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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1
PRE-COLUMBIAN MEXICO
The creation myth is the bedrock of any religion, culture and society. The
Babylonians celebrated Gilgamesh, the ancient Greeks exalted Zeus, the Christians
worship God and the Mesoamericans honor Quetzalcoatl: part man, part snake
and part bird, he is the mythic source of ancient and modern Mexico's history
and cultural identity. Neil Baldwin, executive director of the National
Book Foundation set out to capture the lore of Quetzalcoatl in Legends of
the Plumed Serpent: Biography of a Mexican God (PublicAffairs). Tonight,
he and a panel of scholars reflect on the myths and history of pre-Columbian
Central America.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2
QUARTERLY BOOK REVIEW
The normally civilized quarterly book review program might get a little
heated tonight, as our fearless team of book reviewers, Alan Gitelson,
Penelope Mesic and Dan Tucker, take on a new mission: to review the same
two books, Tom Wolfe's latest opus, A Man in Full (Farrar, Strauss and
Giroux) and Jorge Luis Borges: Collected Fictions (Viking). Will it be
three thumbs up or down? Find out how the distinguished panel rates these
and many other hot new fall titles.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3
SPORTING NEWS
The NBA lockout continues, but Michael Jordan still makes news with a
just-released pictorial autobiography; the Cubs did not win the World
Series, but Sammy Sosa claimed the National League MVP award; and the
Bears, well, they still fall somewhat short of our aspirations. There's
always something happening in the wide world of sports to arouse a fan's
disgust, sympathy or support. Who better to comment on the athletes and
their latest feats and follies than two of the most outspoken sports fanatics
in town, WGN's very own SportsCentral dynamic duo, David Kaplan and Tom
Waddle. They join Milt tonight to banter about the sports scene in Chicago
and around the country and about the art of sports broadcasting.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
When the opening bars of Willie Nelson's signature tune hit the WGN airwaves
around 9:05 pm, devotees of Milt's Music programs know that it is time,
once again, for him to spin a selection of his favorite and most eclectic
tunes for the evening. Blues, folk, Latin, classical, opera-no musical
genre is too far afield for tonight's dj. Tune in for a hand-selected
delightful musical smorgasbord a la Rosenberg.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7
CITY POLITICS
It's a little early to call the results of the 1999 mayoral elections
but it's the perfect time to assess the state of politics in Chicago.
How have the Mayor's latest edicts on ethics, on guns, on neighborhood
beautification, on urban blight, on education, and on and on taken hold
in the "city that works?" Which Alderman has most recently been
indicted? And who will attempt to de-throne Mayor Richard M. Daley in
the primaries-Rush and/or Pucinski? What else is brewing in the hallowed
Council chambers, in the law offices and on the streets of Chicago? Find
out this evening, with tonight's panel of reporters on the city beat.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8
THE CHAIR AND OTHER THINGS
From its crudest beginnings in the Neolithic Age to the modern ergonomic
office, the chair has always been the best seat in the house. But, as
Galen Cranz illuminates in her fascinating new book, The Chair: Rethinking
Culture, Body, and Design (Norton), it's not just another piece of furniture,
but a status symbol that has shaped the social and physical dimensions
of our lives. Tonight's panel, including Cranz, discusses the significance,
practicality, use and design of everyday objects like the chair, the computer
keyboard, the milk carton, and maybe even the radio dial.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9
Not unlike Hurricane Georges, tonight's program will be the result of
a powerful force in nature. So stay tuned for an in-depth examination
of a yet-undecided topic.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10
FORENSIC SCIENCE UP CLOSE
Bullet casings, fingerprinted objects, hair, skin and blood traces comprise
the inventory that the Northern Illinois Police Crime Laboratory sifts
through every day to assist area police departments in apprehending criminals.
Forensic science is a relatively new subfield of laboratory science-it
has expanded with every technological advancement that makes fingerprint,
firearm and DNA testing possible and reliable. This evening, a group of
forensic scientists from the lab, including its director, Jane Homeyer,
share their scientific methods and some of their most interesting and
challenging cases.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11
ON SHAKESPEARE
On his new book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human (Riverhead Books)
Harold Bloom remarked, "I don't want a single person, with a few
honorable exceptions, who ostensibly teach Shakespeare to even look at
the book. They're hideous ideologues, pseudo Marxists, pseudo feminists,
pseudo historicists, and disciples of Foucault." He intends his tome
to be "useful to common readers and common playgoers." Bloom
has taught this subject for the past 20 years at Yale University and tonight
this esteemed professor, outspoken critic and accomplished scholar examines
his favorite characters and plays, and explains his theory: that Shakespeare
invented the concept of personality. (Accompanying the dialogue, of course,
will be a number of recorded Shakespearean scenes.)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 14
BOOKS OF '98
What topped your list of favorite books of the year? In the genre of fiction,
Tom Wolfe, Barbara Kingsolver, John Updike, Wally Lamb produced well-reviewed
novels. The nonfiction list might include Malachy McCourt's memoir, David
Remnick's history of Muhammed Ali, Steve Martin's collection of humorous
essays or Harold Evans book on the American century. Just in time for
holiday gift-buying (and gift- hint-dropping), tonight's panel of bibliophiles,
including the American Library Association's Donna Seaman and Joel Jacobson,
owner of the Lincoln Park Bookshop, share their thoughts on the best books
of 1998. (Incidentally, Milt will also showcase the most beautiful art
books of the season.)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15
HOLIDAY FLICKS
What's on screen at the movie theatres as the year draws to a close and
the deadline for Academy Awards nominations closes in? To name but a few:
A Civil Action starring John Travolta, Babe: Pig in the City, starring
a pig, Meryl Streep in Dancing at Lughnasa, Woody Allen's Celebrity and
the re-release of the perennial favorite, The Wizard of Oz. And what do
tonight's film reviewers, including the Chicago Tribune's John Petrakis
think of these $8.00 gems? We'll discover their raves and not-so-faves,
as well as what's to come to a theatre near you this holiday season.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16
GUNS AND CRIME
It is unquestionably one of the most contentious topics of debate in policy,
politics and in private: Gun control. It calls into question constitutional
guarantees, personal responsibility, and, at a time when 12 year-olds
binge on shoot-em-up sprees, crime and safety. University of Chicago Professor
John Lott, Jr. makes an unrelenting attack on advocates of gun control
in his book, More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control
Laws (University of Chicago Press). He argues that most commonly held
assumptions about gun control and its crime-fighting efficacy are simply
wrong and that "right to carry" laws and legally concealed handguns
represent the most cost-effective methods of reducing violent crime. On
the program tonight, Lott takes on a local gun control advocate for an
impassioned and important debate.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17
BELOW THE EQUATOR
The rape and pillaging of the tropical rainforests in South America is
an irreversible byproduct of a global economy's booming technology and
industry, widespread pollution and population explosion. From prehistory
to the present, human evolution has altered and threatened this unique
ecosystem and lifesource. During her fieldwork below the equator, archaeologist,
Field Museum curator and University of Illinois-Chicago Professor Anna
Roosevelt has pondered such questions about the symbiotic relationship
between man and his environment and the viability of ecological maintenance
and preservation. She'll be with us tonight, with a panel of anthropologists
and ecologists for a timely and informative discussion on human life and
nature. (This program was preempted last month.)
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18
STARS
James B. Kaler can tell us remarkable things about our past, present and
future. He does it by observing the stars. No, he's not an astrologer,
but a University of Illinois professor of Astronomy who has written a
new book, Stars (Scientific American Library), which explores the nature
of stars-their origins, varieties, distributions, compositions and distinctive
histories-and why they are the key to our comprehension of how the Universe
evolved. He joins tonight's panel of cosmologists to forecast the future
of the cosmos.
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21-23
We've left these nights open for fascinating topics that will most certainly
inform, enthrall and entertain. Please consult www.wgnradio.com for updates.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24
CHRISTMAS CHEER
Tonight, ring in the holiday with Extension 720's annual Baroque music
special with Tom Wikman, founder of Chicago's Music of the Baroque.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25
CHRISTMAS TAPES
Sick of relatives? Overstuffed with holiday treats? Tired of tried and
true carols? We have the perfect solution for whatever ails you tonight:
some excellent tapes from the Extension 720 archives.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 28
YEAR IN REVIEW
Tonight's panel of year-end philosophers, including syndicated columnist
Georgie Anne Geyer, review the follies and fortunes of the past year in
all things international: Bosnia, Kosovo, Indonesia, Russia, Saddam Hussein,
the Asia financial crisis, the Wye Peace Accord, the Northern Ireland
Peace Agreement-and of course how (or whether) our beleaguered president
navigated his way through scandal to keep American foreign policy on track.
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29-30
Tune in for two fascinating editions of Extension 720, on yet undecided
topics.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31
NEW YEAR'S EVE TAPES
In celebration of the end of 1998, Extension 720 will take the night off
to prepare its resolution for 1999: excellent programming, as always.
Stay tuned for some choice interviews from the archives.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1
EXTENSION 720's GREATEST HITS OF 1998
A quick survey of the official Extension 720 programming calendar is enough
to stir up fond memories of programs past. Do you remember Archbishop
Francis George, William Bratton, Michael Palin, George Will, Patrick Buchanan,
E.O. Wilson, Barry Scheck, David Remnick, Rosalyn Carter, Ron Rosenbaum;
tales of Chicago paramedics and cabdrivers; big newsmakers of the year
like Saddam Hussein, William Jefferson Clinton, Dr. Mo Mowlam, the media
itself? You'll hear some of these highlights tonight. Happy New Year!
Please note that the annual subscription rate has gone up to $10.00. You
can access our electronic guide for free by emailing us at Extension720@Tribune.com
with your request.
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