Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

Are you afraid to take a walk in the woods because of ticks, mosquitoes and other disease carriers that bite? In this installment of "Leonard Lopate At Large" on WBAI, two scientists from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Dr. Richard Ostfeld and Dr. Shannon LaDeau, give us an in-depth view of how and why they bite us, the diseases they carry and what we can do to protect ourselves.

Are you afraid to take a walk in the woods because of ticks, mosquitoes and other disease carriers that bite? In this installment of "Leonard Lopate At Large" on WBAI, two scientists from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Dr. Richard Ostfeld and Dr. Shannon LaDeau, give us an in-depth view of how and why they bite us, the diseases they carry and what we can do to protect ourselves.

In 2009, Peter Aaron, an architectural photographer, and Brooke Allen, author and professor, went on vacation with their children to Syria. Brooke wrote a book about their experience called “The Other Side of the Mirror: An American Travels Through Syria” (Paul Dry Books). Within 2 years of their trip, civil war broke out and many of the landmarks that Peter had photographed were damaged or destroyed. His photographs—now a precious documentation of Syria’s vanishing history and culture—are currently on exhibit at the Venice Biennale and can be seen in a new book called “Syria Before the Deluge.” In this episode of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Brooke and Peter describe the many ways that the Syria they saw no longer exists.

In 2009, Peter Aaron, an architectural photographer, and Brooke Allen, author and professor, went on vacation with their children to Syria. Brooke wrote a book about their experience called “The Other Side of the Mirror: An American Travels Through Syria” (Paul Dry Books). Within 2 years of their trip, civil war broke out and many of the landmarks that Peter had photographed were damaged or destroyed. His photographs—now a precious documentation of Syria’s vanishing history and culture—are currently on exhibit at the Venice Biennale and can be seen in a new book called “Syria Before the Deluge.” In this episode of “Leonard Lopate at Large,” Brooke and Peter describe the many ways that the Syria they saw no longer exists.

For this show, Leonard is joined in the studio by a bona fide rock icon, lead guitarist and founding member of the MC5, Wayne Kramer. From his genre-defining wall of feedback on the band’s seminal work “Kick Out The Jams” to their infamous performance at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago that landed them both in jail and on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine before they even had a record deal, few groups had as wild or influential a time in the spotlight. The “big brother” band of The Stooges in their earliest days, the pioneers, purveyors and arguably creators of punk and heavy metal music, the MC5 created a sound far ahead of its time. And at the heart of that sound was Wayne Kramer’s guitar. “The MC5’s story is important because it’s five guys from Detroit who, against all prevailing wisdom, at a time when the music business really didn’t want to know, tried to make something happen,” Wayne said in a 2011 lecture at Loyola University. “I think there’s something to be said for that. Unequivocal commitment to trying to achieve—the sense of possibility.”

For this show, Leonard is joined in the studio by a bona fide rock icon, lead guitarist and founding member of the MC5, Wayne Kramer. From his genre-defining wall of feedback on the band’s seminal work “Kick Out The Jams” to their infamous performance at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago that landed them both in jail and on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine before they even had a record deal, few groups had as wild or influential a time in the spotlight. The “big brother” band of The Stooges in their earliest days, the pioneers, purveyors and arguably creators of punk and heavy metal music, the MC5 created a sound far ahead of its time. And at the heart of that sound was Wayne Kramer’s guitar. “The MC5’s story is important because it’s five guys from Detroit who, against all prevailing wisdom, at a time when the music business really didn’t want to know, tried to make something happen,” Wayne said in a 2011 lecture at Loyola University. “I think there’s something to be said for that. Unequivocal commitment to trying to achieve—the sense of possibility.”

Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston, a neighborhood that held the highest concentration of white poverty in the United States. After losing four of his eleven siblings and seeing his generation decimated by poverty, crime, addiction, and incarceration, he learned to transform personal and community trauma by becoming a leading Boston activist, organizer and writer. He is the author of the New York Times Bestselling memoir, "All Souls: A Family Story From Southie" and the acclaimed "Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion." He is also a regular contributor to The Boston Globe’s Op Ed page. As an activist, MacDonald has focused his efforts on multi-cultural coalition building to reduce violence and promote grassroots leadership from our most impacted communities. On Monday’s show, Michael gives Leonard a report on the state of Ireland today.

Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston, a neighborhood that held the highest concentration of white poverty in the United States. After losing four of his eleven siblings and seeing his generation decimated by poverty, crime, addiction, and incarceration, he learned to transform personal and community trauma by becoming a leading Boston activist, organizer and writer. He is the author of the New York Times Bestselling memoir, "All Souls: A Family Story From Southie" and the acclaimed "Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion." He is also a regular contributor to The Boston Globe’s Op Ed page. As an activist, MacDonald has focused his efforts on multi-cultural coalition building to reduce violence and promote grassroots leadership from our most impacted communities. On Monday’s show, Michael gives Leonard a report on the state of Ireland today.

On Friday’s show, Leonard talks to Italian food expert Lou Di Palo, the owner of his favorite cheese shop, Di Palo's Fine Foods in Little Italy. The food blog Serious Eats described Di Palo's Fine Foods a “100-year-old Italian specialty market with incredible mozzarella and fresh porchetta. Expect long waits, but they're worth it.” Chef Daniel Boulud has called Di Palo one of the seven wonders of New York. “Di Palo’s stories come from the gathering of the food, the discovery of where it was made,” wrote Kenneth Rapoza of Forbes. “It’s not so much about the taste, but what makes it taste that way in the first place. So it all inevitably comes down to the air and the water and the grass and the sheepherder he’s met that led him to the perfect little farm, that made the perfect little cheese, somewhere south of Trentino.” Don’t miss Leonard’s conversation with this giant of Italian cuisine

On Friday’s show, Leonard talks to Italian food expert Lou Di Palo, the owner of his favorite cheese shop, Di Palo's Fine Foods in Little Italy. The food blog Serious Eats described Di Palo's Fine Foods a “100-year-old Italian specialty market with incredible mozzarella and fresh porchetta. Expect long waits, but they're worth it.” Chef Daniel Boulud has called Di Palo one of the seven wonders of New York. “Di Palo’s stories come from the gathering of the food, the discovery of where it was made,” wrote Kenneth Rapoza of Forbes. “It’s not so much about the taste, but what makes it taste that way in the first place. So it all inevitably comes down to the air and the water and the grass and the sheepherder he’s met that led him to the perfect little farm, that made the perfect little cheese, somewhere south of Trentino.” Don’t miss Leonard’s conversation with this giant of Italian cuisine