Press Play with Madeleine Brand
The Making of Maliki, Immigration and Privatization, and More
Obama requests money from Congress for immigration; the pros and cons of snacking; disrupting car culture; and is it time for Iraq's Prime Minister to step down?
By Madeleine Brand • • 51m ListenPresident Obama is requesting almost $4 billion from Congress for immigration. This is in the wake of protests at detention centers housing a growing number of immigrants fleeing Central America. Changes in the American lifestyle are having an impact on the food industry. But are the new snack products good for our health? As Iraq teeters on the brink of civil war, Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has been on the hotseat. Is it time for him to step down?
Banner Image: President Barack Obama shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki after a joint press event on Camp Victory, Iraq, April 7, 2009.
In this episode
5 storiesDetention Center Expansion
The immigrant detention center in Adelanto, California, is expanding. We look at how the detention centers work as private/public partnerships. We also dig into the $4 billion President Obama requested from Congress today to confront the immigration crisis.
Read the story9 min“Migrant” vs “Refugee”
The UN wants the US to start calling migrants at our borders “refugees.” We talk about the power of the distinction. What are the current hurdles in US law to being declared refugees for these unaccompanied children fleeing unstable Central American countries?
Read the story6 minSnacks are the New Meals
Snacking has replaced breakfast, lunch and dinner for many Americans. Snacking was an idea invented by the food industry, but now changes in lifestyle are forcing the industry to change. The rise in single family households, dual career families, baby boomers are all changing the products they offer. Oatmeal shakes for a worker on the go?
Read the story9 minThe Making of Maliki
Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been in power since 2006. Now with the country teetering on the brink of collapse, should he stay in power? Yesterday, former British PM Tony Blair called for him to step down, though al-Maliki is refusing to go anywhere. But who is the man at the center of this?
Read the story15 minDisrupting Car Culture
Will self-driving cars bring more traffic to the roads or less? Google wants us to believe the latter. We talk about whether Googlemobiles could have as big of an impact on our culture as predicted. Also: More foreign companies seem to be making American cars than American companies.
Read the story7 min
