Focus

“No Pain, No Gain?” (first aired Apr. 22, 2009)

focusradio — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:40:54 +0000

What does coffee have to do with pain? A new study suggests that it might make your exercise routine easier - we’ll tell you how. Also, Duke University is fighting peanut allegies - using peanuts. How does this work? And: what does flatulence have to do with greenhouse gas emissions? We know it sounds bad, but please, don’t have a cow…

“An Apple a Day…” (first aired Mar. 11, 2009)

focusradio — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:20:26 +0000

Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? New research out of Cornell University shows that this might be true. // In Calgary, a sixty year old woman is now a mother - how did this happen, and what does it have to do with a booming business in India? // Plus: men who have sex with men are banned from ever giving blood - why?

“Mr. Lonely” (first aired Feb. 11, 2009)

focusradio — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:41:15 +0000

Canada’s human rights record is criticized in a report issued by the UN. Also, electronic waste – what happens to that computer you just threw out, and why might it be harming people halfway around the world? Plus: can Mickey Mouse live without his Minnie? New research sheds light on mice, men, and fertility.

“7 Hours of Wii” (first aired Jan. 21, 2009)

focusradio — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:51:50 +0000

In an age where screen time is growing and exercise is needed more than ever, can videogames really be considered a workout? Also, the United Nations conducts a review of Canada’s human rights record. How will we be judged? Plus: Stephen Harper and Barack Obama – why might they be more similar than first thought? And: a surprising finding about the real cost of text messaging.

“Alive” (weeks of Dec. 2 & Dec. 16, 2008)

focusradio — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:34:26 +0000

Can what mothers eat affect the weight of their children? A new study suggests that a mother’s diet may predispose her children to obesity. And: Shot. Carjacked. Kidnapped. A man’s life is taken to the brink – and he lives to tell us his story, in a personal account of violence in South Africa. Plus: Stability in Darfur faces many challenges, but a North American movement called ‘divestment’ aims to make a difference in the war-ravaged country—and Canadians are a growing part of it.

“Silent Kidnap” (weeks of Nov. 18 & Nov. 25, 2008):

focusradio — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:08:46 +0000

Canadian journalist Mellissa Fung, held for random in Afghanistan for four weeks, is now free. How did Afghan intelligence work to get her out, and why are we hearing it for the first time now? Plus: in the next ten years, over fifty million baby boomers in North America will be a caregiver to a parent, spouse, relative or friend. It’s a job that can lead to physical and emotional burnout, and a problem that is largely hidden. How are they coping? And: why is the City of Toronto planning to ban Tim Horton’s coffee cups?

“The People v. Security” (weeks of Nov. 4 & Nov. 11, 2008):

focusradio — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:04:00 +0000

A “Canadian Guantanamo Bay”? Find out how security certificates work, and what they mean for people cited by them. Also, we all love setting our clocks back an hour, we’ll take a look at how we get more than just extra sleep. And, can Scotch tape produce X-rays? Find out before you start wrapping those holiday presents. Finally, most people are familiar with postpartum depression. But what is prenatal depression, and what are its effects on pregnancy?

“Breaking Ranks” (weeks of Oct. 21 & Oct. 28, 2008):

focusradio — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:59:41 +0000

BPA, used for decades in plastic containers, now to be banned in baby bottles. How does this affect you? And, he says he witnessed atrocities in Iraq – now, after deserting his unit and fleeing to Canada, an Iraq war resistor speaks out in an exclusive interview with Focus. Plus: can architecture help you stay healthy? Scientists who examined the effect of a community’s architectural features on the health of its residents seem to think so. And October is Occupational Therapy Month… but what’s Occupational Therapy?

Focus Feature Interview: Conversation with an Iraq War Resistor (Oct. 21, 2008)

focusradio — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:54:15 +0000

This week, Focus brings you the incredible story of Joshua Randal, a 21-year-old American who became an Iraq war resistor after having completed one tour in 2007 and being notified of his deployment for a second. Focus’s Chief Correspondent Calvin To caught up with Joshua at a recent war resistor rally in London, Ontario. In this exclusive interview, Joshua shares some of the experiences that eventually led him to desert the American military and flee to Canada, and discusses some of the differences he sees between Canadian and American society since September 11.

“Dying for Attention” (weeks of Oct. 7 & Oct. 14, 2008):

focusradio — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:49:25 +0000

Thirty-four hours in an emergency room: what happened to Brian Sinclair, and why is his death now the subject of investigation? With over 400 deaths in the past two years, what is Ontario now doing to combat the C. dif bacterium? A state in Nigeria has implemented a novel tactic in the fight against AIDS… and it’s acting as a dating service. Plus, the story of a young girl’s fight for life in Sierra Leone, and what she’s now doing for the lives of others. And much more.

“Premiere Edition” (weeks of Sept. 23 & Sept 30, 2008)

focusradio — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:38:30 +0000

From confusion to clarity: the Liberal Green Plan by the numbers. What does a government do when 1 in 4 children die before the age of 5? The Listeria outbreak - what happened? Plus, the HPV vaccine. Two years after its introduction, what do people think of it? And much more.