2011

Getting older in the car-dependent suburbs, the State of the Union and the state of the Congo. Plus: an animated editorial by Steve Brodner.

Egypt, End-of-Life Care, Alzheimer’s

5 - Egypt, End-of-Life Care, Alzheimer’s

Air Date: February 4, 2011

Amid the upheaval in Egypt, we turn our attention to the political tension between Egypt and the U.S. Also, the defunct “death panel” provision, a new scan for Alzheimer’s, and “Reagan.”

Ahead of the Class

6 - Ahead of the Class

Air Date: February 11, 2011

As the nation debates how to get the best performance out of students and teachers, Need to Know presents an hour devoted to success stories in teaching.

The Universe(s), Egypt’s Future, and Fracking

7 - The Universe(s), Egypt’s Future, and Fracking

Air Date: February 18, 2011

How many universes are there? Author Brian Greene explains. Plus: A fracking update, a look at what’s next in Egypt and an interview author Parag Khanna.

Sea level rise, National Guard bonuses, Somali pirates

8 - Sea level rise, National Guard bonuses, Somali pirates

Libya’s uprising, the high cost of college sports, Wisconsin’s unions

9 - Libya’s uprising, the high cost of college sports, Wisconsin’s unions

Public unions and state budgets, blood transfusions

10 - Public unions and state budgets, blood transfusions

Crisis in Japan, stories of academic transformation

11 - Crisis in Japan, stories of academic transformation

Wounded in war, Arne Duncan, breast cancer research

12 - Wounded in war, Arne Duncan, breast cancer research

Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Medicare, Edwidge Danticat

13 - Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Medicare, Edwidge Danticat

The BP oil spill and the Grand Isle one year later, fixing American education

14 - The BP oil spill and the Grand Isle one year later, fixing American education

Chinese drywall, ‘Capitalism 4.0,’ right-sizing Detroit

15 - Chinese drywall, ‘Capitalism 4.0,’ right-sizing Detroit

Joe Nocera on the Charlie Engle story, Tavis Smiley, free music education in Chicago

16 - Joe Nocera on the Charlie Engle story, Tavis Smiley, free music education in Chicago

Adoptions in Nepal, Bin Laden economics, the united states of women

17 - Adoptions in Nepal, Bin Laden economics, the united states of women

Detainee abuse, broadband in Europe, crisis mappers

18 - Detainee abuse, broadband in Europe, crisis mappers

Climate change and tropical disease, Upper Big Branch mine disaster, Stuxnet

19 - Climate change and tropical disease, Upper Big Branch mine disaster, Stuxnet

Political storm over tornadoes, Paralympics, shrinking Youngstown

20 - Political storm over tornadoes, Paralympics, shrinking Youngstown

Paying for war, medicating foster children, childhood obesity

21 - Paying for war, medicating foster children, childhood obesity

Clinical trials overseas, legacy of nuclear waste, Brian Greene and the multiverse

22 - Clinical trials overseas, legacy of nuclear waste, Brian Greene and the multiverse

New voter laws, the anti-abortion movement, therapy for Tourette’s syndrome

23 - New voter laws, the anti-abortion movement, therapy for Tourette’s syndrome

Combating IEDs, the ramifications of the Wal-Mart case, the science of happy marriages

24 - Combating IEDs, the ramifications of the Wal-Mart case, the science of happy marriages

Greece’s debt crisis, congressional redistricting, ‘Page One’ and the New York Times

25 - Greece’s debt crisis, congressional redistricting, ‘Page One’ and the New York Times

Congo’s orchestra, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Sudan, workplace safety

26 - Congo’s orchestra, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Sudan, workplace safety

California nuclear safety, population control, Gloria Steinem

27 - California nuclear safety, population control, Gloria Steinem

Famine in Somalia, nuclear waste storage, Eric Cantor and the debt ceiling

28 - Famine in Somalia, nuclear waste storage, Eric Cantor and the debt ceiling

Adult autism, food safety, wealth inequality

29 - Adult autism, food safety, wealth inequality

Breast cancer trials, Rick Perry’s ambitions, cyberweapons

30 - Breast cancer trials, Rick Perry’s ambitions, cyberweapons

The history of debt, detainee abuse, living with Chinese drywall

31 - The history of debt, detainee abuse, living with Chinese drywall

Urban farming in Detroit, consumer finance protection, gold mining in the Amazon

32 - Urban farming in Detroit, consumer finance protection, gold mining in the Amazon

Texas textbooks, wild horses, hurricanes and climate change

33 - Texas textbooks, wild horses, hurricanes and climate change

Water contamination at Camp Lejeune, polls and markets, crisis-mapping

34 - Water contamination at Camp Lejeune, polls and markets, crisis-mapping

9-11, Ten Years Later

35 - 9-11, Ten Years Later

Air Date: September 9, 2011

A special edition on the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. We visit three military families to see how the nation’s longest war effort has affected military children. Also: Six-word memoirs on 9/11, and an “In Perspective” essay from Jon Meacham.

Privatizing infrastructure, government and the private sector

36 - Privatizing infrastructure, government and the private sector

Creating ‘green jobs,’ the American garage sale

37 - Creating ‘green jobs,’ the American garage sale

Chemical pollution and the EPA

38 - Chemical pollution and the EPA

Help wanted

39 - Help wanted

The politics of resentment

40 - The politics of resentment

The nuclear question

41 - The nuclear question

Jobs in the balance

42 - Jobs in the balance

Creating opportunity

43 - Creating opportunity

Coming home: The enduring sacrifice

44 - Coming home: The enduring sacrifice

The Pentagon: Hard times, hard choices

45 - The Pentagon: Hard times, hard choices

Resisting Alabama’s immigration crackdown

46 - Resisting Alabama’s immigration crackdown

Help wanted: Revisiting Ohio

47 - Help wanted: Revisiting Ohio

Making Congress work

48 - Making Congress work

Mayor under siege

49 - Mayor under siege

Christian-Muslim relations in Iraq

50 - Christian-Muslim relations in Iraq

Eye on Iowa

51 - Eye on Iowa