Society & Culture

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg tells us why cursing ain't what it used to me. He explains how in Elizabethan times an oath carried with it the true fear of God. (Note: Nunberg uses some examples in this commentary, for example "Jesus Christ!" "Goddamn it," and "son of a bitch.")

Lester Brown, president of the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington-based think tank that monitors the state of the environment. The Institute has just issued it's 7th annual "State of the World" report. Brown's been nicknamed "Doctor Doom," for his dire predictions about subjects such as the dwindling forests and the global warming trend. But critics use that term less and less these days as more of Brown's predictions have come true. The 1990 edition of "State of the World" is published by Norton. (Part 2 of a two-part interview.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg examines the difficulties of truth in translation.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews an episode of "Rescue 911," the CBS series that sends a film crew out on emergency police calls. Their most famous piece of tape yet is the call from Charles Stuart in Boston to say he and his pregnant wife had been shot by a black assailant (this turned out to be a cover up for Stuart, who apparently murdered his wife and shot himself). Bits of the tape have been shown on newscasts, but this is its first full airing on the show.

Historian and author Hillel Schwartz. His latest book is "Century's End: A Cultural History of the Fin-de-Siècle From the 990's through the 1990's." (Published by Doubleday.) According to Schwartz, certain events happening now, as we approach the year 2000, are part of a pattern that repeats itself at the end of each century. Schwartz's earlier book about dieting, "Never Satisfied: A Cultural History of Diets, Fantasies, and Fat," has just come out in paperback. (Published by Anchor Books, Doubleday.)

Actor Timothy Busfield. He plays Elliot Weston on the ABC series, "thirtysomething." (he's the one with the red hair). He also appeared last summer in the movie, "Field of Dreams." Those roles follow a career that included commercials, parts in "Revenge of the Nerds," "Reggie," and "Trapper John M.D." Next week, Busfield is hosting a Lifetime cable special called "Don't Divorce the Children," about the trauma of childhood separation and divorce.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg gives his views on Prince Charles' campaign to save the English language.

Roy Ahmaogak lives in Barrow, Alaska and during the whaling season hunts bow head whales for food. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were also whalers. Ahmaogak was the person who spotted the three gray whales trapped in the ice in Barrow that drew such media attention. A recent book by Tom Rose about the trapped whales has drawn criticism from residents of Barrow who feel they were misrepresented by Rose. We talk to Ahmaogak about whaling and native life in Barrow.

Rock historian Ed Ward traces the history of 2 Tone, a musical movement that started in industrial England in the late 70's. It was started by groups like The Specials, the Selecter, the Beat, and Madness, playing ska, a form of pre-reggae Jamaican music.

Film maker Peter Wang (it's spelled "wang," but it's pronounced "Wong"). Wang wrote, produced, directed, and acts in his new movie, "The Laser Man." It's a suspense-comedy about a Chinese-American physicist who discovers his laser research is being used for evil purposes. Much the same thing happened to Wang himself. He holds a PhD. in laser technology but left the field after deciding he could no longer use his skills to help create new weapons systems. After a stint teaching, Wang migrated into acting and film.

A double interview today....first, Terry talks by telephone with South African musician Abdullah Ibrahim. Long an exile in this country, we find out how Ibrahim thinks this weekend's release of Nelson Mandela will change the artistic climate in South Africa.

Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson. He's been director of photography for all of Spike Lee's films, starting when they were students together in New York University's graduate film program. Dickerson has also been cinematographer for John Sayles' "Brother From Another Planet" and "Raw: Eddy Murphy Live."

Dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones. For years, Jones collaborated and performed with his partner/lover Arnie Zane. After Zane's death from AIDS in 1988, Jones has continued to dance with the company he and Zane formed. The company is based on a philosophy that disdains the formal training of ballet and draws on athleticism, discovery, and the beauty of the movements of "everyday people."

Journalist Itabari Njeri (it-tah-BAR-ay en-jerry). Her new book, "Every Good-bye Ain't Gone," is a touching and at times humorous memoir of growing up black in Harlem and Brooklyn during the 50s.

Photographer and adventurer Galen Rowell. Rowell has been called a cross between Sir Edmund Hillary and Ansel Adams. He's made a career out of traveling to the world's wild places and capturing them on film. An accomplished skier and mountaineer, Rowell has made more than 20 trips to the Himalayas and hundreds of climbs throughout the world.

Film producer Gale Anne Hurd. She started out in Hollywood as an executive assistant to filmmaker Roger Corman, going on to become his co-producer. She then left to form her own production company, where she was executive producer of such films as "The Terminator," "Aliens," "The Abyss," and the current "Tremors."

Commentator Patricia McLaughlin blasts Ralph Lauren's citified vision of the country life, and she reflects on the "magic thinking" and escapism of some city dwellers.

Documentary Producer Henry Hampton. In 1987 he produced the prize-winning documentary series on PBS, "Eyes on the Prize." The series documented the civil rights movement from 1954 to 1965. The New York Times' Walter Goodman called the series, "a moving documentary" in which "the nobility of America's civil-rights struggle comes through with the directness and strength of a spiritual." It's sequel, "Eyes on the Prize II," is now being broadcast and covers the movement from 1965 to the 1980s.

Actor Tom Hulce. He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Mozart in the movie "Amadeus," and for a Golden Globe for his role as brain-damaged garbage man in "Dominick & Eugene." More recently, Hulce played the black-sheep of the family in "Parenthood." Next week, Hulce stars in "Murder in Mississippi," a made-for-TV movie about the freedom summer.

Journalist Michael Norman. Norman served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and his memoir, "These Good Men: Friendships Forged from War," he tells the stories of some of the men he served with. Norman, a former columnist for the New York Times, spent 5 years looking for his comrades, traveling from Oklahoma to London, finding out what had happened to them in the 20 years since the war and trying to understand how his own life had been changed.