Charlotte Talks

Monday August 3, 2009 | Financial Literacy and Gender

In this economy, every penny counts but it seems men do a better job of counting those pennies than women. That is the finding of a study that has concluded there is a gender gap in financial literacy between men and women. Women tend to worry more about finances, are less likely to ask for help and seem to be less confident about money. Why is this and in a world where all of us need to be financially aware, what is being done to correct it? We’ll find out.
Guests
Greg Ward – Certified Financial Planner
Liz Davidson – CEO of Financial Finesse
Dr. Kevin Toomb – Clinical Professor of Marketing at UNC Charlotte

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Friday July 31, 2009 | Corporate Social Responsibility

Companies large and small in Charlotte and nationwide, are making moves toward social responsibility in their businesses. Proponents of corporate social responsibility say there is a strong business case for operating in a way that focuses on ethical standards, self-regulation and sustainability, but does it detract from the fundamental, bottom line role of the business? We’ll talk about what some companies are doing to promote the ideal of sustainability and self-regulation and whether these practices are proving to be successful.
Guests
Stephen Jordan – VP, Business Civic Leadership Center, US Chamber of Commerce
Ruth Kinzey – Corporate Reputation Strategist, Founder of The Kinzey Company

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Thursday July 30, 2009 | Sentencing Reform

All too often North and South Carolinians read about a career criminal or repeat offender getting out on parole only to break the law again, sometimes violently so. Calls for sentencing and parole reforms are rising in volume and frequency but the system is complicated. Our panel of experts will help us understand the system in place and how it might be improved. We will also explore the relationship between the police, the courts and the prison system.
Guests
Peter Gilchrist – Mecklenburg County District Attorney
John Madler – Assoc. Director for Policy, Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission

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Wednesday July 29, 2009 | Economy: Where are we Now?

Join us for a look at the state of the economy in the Charlotte region. We’ll talk about whether the recession is coming to an end, which parts of the Charlotte area’s economy are still hurting the most, and which sectors are showing signs of improvement. We’ll also take a look at the region’s employment outlook over the next several months and how the banks are faring, current conditions and the future outlook for the Charlotte area’s real estate market. What might a “post recession” Charlotte look like? We’ll find out.
Guests
Dr. Matthew Martin – Charlotte Regional Exec., Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Mark Vitner – Managing Director and Senior Economist, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
Donna Anderson – President, Charlotte Regional Realtor Association

• WFAE hosts a Public Conversation on “the state of the economy” tonight from 7-8:30pm on the campus of Central Piedmont Community College. More info.

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Tuesday July 28, 2009 | Political Scandals of the Carolinas

National politics have been rife with scandals over the last few years, but the Carolinas have seen perhaps more than their own share of politicians making life-changing mistakes. From John Edwards to Jim Black to Mark Sanford, Carolina politicians have come afoul of both the law and their personal responsibilities. We’ll look back at a surprisingly long list of our own politicians who have lost their way and examine the lure of power, how it corrupts and whether or not we can trust those we elect into office.
Guests
Jim Morrill – Political Writer, Charlotte Observer
Scott Huffmon – Asst. Professor, Political Science at Winthrop University
Rosemary Tong – Ethicist, UNC Charlotte

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Monday July 27, 2009 | Efficiency of Charitable Organizations

As a part of Mission Possible, we’ll look at the efficiency of charitable organizations. Mecklenburg County aids the homeless, the hungry, the poor and the sick, but so do many private charities and aid agencies in our region. Our panel of experts will explore the relationship between public and private aid organizations to learn how well they work together, whether they are efficient enough and whether charitable dollars are well spent.
Guests
John Hewett – President, Hewett Consulting
Stacy Lowry – Director, Community Support Services of Mecklenburg County
David Swindell – Director, Ph.D. Program in Public Policy at UNC Charlotte

• WFAE  |  Charlotte homeless shelters to merge
• Edison Nation Survey  |  Submit your ideas on how to help Charlotte charities

Charlotte Mission Possible is a joint effort by local media outlets to help Charlotte residents understand the charitable needs of the community and then find ways to help meet those needs. Learn more here.

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Friday July 24, 2009 | Industrial Uses of Hemp

Our forefathers grew it in abundance and many of their tools and clothes were made out of it, but now it’s against the law to grow or possess in most American states. We’re talking about hemp. A new push to legalize this useful plant is growing and we’ll meet some of the leaders behind that push. We’ll also learn about the plant itself, its industrial use and the politics behind the debate.
Guests
Greg Flavell – Co-Founder, Hemp Technologies, Inc.
Gale Glenn – Vice-Chair, North American Industrial Hemp Council
Eric Lineback – Treasurer, VoteHemp.org

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Thursday July 23, 2009 | Deconstructing “The Lord’s Prayer”

We’ll speak with two authors of a book about the Lord’s Prayer and its Hebrew roots. We’ll hear the story of the authors’ journey to Jerusalem, through history and across different religious beliefs to find common ground.
Guests
Nehemia Gordon – Jewish Bible Scholar, Co-Author of A Prayer to Our Father
Rev. Keith Johnson – Methodist Minister, Co-Author of A Prayer to Our Father
Dr. James Tabor – Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, UNC Charlotte

• Amazon  |  A Prayer to Our Father
• Johnson and Gordon will talk about their book Sunday at the Doubletree Inn in South Park from 4-6pm. More information at 704-364-2400 and here

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Wednesday July 22, 2009 | Future of Iraq with Iraqi Students

Iraq and its people have seen major change in the past few years. How is this change affecting the youth of Iraq, and what kind of leaders will those young people be when they reach adulthood? We’ll meet teens from Iraq who are in Charlotte for a leadership and cultural education experience. We’ll talk with them and with an expert on Iraq about what has happened and what is still happening in that country, how it has affected them, and as potential future leaders of Iraq, what they are learning at home and here in the US that will make them successful.
Guests
Joe Debiec – Program Facilitator, School for International Training
Dr. Jim Piazza – Associate Professor, Political Science at UNC Charlotte
16 year old student from Baghdad
18 year old from Northern Iraq

• Charlotte Talks  |  Afghan Teenager Receives Medical Treatment in Charlotte

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Tuesday July 21, 2009 | Mission Possible: Feeding the Hungry

It’s a different kind of food show this month. Our “Chef-in-Radio,” Peter Reinhart is back and brings with him some of the top chefs in the city. But we won’t be talking about gourmet food, instead, Chef Jim Noble and Chef Ron Ahlert will talk about their charitable efforts to not only feed the hungry, but to train people in need to be employed in the restaurant industry. Join us for a conversation about food charities, the nutrition of the poor and much more.
Guests
Chef Peter Reinhart – Chef-on-Assignment, Johnson and Wales University
Chef Jim Noble – Owner, Noble’s Restaurant; Honorary Chair of King’s Kitchen
Chef Ron Ahlert – Director and Instructor, Community Culinary School of Charlotte
Kelly Vass – Registered Dietician, Nutrition Services Coordinator, Friendship Trays

• WFAE  |  ‘Charlotte: Mission Possible’ turns to your ideas
• Charlotte Talks  |  Meeting Basic Human Needs

Charlotte Mission Possible is a joint effort by local media outlets to help Charlotte residents understand the charitable needs of the community and then find ways to help meet those needs. Learn more.

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