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The Secret Lives of Pets

Alan Beck studies the relationship between pets and their owners. His early research of animal behavior included a study of stray dogs in Baltimore. Beck says that medical experts should take into consideration the benefits of pet ownership when evaluating an individual's health.

09:33
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Other segments from the episode on December 7, 1988

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, December 7, 1988: Interview with Lady Borton; Review of the television program "Maria Callas: An Operatic Biography"; Interview with Alan Beck; Commentary on personal…
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27:47

Aiding the Civilian Survivors of the Vietnam War

Lady Borton performed humanitarian work in Vietnam during and after the war. Her experiences in that country with refugees had a profound effect on her. She lives simply and, like many combat veterans, grapples with PTSD and flashbacks. Borton's book about Vietnamese refugees is called Sensing the Enemy.

Interview
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06:24

A New Documentary on Maria Callas

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new PBS documentary about Maria Callas. He says it's not as well-organized or thoughtful as an earlier film about the opera star; the late singer would be better served by a complete broadcast of one of her performances.

Review
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03:36

The Complex Rules Of Greetings

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg considers how electronic communication like telephone conversations and radio broadcasts have changed the ways we introduce ourselves.

Commentary

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09:34

The Secret Lives of Pets.

Alan Beck, a leading authority on the relationships between pets and their owners. Beck is the director of the Center for Interaction of Animals and Society at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Interview
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45:15

Dr. Alan Beck Wants You To Scoop Up Your Dog's Poop.

Dr. Alan Beck was formerly the director of the Bureau of Animal Affairs in New York, where he helped draft that city's "pooper scooper" law. A similar was recently passed in Philadelphia. Beck currently works at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary School where he heads the Center for Interaction of Animals and Society. He has researched pet/owner relationships and stray dogs and their effect on people, including the homeless. He joins the show to discuss the new law and human-animal relationships.

Interview

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