Please Explain (The Leonard Lopate Show)

Today's Please Explain is all about fireworks, just in time for the Fourth of July. Phil Grucci of Fireworks by Grucci. Mr. Grucci is an innovator in the field of pyrotechnics, and he's been responsible for many of the most challenging and progressive pyrotechnic performances around the world, from New York to Seoul.

On Please Explain, we’ll find out how to make environmentally friendly buildings more affordable. William D. Browning is an expert in energy-efficient design. Jamy Bacchus is a consultant focusing on energy modeling and sustainability for the built environment. We’re also taking your calls at 212-433-9692 (that’s 212-433-WNYC).

The Aztec king Montezuma drank liquid chocolate all day to enhance his libido. On today's Please Explain: which brands are tastiest, whether it has any real health benefits -- and why so many of us are addicted to it. Leonard talks to Clay Gordon, a chocolate critic who runs the website chocophile.com; and Dr. Ann E. Kelley, professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

On today's Please Explain, we'll answer your questions about radiology. Ever wondered how doctors read X-rays? or how MRIs render images of your brain? Leonard talks to Dr. Robert Zimmerman of the Department of Radiology at Weill Medical College, and director of Diagnostic Radiology at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Also, Dr. Jonathan Susman, clinical director of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at New York Presbyterian of the Columbia University Medical Center.

Humans have documented encounters with bed bugs since the 1600s. The parasites feed on human and animal blood, usually while the host is sleeping. The bugs, which were fairly common in the US before WWII, are starting to crop up again. On this week’s edition of Please Explain, Richard J. Pollack, Phd. a Research Associate in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease at the Harvard School of Public Health, and Richard Cooper of Cooper Pest Control join us. If you’re itching to learn about bed bugs, give us a call at 212-433-9692. Music: Sonatine Soundtrack, Tracks 6 and 1 “Mr. Bedbug” by Kevin Roth from Travel Song Sing Along

There are 2,027 bridges in New York City. On this week's edition of Please Explain, we'll learn how bridges work, and how they serve the communities that build them. Khaled Mahmoud, bridge engineer and president of Bridge Technology Consulting, joins us. He's also chairman of the Bridge Engineering Association. Also, Henry Petroski, Professor of Civil Engineering and History at Duke University. Mr. Petroski is also the author of several books, including Engineers of Dreams, a history of America's great bridges, and the forthcoming Success Through Failure: The Paradox of Design.

In our weekly Please Explain feature, cat therapist Carole Wilbourn, "The Kitty Freud," tells us how to help our cats lead happier lives. She’s the author of a column called "Cats on the Couch."

On Wednesday, July 13, Carole Wilbourn will give a 92nd Street Y talk called "When Your Cat Talks, Do You Get It?" at Makor's westside facility. Call 212-601-1000 for more info.

Music: Soundtrack for Sonatine, Track 6 and Track 1

There's a dizzying array of vitamins, herbs, and minerals available to treat almost any health problem. On today's Please Explain feature, we’ll ask the experts which supplements really help, and which ones don't. We’ll hear from Dr. David Talmage, Director of the Masters of Science in Human Nutrition Program and the Post-Doctoral Training in Human Nutrition at the Institute for Human Nutrition at Columbia University, and Dr. Wahida Karmally, Director of Nutrition in The Irving Center for Clinical Research and Associate Research Scientist and Lecturer in Dentistry at Columbia University Medical Center.

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Donna LeValley, a tax lawyer and editor of J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax Guide 2005, helps us get ready for tax day. We’ll learn about the history of income tax, figure out which forms to use, and get some advice on when it’s time to turn to a professional for help.

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Finally you can deal with all those piles of paper on your desk, the boxes under your bed, the stacks of stuff in your closet. On today's Please Explain, Julie Morgenstern, professional organizer, will whip us into shape.

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