Vox Pop on WAMC

With Election Day only about four months away, President Barack Obama and presumed Republican candidate Mitt Romney have kicked their campaigns into high gear.

The week so far seems to be a loser for Romney, who topped the headlines not for suggesting bold policy changes, but for a series of campaign gaffes that called into question his stances on race in America and international relations.

From fax machines to Wikileaks, in just the past few decades, the ways that we share information have vastly expanded, with journalists around the globe leading the way by utilizing new techniques and technologies to report instantly, and with unprecedented geographic reach.

Dr. Jennifer Michaels of The Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services joins us on this edition of Medical Monday Vox Pop to handle all your questions and comments about the many issues surrounding addiction and mental health. WAMC's Alan Chartock hosts.

On this edition of Vox Pop, we welcome renowned astronomer Bob Berman to the studio to field all of your Astronomy-related questions.

One of the best-known and most widely-read astronomers in the world, Bob can translate complex scientific concepts into terms that are easily understood by the casual stargazer, yet meaningful to the most advanced researchers. WAMC’s Ray Graf hosts.

*Do do do do do do, do do* They say it's your birthday. *Do do do do do do, do do* It's birthdays today on Vox Pop as we wish our very own Alan Chartock a happy 71st (and many mooooore!). WAMC's Ray Graf hosts.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has come under increasing scrutiny for practices that appear to contrast his campaign pledge of historic transparency.

Last week, it was reported that Cuomo does not use email for official correspondence, relying instead on proprietary blackberry pin-to-pin messages, which leave no paper trail.

On this edition of Medical Monday, to discuss obstetrics, gynecology, and women’s health is Dr. Robert Dropkin.

Dr. Dropkin is an OB-GYN in private practice on Executive Park Drive in Albany and a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Albany Medical Center.

A graduate of Albany Medical College, Dr. Dropkin completed his OB-GYN residency at Albany Medical Center and is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. WAMC’s Bob Barrett hosts, filling in for WAMC's Alan Chartock.

Bird is the word on this edition of Vox Pop as we welcome our experienced birder Rich Guthrie. WAMC's Ray Graf hosts.

With less than 48 hours until the first race of the 2012 season at Saratoga Race Course – today we’re talking gambling.

While the Saratoga season is just beginning, already reports indicate Governor Andrew Cuomo is set to unveil the members of the New York Racing Association’s new board, whose installation was precipitated earlier this year after the naming of new president Ellen McClain without input from state officials, following the firing of former president and CEO Charles Hayward, an alleged party to a scandal that cost the betting public over $8 million.

Debate on the New York Police Department’s ‘Stop and Frisk’ policy reached a fever pitch this month as officials trade barbs amid what has thus far been a hot and volatile summer in many of the nation’s metropolitan areas, including New York, which saw 77 people shot in the first week of July, a 12 percent increase over the same period last year.