Artbeat Chicago

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

News Analysis with Joel Weisman
The Democrats look to be way ahead in all the polls - but are they? Joel Weisman and two political strategists give us a little insight into the art of political polling.

Genius Grant
We'll talk to a Northwestern University professor who calls her work risky, but rewarding. Rewarding indeed! She's just received a "genius grant," a $500,000 reward from the MacArthur Foundation.

Worldwide Chicago
The nation's largest wind farm is now under construction just two hours from Chicago. In tonight's Worldwide Chicago segment, Rich Samuels tells us why the winds of Illinois are attracting the capital of investors world-wide.

• American Wind Energy Association
• Developer of Crescent Ridge in Bureau County
• Developer of Twin Groves near Bloomington (soon to be the nation's largest wind farm)

Frogs Exhibit
Visitors to the Museum of Science and Industry are jumping at the chance to see a temporary exhibit of 150 different frog species. A number of the amphibians have taken a field trip to our studio tonight. Guests: Patricia Ward, Museum of Science and Industry, and Kristin Szwajkowski, Frog Caretaker.

Featured tonight:

AFRICAN BULLFROG: Native to sub-Saharan Africa

• Can grow up to 8 inches in diameter and live for 40 years.
• They will eat anything – insects, small mammals, and even other frogs & siblings.

VIETNAMESE MOSSY FROG: Native to North Vietnam

• These have evolved to look like moss, and are great at camouflaging themselves.
• They like to be near water and live in flooded caves and banks of mountain streams.

MEXICAN DUMPY FROG: Native to Mexico's Pacific Coast

• These frogs have mucus-covered toe pads that allow them to climb straight up trees.
• They can even cling to a branch by one toe.
• They eat crickets.

SMOOTH-SIDED TOAD: Native to Northern South America

• Toothless but bold predators; swallow insects and small mammals alive.
• Called "smooth-sided" because the toxin glands are not as obvious in these toads.

MONKEY FROG: Native to Peru and Brazil

• Some Amazon tribes use their skin secretions as a medicine/disinfectant in wounds.
• These frogs perch in trees and are good at camouflaging themselves among foliage.

Artbeat
We'll take a look at some classic African-American art from the days of the WPA that inspired the 1960s Black Arts Movement.

Commentary
Mancow Muller shares some thoughts on the way we're becoming disconnected from one another.