Catholic-Orthodox Schism, Day Care, Mardi Gras, Autistic Dating

Guest: Eric Huntsman, PhD, Professor of Ancient Scripture and Early Christianity at BYU  Later this week, Pope Francis intends to meet with the leader of the powerful Russian Orthodox Church. Here’s why that matters: The Russian Orthodox Church is the second largest Christian church in the world after the Catholic Church, but the two religions have been estranged for nearly a millennium. Never has the head of the Russian Orthodox Church met with the Roman Catholic Pope, so when Patriarch Kirill I and Pope Francis sit down this week, it’ll be a significant step toward healing the schism.

Guest: Daniel Berry, edD, Developmental Psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois  In some communities here in the states, there’s a stigma attached to daycare that says the best place for a child is at home with a parent. But today, many homes require two incomes to maintain a household, making daycare a necessity. A new study published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly finds that for some children, daycare can actually be a better alternative than being at home.

Guest: Alecia Long, PhD, Associate Professor of History at Louisiana State University  Today is Mardi Gras—French for Fat Tuesday, which marks the end of a month of revelry before Ash Wednesday and the Christian season of Lent kick in. It’s a sort of, “live it up one last time,” moment on the religious calendar. Now, if we’re going to talk Mardi Gras, it’s history and traditions, then we have to turn to New Orleans.

Guest: Erin Hillard, Doctorate Student in Developmental Psychology at the University of Notre Dame  So, Barbie dolls have gotten a body makeover—have you heard? There are now, tall, petite and curvy Barbies, in addition to whatever you want to call the impossibly-proportioned traditional Barbie. Perhaps, more realistic-looking Barbies is a win for parents trying to help their daughters have positive body image. But it’s an uphill battle with the thin-obsessed messages bombarding girls at every turn. If you’re a mother, talking to your daughter about dieting or fitness can be a minefield—potentially even backfiring into an eating disorder.

Guest: Alex Plank, Autism Rights Activist through Autism Rights Watch and Founder of Autism web community WrongPlanet.net  When you think of the word “romantic,” do the words “logical, honest, and strict routines” also come to mind? Probably not.  But they just might for the 3.5 million Americans on the Autism spectrum. Dating and romance are a different kind of challenge for Autistic people who are now getting some help from web communities like WrongPlanet.net.