Donny McCaslin grew up in Santa Cruz, where this program is based, and got his musical start here. Today he's a widely-known, much-admired tenor sax player based in New York. Donny returned to our area recently to play at the 2011 Monterey Jazz Festival. We talked about his formative years (playing with his dad's band on the streets of Santa Cruz) and rapid success (he joined Gary Burton's quintet right out of college). Donny's a very thoughtful and knowledgeable musician, and I took advantage of the occasion to ask some detailed questions about his work and development.

The sociologist Teresa Gowan spent years getting to know a community of homeless recyclers in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood, which she describes in her book "Hobos, Hustlers and Backsliders: Homeless in San Francisco." Now the neighborhood is gentrifying, and many of the homeless have been driven out. Teresa and I revisited Dogpatch to talk about her work there, to see how things have changed and to find out what's happened to the homeless. As we walked, we talked: not just about homelessness but also the ways we speak about it and how they hem us in; the meaning of work; class and underclass in America; and the not-so-heartening history of attitudes toward poverty and "vagrancy." Part 1 of 2.

The sociologist Teresa Gowan spent years getting to know a community of homeless recyclers in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood, which she describes in her book "Hobos, Hustlers and Backsliders: Homeless in San Francisco." Now the neighborhood is gentrifying, and many of the homeless have been driven out. Teresa and I revisited Dogpatch to talk about her work there, to see how things have changed and to find out what's happened to the homeless. As we walked, we talked: not just about homelessness but also the ways we speak about it and how they hem us in; the meaning of work; class and underclass in America; and the not-so-heartening history of attitudes toward poverty and "vagrancy." Part 1 of 2.

What happens when America recovers from the current economic crisis? Do things go back to normal? Not necessarily, and certainly not for everybody, says Don Peck, features editor of The Atlantic. In his new book, Pinched, he cites voluminous evidence that deep recessions leave lasting scars, and we may never be quite the same again. He says we need to take immediate action to limit the damage, and that the current narrow focus on government debt is wrongheaded. Economist Stephen Rose is less worried about America's long-term prospects, but he too says government needs to do more to aid recover.

What happens when America recovers from the current economic crisis? Do things go back to normal? Not necessarily, and certainly not for everybody, says Don Peck, features editor of The Atlantic. In his new book, Pinched, he cites voluminous evidence that deep recessions leave lasting scars, and we may never be quite the same again. He says we need to take immediate action to limit the damage, and that the current narrow focus on government debt is wrongheaded. Economist Stephen Rose is less worried about America's long-term prospects, but he too says government needs to do more to aid recover.

Fifty years ago, a group of Harvard faculty began experimenting with psychoactive drugs and helped turn on a generation. Robert looks back on a defining cultural moment with Don Lattin, author of "The Harvard Psychedelic Club," and with Harvard alumnus Paul Lee, who took part in the experiments.

In town to perform Michael Daugherty's electric guitar concerto Gee's Bend with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, D.J. Sparr stopped by our studio with instrument in hand. We talked about his wide-ranging career (rock, country, classical...) and listened to some of his performances and original compositions. D.J. also demonstrated some wicked picking and finger-tapping

In town to perform Michael Daugherty's electric guitar concerto Gee's Bend with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, D.J. Sparr stopped by our studio with instrument in hand. We talked about his wide-ranging career (rock, country, classical...) and listened to some of his performances and original compositions. D.J. also demonstrated some wicked picking and finger-tapping

Developmental psychologist Paul Bloom explores the nature of human pleasures, from sex and food to art, music and fantasies. He says that what we like depends on what we think, and there may be no such thing as purely physical pleasure. He discusses his new book, "How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like."

Developmental psychologist Paul Bloom explores the nature of human pleasures, from sex and food to art, music and fantasies. He says that what we like depends on what we think, and there may be no such thing as purely physical pleasure. He discusses his new book, "How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like."