Blues, Country and Soul Mix in Memphis

From VOA Learning English, welcome to This Is America. I’m Steve Ember.

This week, we learn about a city in the South that helped give the world many kinds of American music. Come along with us, as Avi Arditti and Kelly Jean Kelly take us to Memphis, Tennessee.

A future president of the United States helped build Memphis. Andrew Jackson and two other men settled the city in 1819. They chose the place where the Wolf River flowed into the Mississippi River. Jackson named the community after the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis on the Nile River.

The Memphis of modern America is the biggest city in the state of Tennessee. More than one million people live in the Memphis area. Six hundred fifty thousand of them live in the city. Memphis is a center of business, industry and transportation.

Memphis grew when a railroad bridge across the Mississippi River was completed in 1892. The bridge increased trade, and by 1900 it made Memphis the world’s largest market for cotton and wood products.

Visitors can learn about the city through its literature. Almost 100 years ago, the African-American writer Richard Wright wrote his first stories while working as a dishwasher in Memphis. His book called “Native Son” was published in 1941. It was a huge success. It strongly influenced public opinion about race issues and created acceptance for other African-American writers.

Peter Taylor’s book “Summons to Memphis” won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1985. The Tennessee writer explores how white middle and upper class southerners responded to changes in southern culture in the last century. The playwright Tennessee Williams examined some of the same social issues in his play “The Glass Menagerie.” In the play, a young woman named Laura has a collection of glass animals. She is a shy person and mostly stays home by herself. One day, her brother brings home a friend from work.

“Isn’t there something you’re more interested in than anything else?
“Well, I do have my glass collection.”
“Glass? What kind is it?”
“Just ornaments. Animals mostly.”
“Oh.”
“Here’s an example of one if you’d like to see it.”
“Sure. Well.”
“Be careful, if you breathe it breaks.”
“I better not touch it then. I’m awful clumsy with things.”
“Well, I trust you with it.”

Close to the Mississippi River and just south of the center of town is Beale Street, one of the most famous streets in America. W.C. Handy worked on Beale Street as a musician in the early 1900s. The African-American composer is known as the “Father of the Blues.”

In 1916, W.C. Handy wrote a song about the famous street. Here is Louis Armstrong singing “Beale Street Blues.”

More than 60 percent of the people in the city of Memphis are black. Memphis is home to the National Civil Rights Museum. Visitors learn about the history of the American civil rights movement. The museum buildings include the place where Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered.

On April 4, 1968, a white man named James Earl Ray shot the civil rights leader. Martin Luther King was in Memphis to support waste collection workers on strike against the city. Most of the striking workers were black.

In 1991, voters in Memphis elected the first black mayor of the city. The National Civil Rights Museum opened that same year.

Also in 1991, the famed blues singer and guitarist B.B. King opened his own blues club on Beale Street. B.B. King is known for songs like this one, called "Caldonia."

People who come to Tennessee can also see a huge bronze statue of B.B. King at the Tennessee Welcome Center.

Something else to see is the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum on Beale Street.

The Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum explores the music and culture of the city. It shows how blues, country and soul music came together in Memphis and how they spread around the world.

Elvis Presley Gets His Start in Memphis

Many experts say rock and roll began in Memphis. And a man named Sam Phillips played a big part. Sam Phillips was a white record producer in Memphis in the 1950s. He produced records by local black musicians and early recordings by rock and roll performers Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. One day, an 18-year-old truck driver came to the studio. He wanted to record a song for his mother. That young man was Elvis Presley.

​​​​Sam Phillips produced Elvis Presley’s first real record in 1954. Elvis sang a song written by blues musician Arthur Crudup called “That’s All Right.” It helped make rock and roll popular around the world.

​​Today, people visit Memphis from all over the United States and the world. The most popular place for visitors is Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. He lived there for 20 years until his death in 1977. The man known as the King of Rock 'n' Roll is buried at Graceland, along with his parents.

Memphis also celebrates Elvis Week. Elvis Week is held in August. Events planned at Graceland and other places in the city include parties, dancing and music.

Memphis Hotel Hosts Privileged Ducks

There is a large and beautiful hotel in Memphis called the Peabody Memphis. It was built in 1869. Many famous people have stayed at the Peabody. But it is also known for some birds that live in a special place on top of the hotel.

Every morning, the Peabody Marching Ducks ride an elevator down to the first floor. There is always a crowd to watch as the five mallards march across the main room to a small pool of water where they spend the day. Every afternoon, the ducks leave their pool and march into the elevator that takes them home. The restaurant at the Peabody never serves duck.

Many people visit Memphis for the month-long Memphis in May International Festival. Each year the festival honors another country. The goal is for students in Memphis to learn about one country each year until they graduate. The Commercial Appeal newspaper prints lesson plans for teachers about the chosen country. These are sent to every home and to the city libraries.

At the end of the school year, the city celebrates local traditions at the Memphis in May International Festival. One of those traditions, of course, is music. Part of Memphis in May is the Beale Street Music Festival. It is one of the largest music festivals in the country.

Another Memphis tradition is food, including spicy pork slow-cooked over a smoky fire. Teams of cooks practice all year to compete in the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Other traditional foods in Memphis are fried chicken, catfish, fried green tomatoes, hush puppies and sweet potato pie.

We leave you with "Memphis Blues," performed by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.

Our program was written by Jerilyn Watson and Onka Dekker and voiced by Avi Arditti and Kelly Jean Kelly. I’m Steve Ember inviting you to join us again next week for This Is America from VOA Learning English.

Film excerpt from 1950 20^th Century Fox version of “The Glass Menagerie,” starring Jane Wyman and Kirk Douglas.

New York Invests Heavily in Biotech Development

From VOA Learning English, welcome to As It Is! I’m Jonathan Evans in Washington.

On our program today, we have two reports about technology companies. Two large Internet companies recently bought two technology businesses based in India. We will tell you about the deals later in the show. But first, our technology reporter, June Simms, tells about some American efforts to develop new businesses.

New York Invests Heavily in Biotech Development

New York City and the State of New York are investing hundreds of millions of dollars to become a major player in the development of high tech industries. They have developed 40 workspaces, known as incubators, to assist start-up businesses.

Harlem Biospace is an incubator for biomedical engineering. It gives young entrepreneurs a low-cost way to develop their ideas and businesses. For a low monthly payment, they are given desk space and use of a laboratory. The young people pay for their own raw materials.

“This is great. The reason is because it is so cheap and it has the wet lab that we need. So I order chemicals that I need, and I’m given the facilities here to do my experiments.”

Tyler Poore and his partner are developing a product that will kill bacteria. It can be put on household goods, like a sponge for cleaning. He and the 17 others at Biospace share a common goal: to find solutions to biomedical problems.

Edwin Vazquez is investigating the mystery of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. He says suggestions from others in the building make the work environment at Biospace a real plus.

“There’s nothing better than sitting down in a room like this when there is a lot more people around and you got something that is exciting and you go to a lunchroom and you start talking to your other colleagues. All of a sudden, somebody knows a researcher that is doing something similar to you or that can complement your research. You get in contact and things happen.”

Leading hospitals and science centers are supporting inventors like Kate Rochlin, founder of a company called Immunovent. She has developed a brush to test for allergic reactions. The device is placed in the nose or mouth. The test results are correct more often than skin or blood tests.

“And from one single sample from the nose or mouth we can test for a whole panel of 72 allergens. We found that the blood test identified peanut allergies only 50 percent of the time, and we could find it 99 percent of the time. So we are far more accurate for peanut diagnosis and that’s really important because that one in particular is really life-threatening.”

Matthew Owens is the executive director of Harlem Biospace. He says there have been real signs of success since the company was launched last November.

“We do have companies who are already shipping, getting revenue and getting products out to customers. So, I think that is absolutely a success."

I'm June Simms.

And I’m Jonathan Evans. You are listening to As It Is from VOA Learning English.

India is home to tens of thousands of computer software engineers and a growing Information Technology industry. The Internet companies Facebook and Google recently purchased two India-based technology start-up companies. The business deals are expected to influence others to launch start-up companies in the country. June Simms has more.

Interest Increases in Indian Start-Up Companies

Facebook closed its deal to buy Little Eye Labs in early January. Four engineers in Bangalore launched Little Eye Labs about a year and a half ago. The company builds mobile application software tools. The deal is said to be worth between $10 and 15 million. It is the first time Facebook has purchased an Indian start-up company.

​Google bought the cyber security company, Imperium. Imperium has offices in Bangalore and California. Media reports set the value of the deal at about $9 million.

​​The two deals are considered small, but important. Experts say they will help increase interest in Indian start-ups among foreign technology companies. Such businesses often buy small companies either for the technology they develop or the ability of their creators.

Rutvik Doshi is with Inventus Capital Partners, an investment company in Bangalore.

“Till date none of these large U.S. companies had ever acquired anything in India, nothing to write home about. If they both turn out to be successful for these respective companies, they will then now start looking at India more seriously, in terms of there is more talent, there is more technology, and entrepreneurship happening here. So from that point of view I think even though these acquisitions may not be very large. But I think from the symbolic point of view, I think it is the beginning of a new era.”
​Indian software engineers have gained recognition around the world. Most of the engineers work for big Indian technology companies. But the number of Indian technology start-up companies is on the rise. Raising money for these start-ups is not always easy.

Rajesh Sawhney helped to create a company called GSF Accelerator. It provided financial support for Little Eye Labs.

Mr. Sawhney says most of the start-ups in India have worked on developing products for the home market. But he says the recent deals with Facebook and Google will lead investors and business people to widen their efforts.

“The time now is to encourage these start-ups to start thinking global and that is what Internet allows today. We need to encourage our bright, young talent in India to now start building products for world markets like Israelis have done or like U.S. start-ups do.”

Bangalore’s successful technology services and outsourcing industry mostly does back office work for Western companies. But this work has put India on the technology map. The success that the industry has created will help open the door to future growth.

I’m June Simms.

And that’s our program for today. Be sure to join us again tomorrow for another As It Is. I’m Jonathan Evans. Thanks for listening!

Chip on Your Shoulder

Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

Every week at this time we tell the story of words and expressions used in American English. Some of them are old. Some are new. Together, they form the living speech of the American people.

Some popular expressions are a mystery -- no one is sure how they developed.

One of these is the expression “carry a chip on your shoulder.” A person with a chip on his shoulder is a problem for anybody who must deal with him. He seems to be expecting trouble. Sometimes he seems to be saying “I’m not happy about anything, but what are you going to do about it?”

A chip is a small piece of something, like a chip of wood. How did this chip get on a person’s shoulder? Well, experts say the expression appears to have been first used in the United States more than 100 years ago.

One writer believes that the expression might have come from an old saying. The saying warns against striking too high, or a chip might fall into your eye. That could be good advice. If you strike high up on a tree with an axe, the chip of wood that is cut off will fall into your eye. The saying becomes a warning about the dangers of attacking people who are in more important positions than you are.

Later, in the United States, some people would put a real chip on their shoulder as a test. They wanted to start a fight. They would wait for someone to be brave enough to try to hit it off.

The word “chip” appears in a number of special American expressions. Another is “chip off the old block.” This means that a child is exactly like a parent. This expression goes back at least to the early 1600s. The British writer of plays, George Colman, wrote these lines in 1762:

“You’ll find him his father’s own son, I believe. A chip off the old block, I promise you!”

The word “chip” can also be used in a threatening way to someone who is suspected of wrongdoing. An investigator may say, “We’re going to let the chips fall where they may.” This means the investigation is going to be complete and honest. It is also a warning that no one will be protected from being found guilty.

Chips are often used in card games. They represent money. A poker player may, at any time, decide to leave the game. He will turn in his chips in exchange for money or cash. This lead to another meaning: A person who finished or died was said to have “cashed in his chips,” which is a way of saying it is time for me to finish this program.

You have been listening to the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

I’m Warren Scheer.

Economies Rest on Elections in India and Burma

From VOA Learning English this is As It Is. I’m Anna Matteo in Washington.

On this Saturday’s show we will hear about issues affecting the economy in India and social reform in Burma. We will also explore how upcoming national elections could affect both countries.

Social reform in Burma seems to be slowing. And experts wonder how the upcoming election in 2015 will affect foreign investment there. Keep listening to learn more in the second half of our show.

But first, Mario Ritter reports on some possible good news for India’s slow-growing economy.

Hopes Rise That India’s Economy Will Improve

India is hoping its economy will improve. In the last two years, economic growth dropped to its lowest levels in ten years. But there are few signs that the economy could return to the high growth rates that once made India one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

Gurdet Singh grows crops on about 40 hectares of fertile land in northern Punjab state. The area is financially successful because of farming. Mr. Singh says he plans to buy a new and bigger tractor to make his work easier. Mr. Singh is so successful that he hopes to buy a car after he pays the loans for his new tractor.

India’s automobile manufacturers have suffered severe financial problems during the past two years. Industry officials are hoping that people like Mr. Singh and others in rural areas will begin buying cars again.

Vishnu Mathur is the head of the Society of Automobile Manufacturers of India. He says there is weak demand in urban areas for passenger cars. But, he says economic gains in India’s rural areas could help carmakers.

​​Good feelings about the car industry may be a sign that the worst could be over for the Indian economy. But, they say the country’s agricultural industry will show better growth. The Indian currency, the rupee, lost more than 20 per cent of its value compared to the dollar last year. That should help India’s exports, which are increasing.

Rafique Ahmed is the head of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations. He says exports are growing because of the devalued rupee and better global economic conditions.

While growth is widely expected to increase, economists say it is unlikely to reach levels seen in 2011, for example, when growth was nine percent.

Economists say confidence among investors -- both in India and in other countries -- must return before the Indian economy can improve. Private investment has slowed because investors are concerned by the lack of reform and government barriers to business. Many investors and businesses are waiting to see whom voters will choose to lead the country in national elections to be held by May.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has said growth will increase to more than six per cent in 2014.

I’m Mario Ritter.

And I’m Anna Matteo in Washington. You are listening to VOA Learning English.

Now on to Burma. When military rulers began reform policies in 2011, most nations ended their restrictions against Burma. But experts now fear that reforms are slowing as Burma nears its 2015 national elections. Here is Faith Lapidus with more.

Experts Fear Burma's Reforms Stalling

Some experts fear that rights reforms in Burma are slowing ahead of national elections planned for 2015. The Asian Development Bank has said that Burma, also known as Myanmar, can become a middle-income country by 2030. To do so, however, the economy must continue to grow at more than six per cent a year.

Burma’s military rulers began reforming its economic and political systems in 2011. These reforms led most nations to end restrictions against Burma. ​​

John Hancock is an Australian lawyer and expert on Burma. He says Burma has made strong progress in the past six to seven years. He adds that foreign investors see opportunity for profits in Burma.

​​However, Mr. Hancock says that Burma must rebuild government operations and complete land reforms. He says the government must increase spending on education and roads and power systems.
More than 25 per cent of Burma’s 61 million people live below the national poverty level. Many of the poor live in rural areas.

Aung Zaw is the editor of the Irrawaddy newspaper. He says many in Burma fear the reform efforts will not be enough. He says poor supervision of land records leaves people in danger of losing their land.

Aung Zaw says there is evidence that the Burmese army has forced villagers out to make room for foreign investment. He says foreign investors have shown interest in new Special Economic Zones. But, he says, these new economic areas come with huge social and environmental costs. He says often villagers are forced from their homes without fair payment.

The government of Australia has warned investors that people and companies with close ties to Burma’s military influence many areas of the economy including the oil, gas and wood industries.

Sean Turnell is an economist at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He says agriculture reform has slowed in Burma although a majority of Burmese make a living through agriculture.

Mr. Turnell says that without land rights farmers have limited opportunity to borrow money at fair rates.

Experts say some who fear changes in Burma are trying to slow reforms by creating ethnic and religious conflict ahead of the planned 2015 elections.

I’m Faith Lapidus.

I’m Anna Matteo. You can share your thoughts and practice your written English by leaving us a comment! You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter, iTunes and LinkedIn. And join us next time for another As It Is on VOA Learning English!

Search for Malaysian Airplane Ends Third Week

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

The search for a missing Malaysian airliner continued this week. The airplane carrying 239 passengers and crew members disappeared on March 8th. Last Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced the flight ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

“We wanted to inform you of this new development at the earliest opportunity.”

Satellite records show that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 likely crashed in the southern Indian Ocean. Malaysian officials say the flight ended west of the Australian city of Perth.

Australian Defense Minister David Johnston describes the waters in that area as an extremely difficult environment.

“Remember, this Southern Ocean, has shipwrecked many, many sailors in our history in Western Australia. It is rough. There are 20-, 30-meter waves. It is very, very dangerous, even for big ships.”

Chinese Protest Malaysian Delays Releasing Information

The Boeing 777 aircraft was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing at the time of its disappearance. On Tuesday, protesters marched toward the Malaysian embassy in Beijing. They were angry about the way Malaysian officials have reacted to the disappearance of Flight 370. The protesters demanded more information.

The same day, Malaysia Airlines officials met with reporters. They defended their decision to inform families and the world that Malaysian officials now consider the flight lost.

Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese. The Australian government is easing visa and immigration rules to permit relatives to travel to Perth. The city’s Chinese community has offered to assist the visitors.

Critics say Malaysia has been keeping information from victims’ families and the media. The British satellite company Inmarsat told Malaysian officials four days after the disappearance that they had received hourly signals from the plane. Yet the officials were said to have waited three days before acting on that information.

John Goglia has investigated plane crashes for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. He noted Malaysia’s lack of experience with air disasters.

“In this particular instance, what had come out certainly seemed disconnected. Seemed like they didn’t follow any of the known processes that had been established for years and years.”

Other Southeast Asian countries were quick to join the search. But they were slow to share radar or satellite information with Malaysia about possible sightings.

Malaysia is in a difficult position. Some observers say it does not want to anger China. Yet China’s Global Times newspaper published editorials blaming Malaysia’s government. One piece read: “Malaysia is determined to enter the ranks of developed countries by 2020. But judging from its handling of the MH370 incident, Malaysia’s modernization will take far longer than this.”

Malaysia has a growing tourist industry. Last year, 1.8 million Chinese visited the country. But this could change because of Flight 370.

On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry again called for more exact information from Malaysia on the details of the search. A spokesman said he hoped Malaysia would improve its communications with China.

This continues to be a developing story. For the latest information, go to VOANews.com

And that’s In The News from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember. ​​ ​​

America Loves Blue Jeans

Welcome to American Mosaic from VOA Learning English.

I’m June Simms.

Today on the show: a little history of one of the most popular pieces of clothing in America. Then some music to go along with it.

History of Blue Jeans

What defines American clothing or fashion? Can you think of a piece of clothing that is inseparably linked to American culture? There is a good chance your answer would be blue jeans. Many listeners have written to ask about the history of these well-loved pants.

So today we will give it a try.

Levi Strauss did not invent jeans, but he is considered the first person to make and sell great numbers of them.

He was born in Bavaria, an area that today is part of Germany. In 1847 he and his family immigrated to the United States
​​
Levi Strauss opened a small dry goods store, first in New York, then in San Francisco, California. Among the products he sold were jeans. These pants were especially useful for miners in California. They needed clothing made from a strong material. Jeans are usually made from a heavy cotton cloth called denim.

Levi Strauss partnered with a clothing maker named Jacob Davis. Davis had invented a process for making rivets for jeans. These little metal connectors helped hold the pieces of cloth together to make the jeans stronger.

In 1873, the government gave Strauss and Davis a patent for their invention. That meant no one else could legally copy it without their permission. They began producing what they called “copper-riveted waist overalls.”

In 1928, the Levi Strauss company registered the word “Levi’s” as a trademark for their product. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington has one of the oldest known pairs of Levi’s.

Writer James Sullivan published a book called “Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon.” In it, he says jeans represent two American values: creativity and rebellion.

Cowboys wore jeans in the old Wild West. In the 1950s, people saw famous Hollywood actors like James Dean and Marlon Brando wearing jeans in movies.


Today jeans still come in blue but also lots of other colors. They can also differ widely in price. You might find jeans for 15 dollars in an American discount store. However, they can also sell for thousands of dollars a pair.

Some people like to buy jeans that look fresh and new. Others like to buy new jeans that are torn and look old. What kind of jeans do you like? Let us know. Send an email to learningenglish@voanews.com.

Blue Jeans in Music

That is the famous 1979 song “Forever in Blue Jeans,” from American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond. It was a top twenty single on Billboard music charts back then and is still popular today.

There are lots of other songs about blue jeans. Christopher Cruise plays a few of them for us.
Early rock and roller Gene Vincent released “Blue Jean Bop” in 1956. The energetic song includes a line with the word “dungaree.” That is another way of saying blue jeans.

It is an old Hindi word meaning coarse calico, or denim. The word came from the name of a village in what is now Mumbai.

That is Ginuwine with “In Those Jeans,” from his 2003 album, “The Senior.” The song is all about how good a pair of jeans look on a girl. In fact, so good it might be painful. He sings, “make a thug want to cry something terrible."

​​Two years ago, singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey released a sexy song called “Blue Jeans.” She performed the song on the television show “Saturday Night Live.” Many media experts sharply criticized her performance and questioned her ability to sing. But she received good reviews in later performances.

We leave you with Lana Del Rey and “Blue Jeans.” ​​

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: 25 Years Later

Hello again! I’m Jim Tedder in Washington with the program that helps you to learn and improve your American English. Today we look back 25 years to a disaster that affected the environment and the economy in our northernmost state.

Then …some politics. Some experts say this election year is looking good for the Republican party. We will examine the situation in detail.

It’s nice to have you with us as we learn about our world …As It Is.

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The Exxon Valdez was a huge tanker, a ship built to carry large amounts of oil. On March 24, 1989, the tanker set sail from the port of Valdez in the state of Alaska. Then the Exxon Valdez struck rocks in Prince William Sound. Forty-one-point-five million liters of oil leaked into the water.

The Exxon Valdez produced the greatest environmental disaster from an oil spill in US history. The spill marked a turning point in the prevention and reaction to such accidents.

​​For weeks, oil leaking from the Exxon Valdez spread along the coastline of Alaska. Debbie Payton works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The federal agency, known as NOAA, is responsible for taking steps when disasters strike. Ms. Payton remembers visiting communities affected by the oil spill.

“There were oiled birds. There were some marine mammals that could be seen surfacing through the oil. There was oil on the beaches. ​​​Hundreds of thousands of sea animals died. Debbie Payton and other NOAA workers did what they could to keep the oil from spreading. They used special equipment to trap and recover the oil in Prince William Sound. They burned oil and covered rocks on land with chemical dispersants.

However, oily areas can still be seen today. Ms. Payton now leads NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. She says Alaska’s coast and fisheries ​​appear healthy. But she adds that there are exceptions.

The herring industry has collapsed. This former fisherman wonders whether local businesses will ever go fishing for herring again.

"Typically say, for the herring season, we might have made $35,000, $40,000. Now, nothing, of course, nothing.”

The U.S. Supreme Court limited the amount of corrective damages against Exxon at $2.5 billion. Exxon also spent over $4 billion in cleanup payments, settlements and fines. Critics say the company should have done more. But a spokesman for Exxon Mobil, Richard Keil, called it a fair deal. He spoke to VOA on Skype.

“We took immediate responsibility for the spill, and the payments we’ve made are based on agreements worked out in court with input from all parties. It’s also important to note that the company voluntarily compensated more than 11,000 Alaskans and businesses within a year of the spill.”

Mr. Keil says the Exxon Valdez spill was a low point in his company’s history. But he also says Exxon Mobil now puts safety first.

“(It’s) the number one factor guiding any and all business decisions we make. We want to protect the environment we’re operating in, the communities we’re part of and our employees, contractors, and the people who live near our operations.”

Debbie Payton says the spill also led to other changes like a new law, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

“It led to double-hulled tankers. It led to community action groups,
better integration with response communities -- all the way from the oil spill response organizations, private entities, responsible parties through the state and federal governments.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration went on to develop an online information system to predict spills in real time.

“And that allows us to just pull pieces of information together quicker and see them quicker so that we can make decisions that much quicker.”

Today NOAA responds to between 100 and 150 spills a year. Chuck Clusen is with the Natural Resources Defense Council. He says the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez spill is a reminder of an important lesson.

“The government and the industry must understand that there are places that you simply cannot go.”

It Is An Election Year in the United States

The United States has begun preparing for congressional elections coming up in November. Republican Party leaders are increasingly sure that the party’s candidates will make gains in Congress. Republicans seem especially sure of winning seats in the Senate, which the Democrat Party now controls.

Political experts generally agree that the 2014 elections will be a good year for Republicans and maybe not so good for Democrats. Anna Matteo tells us more.

Lawmakers from both political parties and the Obama administration are increasingly thinking about the November elections. These midterm elections are when voters elect all 435 members of the House of Representatives. Voters will also fill 36 of the 100 Senate seats

​​ ​​For now, most political experts say it is likely Republicans will hold on to or even add to their majority in the House. Many experts also feel that Republicans have an excellent chance of winning six additional seats in the Senate. This would give them a majority. The Democrats would lose control of the Senate.

There are several reasons Republicans are looking forward to the midterm elections. Many Democrats currently in office are retiring. John Fortier works for the Bipartisan Policy Center. He notes that some Democrats are facing difficult races in states with a strong Republican base.

“The Senate Republicans have a real opportunity to pick up seats, but they need six seats, which is a lot. The good news for Republicans is that many of these states are in very strongly Republican states.”

He also notes that President Barack Obama has a low public approval rating. John Fortier thinks this could help Republican candidates.

“The two biggest factors underlying a midterm election are how is the economy doing and how is the president in the White House doing. And ultimately midterm elections do not go very well for the president’s party, they tend to go against it. And if the economy is worse, it is even worse. And if the president’s unpopular, it is even worse.”

Another issue in November will be how the American public feels about the country’s new health care law. The legislation is known as the Affordable Care Act. Republicans plan to publicize their opposition to the law during the election campaign, says House Speaker John Boehner.

“The truth is you can’t fix this law. It needs to be torn out by its roots. You may be tired of hearing about this, but as long as this law is around and making things worse, we’re going to keep fighting it.”

President Obama is quick to defend Affordable Care Act. He accuses Republicans of having no interest in wanting to fix the law.

“And it is not just to try to improve the law or here is a particular problem with it. No, we just want to scrap it so that millions of people who now have health insurance, we want them to go back to not having health insurance. Well that is not going to happen.”

The president has been warning his Democratic supporters that they need to vote in November. He notes that Republicans often do better in midterm elections because there is low voter turnout, meaning fewer people go to vote.

Tom DeFrank is a longtime political observer with the magazine National Journal. He feels that if Republicans take control of the Senate, most legislation will halt during the final two years of Mr. Obama’s term. This will then produce more of what he calls, legislative “gridlock.”

“If he loses the Senate in November he will be reduced to governing by veto, denying the Republicans what they want to do. I think it’s gridlock and damage control the rest of the way.”

The last time Republicans controlled both houses of Congress was during the presidency of George W. Bush. I’m Anna Matteo.

And I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. More Learning English programs are up next, and there is world news at the beginning of the hour on VOA. ​​

1837 Brings New President, Economic Crisis

From VOA Learning English, welcome to The Making of a Nation — our weekly history program of American history for people learning American English. I’m Steve Ember.

Last time, we talked about the election of Martin Van Buren as the eighth president of the United States.

Van Buren had served as President Andrew Jackson’s secretary of state, and later his vice president. Jackson asked his political party, the Democrats, to nominate Van Buren as their presidential candidate in the 1836 election. The Whig party was against him, but their opposition was divided. Van Buren won the election easily.

Jackson stood beside Van Buren as the new president was sworn in at the Capitol building in Washington. Physically, the two men were very different. Jackson was tall, with long white hair that flowed back over his head. Jackson's health had been poor during the last few months he spent in the White House. He seemed tired. There was almost no color in his face.

Van Buren was much shorter than Jackson and had much less hair. His eyes were brighter than those of the old man next to him.

Van Buren Promises Better Times Ahead

In his inaugural speech, Van Buren noted that he was the first American born after the revolution to become president of the United States. He was also the first president who was not from a British family; his family was Dutch.

​​Van Buren said he felt he belonged to a later age. He called for more unity among Democrats of the North and South. He said better times were ahead for the country.

Martin Van Buren had a poor education as a boy. He went to school only for a few years. His father was a farmer and hotel keeper at a small town in New York State. Politicians, including Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, had sometimes visited the hotel. By listening to them and others, the future president learned about politics.

Eventually, Van Buren studied in a law office and became a lawyer. In the first years of his career he defended tenants and renters who were fighting large plantation owners for their land. As a result, he developed a reputation for helping the common man. Van Buren became a local official, and then a senator and governor of New York.

When he was 24, he married a young woman he had grown up with. But she died of tuberculosis after 12 years, leaving him with four sons.

“And after that, he was known as quite charming among the ladies, as they said in those days.”

Historian Joel Silbey is an expert on Martin Van Buren. Mr. Silbey says most people who knew Van Buren liked him. He seemed warm and friendly. He tried to keep his political life and his social life separate. It was not unusual to see him exchange handshakes, smiles and jokes with men who were his political enemies. But, he did not have a national reputation like Andrew Jackson had.

“What he was known for, and what got him into the vice presidency, and then the presidency, was that he was Jackson’s right hand man.”

New President Faces Economic Crisis

​​Van Buren had been president for just a few days when an economic crisis struck the country. The crisis had been building for months. It really began with the death of the Bank of the United States more than a year before.

The bank had been so strong that it was able to control the economy throughout most of the country. It also helped control smaller state banks. It refused to accept the notes, or paper money, of these banks, unless the state banks could exchange the paper for gold or silver money.

President Jackson had opposed the Bank of the United States. He vetoed a bill that would have continued it. After the powerful bank closed, a number of new state banks opened. All of them produced large amounts of paper money — many times the amount they could exchange for gold or silver. Business speculators used much of this paper money to buy land from the government. These men bought the land, held it for a while, then sold it for more than they paid.

The government soon found itself with millions of dollars of paper money of questionable value. To stop these activities, Jackson had ordered only gold or silver payments for government land. But many banks did not have enough gold to cover the paper notes.

At the same time, American agriculture was having trouble. In 1835 and 1837, many crops failed. American traders had to import farm products from Europe. And they had to pay for them in gold or silver.

Bank Decision Leads to Financial Crisis...

In the spring of 1837, just as Martin Van Buren was taking office, the demand on banks for gold and silver grew too heavy. The banks stopped honoring their promises to exchange their paper money for gold. They said the suspension was just temporary. That it was necessary to stop — for a while — all payments in gold or silver. The crisis became worse.

Many of the weaker state banks closed. Those that stayed open had almost no money to lend. Businessmen could not pay back money they owed the banks. And they could not get loans to keep their businesses open. Many factories closed. Great numbers of people were out of work. And prices rose higher and higher. Most people struggled to buy food and other necessities. The price of flour and meat doubled between 1835 and 1837. Even coal, the fuel people used to heat their homes, cost two times as much.

Violence finally broke out at a protest meeting in New York City. Some in the crowd demanded action against the rich traders. About 1,000 people marched to a store, forced their way into it, and destroyed large amounts of flour and grain.

Businessmen blamed the government for the economic depression. They said the biggest reason was a decision former President Jackson made. Jackson’s order required the government to accept only gold or silver for government land.

Opponents said the order had caused fear and mistrust. Even some of Jackson's strongest supporters said it should be lifted. They said the measure had done its job of ending land speculation. Now, they said, it was hurting the economy.

Two of President Van Buren's closest advisers urged him to continue the order. Lifting it, they argued, would flood the federal government with worthless paper money.

Van Buren was troubled. The federal government had already lost nine million dollars because of bank failures. The president wanted to make sure the government had enough money. And he wanted this money safe until needed.

Yet he did not believe the federal government had the responsibility for ending the depression. And, historian Joel Silbey says Van Buren did not believe the government had the right to interfere in any way with private business.

“He said that over and over again. That the federal government doesn’t have the power to do this.”

Mr. Silbey adds that Van Buren’s political philosophy grew out of the beliefs of former president Thomas Jefferson. All of his life, he claimed to be a Jeffersonian Democrat.

“That had a specific meaning to him: limited government, freedom for people — meaning white males. He was an egalitarian within the limits of those years.”

Van Buren also shared Jackson’s suspicion of bankers. In general, he believed no group — neither the government, nor the wealthy — should have too much power, not even to help the economy.

So Van Buren decided to continue Jackson’s order. No government land could be bought with paper money.

The American economy got worse. The president called a special meeting of Congress. In a message to lawmakers, Van Buren said "over-banking and over-trading" had caused the depression. He proposed several steps to protect the government. One of them was for Congress to pass a law permitting the government to keep its own money in the Treasury.

America's Treasury Department received money when it collected import taxes and sold land. It used this money to pay what the government owed. The Treasury did not, however, hold the money from the time it was collected to the time it was paid out.

The Treasury put the money in private banks. President Van Buren wanted to end this custom. He wanted a law to let the Treasury keep government money in its own secure places.

The Whigs criticized Van Buren for thinking only of protecting the federal government and not helping businessmen, farmers and the states. Some Democrats who believed strongly in states' rights also opposed Van Buren’s idea. All these opponents provided enough votes in Congress to defeat the proposal.

Van Buren tried again the following year to get approval for an independent Treasury. Again, the proposal was defeated.

Finally, in June 1840, Congress passed a law enabling the Treasury Department to hold government money itself. Van Buren signed what was called the “Independent Treasury” bill. But the economic depression continued.

Martin Van Buren also faced an international challenge from a surprising place. The president’s troubles with Canada will be our story next week.

I’m Steve Ember, inviting you to join us next time for The Making of a Nation — American history from VOA Learning English. ​​

Many Turks Fear 'Deep State'

Hello and welcome back to the program that helps you learn and improve your American English. I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. Today we turn an ear toward Turkey to hear about what some people are calling a “deep state.” It appears that some prison doors have been swinging open, and not everyone is happy about who is being freed.

Then we’re off to India, where voters will soon be lining up for general elections. This time, many of those casting ballots will be young people who are becoming more and more politically involved.

And near the end of our program, a bit of American history! We are here every day, and we give you our world …good or bad …As It Is.

People in Turkey are talking about the release of retired military officials and organized crime group members from prison. Some people say the release is a sign that the country’s “deep state” could return. What exactly does that mean? Jonathan Evans answers the question.

Many were found guilty of crimes linked to what government lawyers have called deep state. They use deep state to describe unofficial organizations of power. Prosecutors have blamed such groups for targeted killings of political leaders or enemies of the state.

Cengiz Aktar is with the Istanbul Policy Forum. He says the prisoner releases are troubling.

"The Turkish public opinion is extremely worried now about these releases because these people might think of taking revenge in the months to come."

Among those released are people jailed for killing Hrant Dink, a leading Armenian reporter. Government lawyers say the killers of three religious workers were also released.

Human rights groups say most “deep state” targets were activists fighting for the rights of Turkey’s Kurdish minority. They say much of the violence took place during the 1990s. That is when Turkish forces repeatedly clashed with the Kurdish rebel group PKK.

This month, Turkish nationalists attacked several offices of the People’s Democracy Party. The group supports Kurdish rights.

Ertugrul Kurkcu is the leader of the People’s Democracy Party. He believes the ‘deep state’ organization was involved. He also thinks supporters of the group are responsible for past crimes against the Kurds.

He and other observers say the government has released individuals linked to the deep state in an effort to defeat followers of an Islamic clergyman Fetullah Gulen. The religious leader lives in self-imposed exile in the United States. The government accuses his followers of seeking to gain influence in Turkey’s judiciary and police.

Sinan Ulgen does not believe the government would take such a risky move. Mr. Ulgen is a visiting scholar with Carnegie Europe in Belgium. He blames the releases on the court system.

"From the standpoint of the government this was also an unwanted development because most of Turkish society is critical about this development. There has been a fundamental shift in the civil military relationship and that will not change."

Cengiz Aktar agrees that Turkey has changed since the military became directly involved in politics. But he says the country remains at risk for corruption.

"The police and justice have been shaken and destabilized. Therefore we don’t know who will ensure the public order, with that many criminals there in the streets of the country.”

Human rights groups accuse Turkey’s deep state of thousands of political deaths and disappearances during the 1990s. I’m Jonathan Evans.

Young People May Affect Elections in India

India is making final preparations for general elections. The voting begins next month. About 120 million Indians will be able to vote for the first time. Indians under the age of 25 are becoming more involved politically. They want leaders who will deal with issues like jobs and development. Karen Leggett takes the story from there.

In 2011, tens of thousands of young people joined anti-corruption protests in the center of India’s capital, New Delhi. Sanjay Kharwar was among the demonstrators. At the time, he was an engineering student at the Indian Institute of Technology. This year, he will be voting for the first time. But he wants to do more than mark a ballot. He wants to give his country a new direction.

Sanjay Kharwar is now working as a volunteer for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP. He believes the party’s candidate for prime minister would be able to deal with three issues of concern to young people. They are good governance, faster economic growth and jobs.

Thousands of college students like him have offered to help political parties in the election campaign. Voting for the 543 seats in parliament begins on April 7th.

India has the highest number of young people in the world. With a total population of one-point-two billion people, half are under 26 years old.

Political parties largely ignored young people until they began protesting corruption and the gang rape of a student in Delhi in late 2012. Now parties are seeking the support of these young voters.

The ruling Congress Party hopes the image of its leading campaigner, Rahul Gandhi, will appeal to young voters. Mr. Gandhi is 43 years old. He has been pushing for younger candidates and speaking to young voters at campaign events.

Ravi Shankar Prasad is a top leader of the BJP. He says his party’s attention to development issues is important to young people.

Political observers say the two main parties have failed to act on the concerns of young people.

Sanjay Kumar is with the Center for Developing Societies in New Delhi. He wrote a book about Indian youth in politics. He says young Indians are showing more interest in politics than they did 10 years ago.

Some of these young men and women want to become political leaders themselves. Others, like Sanjay Kharwar, do not. Still, they are making time to campaign for their chosen parties. They organize meetings, actively use social media websites and climb onto crowded trains to publicize their ideas before the elections. I’m Karen Leggett.

And I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. Today is the birth date of the wonderful jazz singer, Sarah Vaughn. She was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1924. Don’t forget, there are more Learning English programs still to come, and world news at the beginning of the hour. This is VOA. ​​

Pakistanis Suffer from Drought but Find New Energy Sources

Hello again, and welcome back to the program that helps you learn and improve your American English. I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. Today’s broadcast is all about the South Asian country of Pakistan. First we will take you to an area where many people, especially children, are suffering. And we will hear what the national government is trying to do for them as they wait for this sound (thunder).

After that, we will travel to Pakistani Kashmir for some good news. Many people there use small machines to produce their own electricity, and hope to improve their way of life.

Each day on VOA, on shortwave, medium wave, FM, and by satellite and the Internet, we tell you about our world …As It Is.

Many children are dying in the Tharparkar area of southeast Pakistan. They are victims of a long drought. Tharparkar has received little rainfall over the past two years. Recently, the government began sending food and water to the area. But experts in Pakistan say that effort came too late. They say the deaths could have been prevented if politicians had acted earlier.

At least 60 children have died in Tharparkar over the past three months. They are victims of water shortages and severe poverty.

The son of this woman died late last month.

“He fell ill due to hunger. Before, we had milk, yogurt, buttermilk for the children, but there’s nothing now. We’re poor people. How are we supposed to buy food?”

Earlier this month, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the government would send money, food and medicine to the area.

“The provincial government and the Pakistani armed forces will get together to help you AND to get rid of your troubles. Now join me and chant: ‘Long Live Pakistan.’”

People in Tharparkar live in small, dusty villages. They have long lacked good health care services and dependable water supplies.

Harris Khalique is a public policy expert. He says the real problem is a lack of effective government planning.

“Malnutrition or malnourished is not caused because of a famine or a drought in Thar -- it is a permanent condition, unfortunately in Thar. There’s abject, grinding poverty in Tharparker, and it’s a complete failure of governance, but not just a failure of governance, it’s also a failure of the economic system within which we live in Pakistan.”

The World Bank says one third of Pakistan’s population lives in poverty. In the drought-affected area, most of the people are non-Muslim. Some observers say this means they do not get the same attention or services as other Pakistanis.

Back in Tharparkar, a woman named Sona brought her daughter to the local hospital. She says poverty and lack of basic services or schools cause children to suffer.

“It’s a drought now. There are no more rains. We cultivate even if there are only one or two rains. But all the crops dried up when the rains stopped, and nothing can be done. Those blessed with knowledge can easily fill their stomachs, but those who are illiterate, starve.”

Observers say Pakistan must develop its rural areas or places like Tharparkar will continue to experience periods of drought and death.

Small Machines Make Electricity

Many areas in Pakistan suffer energy shortages because of the country’s power grid, the wires and equipment that supply electricity to large areas. The grid does not reach all areas of the country. But in part of Pakistani Kashmir, people are now making their own electricity. They use small-scale turbines to create energy from the area’s many waterways. Christopher Cruise has the story.

The Neelum Valley of southeastern Pakistan is sometimes called “Heaven on Earth.” People there want to protect their forests and keep their environment clean. But the area also has a growing need for electricity. Shafiq Usmani is an official with the Neelum Valley Hydro-Electric Board.

“All the beauty of the Neelum Valley is dependent upon these forests, streams, this neat and clean water, and this can only be sustained if we are giving them the clean energy.”

Two hundred thousand people live in the Neelum Valley. But less than half of them get electricity from Pakistan’s national power grid. They may not need to because the Neelum River and other waterways flow with enough force to produce energy. Some communities have turned to small turbines -- called “hydel machines” -- to create electricity. A man named Rahimullah is one of the turbine operators.

“This hydel machine was installed with a share from 50 families, which costs us nearly $3,000. We started this small hydro scheme as we needed it. We only get light from it and no other electric appliances. We start this turbine at 3 in the afternoon and switch it off the next day at 8 a.m.”

Villagers like Mushtaq Ahmad say the homemade machines have changed daily lives.

“When we had no electricity there was always smoke, as we use wood for heating and cooking, which causes diseases. Since we installed this project, thank God, we have gotten rid of these diseases and gained some other benefits.”

But even with the machines, there is not enough electricity for everyone. So trees are cut down to provide wood for fire. Sardar Basharat Ahmad is an engineer. He says the valley needs more turbines.

“Cutting down trees is a big loss. Using wood for heating and cooking causes health problems. If the hydel is promoted and new projects are set up, it will fulfill all the requirements of the people like cooking and heating, and it will save the cutting down of green trees.”

Pakistan commonly experiences power cuts, especially in the summer. These “blackouts” affect many people and hurt economic activity. The country is using only about ten percent of its possible hydropower. I’m Christopher Cruise.

I’m Jim Tedder in Washington. Today in the United States, we celebrate the births of two of our best writers. On this date in 1911, Tennessee Williams was born. Two of his most famous works are “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” His stories are mostly about people who have problems, and many of them are set in the American South. They are powerful and emotional.

Also born on this date was a man who tried farming, teaching, and even shoemaking, before he became famous for words like, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” American poet Robert Frost was born on this date in 1874.

Thank you for spending some time with us today. More Learning English programs are just around the corner, and world news awaits you at the beginning of the hour on the Voice of America.

Do Long Periods in Space Affect the Body and Mind?

From VOA Learning English, this is Science in the News.

I’m Anna Matteo.

And I’m Christopher Cruise.

Today we report on recent developments in space science. We tell about the growing demand for communications satellites and space-based imaging services. We also tell about China’s first robotic vehicle on the moon. But first, we examine the effect of longer space flights on humans.

How Do Long Periods in Space Affect the Body and Mind?

Human beings have a natural desire to explore the unknown. People with a strong interest in space like to say it is the last place left to explore. But scientists are warning that space exploration for long periods is not going to be easy. They say the human body is not designed to stay in space over an extended period.

The New York Times recently published a report about scientists who are preparing astronauts for a trip to the Moon. The newspaper said the scientists want to make sure that their crews return home in good health. But there are many problems to be solved before people are ready for long trips to the Moon, an asteroid or even the planet Mars.
​​Humans developed on a planet with a surface that is more than 70 percent water. Our bodies are also about 70 percent water. When there is no gravity that water moves up toward the head, raising pressure in the skull. Arms and legs grow weaker at what is called zero gravity because they no longer need to push against the force of gravity.

Five years ago, astronauts who spent weeks in space reported a change in their eyesight. These astronauts were members of the crew on the International Space Station. Research showed a change in the shape of their eyes. Normally-round eyeballs had become flat during time in space. The research also showed that the right eye was affected more than the left, and that men were more affected than women. Scientists could not find an explanation for the differences.

Bone loss was one of the problems first reported by astronauts returning to Earth after longer stays in space. So scientists designed exercise machines to use on the space station. Tests showed that the exercise equipment helped space travelers keep their bones almost as strong as when they left Earth.

There are other health issues for astronauts who spend a long time in space. They may have problems eating and sleeping. But the biggest health issue is exposure to radiation. On Earth, human beings are protected by the atmosphere and the planet’s magnetic field. In outer space, there is no such protection.

For more than 50 years, the health of American astronauts has been a concern of NASA -- the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA does not let the risk of cancer for its astronauts rise more than three percent during their lifetime. But there is more to be worried about than a possible increased risk of cancer.

On Long Island, New York, scientists have been studying the effect of cosmic rays on mice. The scientists say they have found possible brain damage to the animals.

Another problem for astronauts is the difficulty of exchanging information with people on Earth during long flights. There is no delay now in communicating between astronauts and flight headquarters -- known as Mission Control. But messages between Earth and distant planets will take minutes to arrive.

Mental health is another important issue for long space flights. And, because astronauts will be inside their small spaceship together for months, they must work well as a team. There could be problems if one of the astronauts develops personality issues.
​​​NASA plans to send humans to Mars by 2030. The mission would take about two-and-a-half years. That is almost six times longer than the longest stay in space. One reason NASA extended the life of the International Space Station was to do more medical research on the effects of a longer stay in space.

Starting in 2015, an American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut are to stay on the space station for one full year. The Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov has already stayed longer than a year in space. He worked on the Russian space station Mir in 1994 and 1995.

Scientists say they now have better measuring devices and testing methods. They want to use them to study the changes in the body and mind during long stays in zero gravity. Their research is aimed at learning if such changes in physical condition will remain or will return to normal a few months after they have returned to Earth.

China’s “Jade Rabbit” Explorer: Sleeping on the Moon

Robots in space do not have the health problems of humans, but they can develop operating problems. China’s first Moon explorer landed on the Moon in December. But it developed problems in January.
​​The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that scientists were working to fix the robotic vehicle, which is known as “Jade Rabbit.” The vehicle is named for a small animal in traditional Chinese stories about a Moon goddess.

China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said the problems were a result of what it called (a) “complicated lunar surface environment.” The agency provided no other information.

But in February, the Jade Rabbit showed signs of life. A spokesman for the program was reported as saying technicians are still investigating the cause of what he called the “mechanical control malfunction.” The problem caused the vehicle to go into a rest or "sleep mode." The Jade Rabbit is designed to enter sleep mode to survive the extreme cold nights on the moon.

The rover came to life briefly on February 23rd before entering sleep mode again. There have been no reports of the Jade Rabbit waking since then. The device remains in its third sleep since landing on the Moon.

Future for Businesses Working in Space Looks Hopeful

Launching rockets into space has become almost commonplace. The demand for communications satellites and space-based image services is growing.

Today, space efforts are a $200 billion a year industry. Joint efforts between governments and businesses are helping to lower costs and increase our understanding of the universe.

The business of space looks good for Orbital Sciences Corporation, a company based in the United States. In January, the company launched its Antares rocket. The rocket was carrying the first of eight planned supply shipments to the International Space Station.
​​Orbital Sciences is one of two American companies paid by NASA to transport supplies to the space station.

A company called “Arianespace” is a private European space business. Arianespace launched its first satellite 30 years ago. It says 2014 may be its busiest year yet.

Clayton Mowry heads the American division of the company. He says the increase in rocket launches is partly the result of increased demand for space-based technologies. These include extreme high-definition broadcasts and satellite broadband service.

While there is more demand for satellites, the end of NASA's space shuttle program in 2011 has hurt the space industry.

Janice Starzyk works at International Launch Services. She works on education issues at the Washington Space Business Roundtable.

“The shuttle program shutting down was a huge, huge set of layoffs in the industry.”

But even as NASA reduces its spending, other countries have announced plans to explore space. In December, China became just the third country to land a space vehicle on the Moon. A month later, India launched its first communications satellite.

Trying to Prove Space Flight Doesn’t Have to Be Costly

In Denmark, two people are attempting to prove that space flight does not need to be costly. They are using designs that are free to anyone. They are attempting to pay for rocket launches by asking interested people to make a donation to the project.

Kristian Von Bengtson helped start the company, called Copenhagen Suborbitals. He has dreamed since he was a boy of launching a rocket 100 kilometers into space. He wants to launch a rocket built by a private company for less money than expected.

“Everybody believes that space flight -- manned space flight -- can only be done with billions of dollars, and it has to be government-financed. I hope that we can show that you can do it on a shoestring budget. You can pretty much do it yourself.”

Kristian Von Bengtson hopes to launch a rocket carrying astronauts into space by 2020.

Students: Think About Space Careers

As more companies enter the space industry, they will need highly-trained and educated workers. Janice Starzyk says the Space Business Roundtable will continue to urge students to consider careers in space.

"Actually, it’s a major problem in, in most countries of getting young people interested in, in studying engineering, and specifically aerospace engineering.”

She says attendance at her organization’s space academy program has risen over the last three years. She says that as demand increases for rocket launches, so will the demand for highly-trained engineers and other space workers.

This Science in the News was written and produced by Christopher Cruise.

I’m Anna Matteo.

And I’m Christopher Cruise.

You can comment on this story on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. Join us again next week for more news about science on the Voice of America.

Businessman Buys Famous Car Factory in Detroit

Hello and welcome back to a special program of As It Is…a way for you to learn and improve your American English.

I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.

Today we take you to Detroit, Michigan, and visit what was once a large part of America’s industrial strength.

The Packard Plant was once the most modern automobile production center in the world. Now, the former factory buildings are in disrepair. And police and fire officials in Detroit say the factory grounds are a danger to the community.

Detroit is known as the 'Motor City.' It is home to car makers Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. Before these businesses became world famous, the Packard Motor Car Company was the best-known car maker in Detroit.

The Packard plant was known for its big, strong buildings. These structures were famous for their open spaces and use of sunlight. The Packard Plant influenced the design of factories around the world. But by 2012, the Detroit Free Press was describing the Packard Plant as, big, ugly and dangerous.

Today, visitors are not permitted inside the old buildings. Some structures are collapsing. Roads within the 18-hectare property are damaged. Industrial wreckage and waste cover the grounds. But after the city of Detroit seized the property, many people wanted to buy the old Packard Plant. The city took control of the land because the owner had failed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.

The Detroit city government first attempted to sell the Packard Plant in October of 2012. A Spanish-born businessman, Fernando Palazuelo, was the third person to make an offer at a government auction. The first person offered six million dollars, but failed to make the full payment. A man who had offered two million dollars for the property also failed to pay. Finally, in 2013, the city accepted Mr. Palazuelo’s offer. He reportedly paid only $405,000 for the Packard Plant.

The story of the Packard Plant begins in 1903 with two American brothers and a German immigrant. The brothers -- William and James Ward Packard -- thought they could build a better car. The immigrant -- architect Albert Kahn -- thought he could design a better factory.

The Packard brothers moved some of their business operations to Detroit in 1903. They asked Kahn to design new factory buildings for the Packard Motor Car Company. His design included tall windows that gave factory workers plenty of light and fresh air. Kahn made the “daylight factory” popular. He used wood, brick and other traditional building materials in the first eight buildings. Then the architect began using reinforced concrete. This material helped protect buildings from being destroyed by fire. It is for this reason that the Packard plant has survived longer than the company that built it.

Packard cars were the favorite cars of the rich in the early 20th century. In 1921, Warren G. Harding was the first American president to drive to his swearing-in ceremony. President Harding declared that America was in the age of what he called “the motor car.”

In 1932, Americans elected Franklin Roosevelt as president. Roosevelt set up programs to keep people working during the Great Depression. In 1935, radio listeners could hear a Packard advertisement with the words, “Give A Man A Job. Buy A New Car.”
​​
Packard stopped making cars during World War II to build engines for military airplanes and ships. One day in 1943, production at the plant came to a halt. About 25,000 people walked off the job. White factory workers were protesting the naming of three African-Americans to new positions.

Their appointments meant that the white workers would be working directly with African-Americans. The strike lasted three days. Later that summer, there were deadly race riots across Detroit. The unrest stopped war production for two weeks.

After the war, the Packard Company began to lose business. The company was losing out to other companies. By 1959, production stopped and the Packard Plant was officially closed.

Ownership of the Packard Plant has changed over the years. Since the early 1990s, the plant has been almost unoccupied. People continue to steal anything from the property that can be sold.

Many musicians and visual artists have seen beauty and meaning in the wreckage of the Packard Plant. The British graffiti artist Banksy left two versions of his work on Packard Plant buildings in 2010. Detroit rapper Eminem has used the plant as a setting. The music video for his song 'Beautiful' shows him walking through the grounds.

The new owner of the Packard plant has employed a security company to protect the property. Fernando Palazuelo plans to build a stronger fence to stop criminals and other individuals. Then he will begin the huge job of removing collapsed buildings and small mountains of old car tires.

Mr. Palazuelo started his property development business in Spain. He sold and bought houses. Then, during the international economic crisis of 2008, he lost everything. He moved to Lima, Peru. The businessman bought old structures in the historic center of the Peruvian capital. He redeveloped the buildings and persuaded people to live and work in them. He says his experience in Lima will help him in Detroit.

Mr. Palazuelo believes it will cost around $350 million to save some of the old buildings and develop new structures. He wants to create space for new factories, offices, and homes. He also plans to include performance and art spaces. He estimates it will take between 10 and 15 years to redevelop the Packard Plant.

This has been a special As It Is program about a part of America that was once called “the industrial heartland.” It was a manufacturing center like no other. The people of Detroit, Michigan, are proud of their history, and dream of a day when their hometown will once again help drive America forward.

Thank you for listening.

There are more Learning English programs coming your way in less than a minute. And there is world news at the beginning of the hour on VOA.

I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.

Songs of Spring Describe Her Many Moods

From VOA Learning English, welcome to This Is America. I’m Steve Ember.

If you've checked your calendar lately, you know - at least in the northern part of the world – it’s spring. And, after a long winter, it’s time to celebrate.

Hey, buds below
Up is where to grow
Up, from which below can’t compare with…

Now, your English teacher might have had a problem with that phrase, but let’s keep listening, shall we?

Life down a hole takes an awful toll,
What with not a soul there to share with

If you’re wondering what those words are all about, she is singing to her flower pots.

Hurry, it’s lovely up here
Wake up, bestir yourself
It’s time that you disinter yourself…

Actress Barbara Harris in the musical “On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever” by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane.

And what a gift package of showers, sun and love
You'll be met above everywhere with
Fondled and sniffed by millions who drift by…

And spring being the season of new growth, I hope that song, and all the others we’re going to play for you, will paint a musical picture of this lovely season. Come along with us!

Come poke your head out!
Open up and spread out!
Hurry, it's lovely here!

She Sometimes is Slow to Arrive…

Sometimes spring comes slowly – that was certainly the case this year.  It seems like we wear our winter clothes for a long, long time.  The weather stays cold…snow stays on the ground.  Trees still look bare. Everything is changing, but we may not see the changes from day to day.

​​And then suddenly, warmth seems to jump up from the earth overnight.  Snow becomes a memory.  Tree branches fill out. The gray and brown colors of winter give way to the green of spring. That’s the spirit expressed here by the New Christy Minstrels.

​​Springtime, change of scenery, won’t that be fine
Springtime, the grass is greener
And the berry grows redder on the vine
Into each life, there will come sunshine, sometime after the rain
Don’t be downhearted, before tears get started,
Let Springtime make you smile again.
You know that Springtime, change of scenery, won’t that be fine
Springtime, the grass is greener
And the berry grows redder on the vine.

Springtime, change of scenery…Spring is a wonderful season to celebrate rebirth and new life. The sun is out again, the daylight stays around longer…the flowers are blooming. The season represents hope, joy and beauty.

However, not all songs about spring are happy. This song by K.D. Lang is about dreaming of spring in cold dark places. She recorded "I Dream of Spring" in two thousand eight.

She arrives like autumn in a rainstorm
The threat of thunder above
I'll return from the streets of Melbourne
I'll return my love

This world is filled with frozen lovers
The sheets of their beds are frightfully cold
And I've slept there in the snow with others
Yet loved no others before

These cold dark places
Places I've been
In cold dark places
I dream of spring


Springtime Inspires Lasting Popular Song…

Unlike the other seasons, there are not many rock songs about spring. Most of the songs about this season were written in the nineteen thirties and forties by famous American composers writing for the Broadway stage or Hollywood films or popular vocalists. The songs became "standards," popular songs recorded by many singers over the years.

If you’re a young person, this may surprise you, but this was the popular music of its day.

Have You Ever Had “Spring Fever?”

​​Here is one example, "It Might as Well Be Spring." Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote the song for the movie "State Fair" in 1945. Frank Sinatra sings about having "spring fever." This is not a real sickness. It is a feeling of restlessness or excitement brought on by the coming of spring.

I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm,
I'm as jumpy as a puppet on a string,
I'd say that I had spring fever,
But I know it isn't spring.

I am starry eyed and vaguely discontented,
Like a nightingale without a song to sing.
Oh, why should I have spring fever,
When it isn't even spring?

I keep wishing I were somewhere else,
Walking down a strange new street,
Hearing words I have never heard,
From a girl I've yet to meet.

I'm as busy as a spider, spinning daydreams,
I'm as giddy as a baby on a swing,
I haven't seen a crocus or a rosebud,
Or a robin or a bluebird on the wing,
But I feel so gay in a melancholy way,
That it might as well be spring,
It might as well be, might as well be,
It might as well be spring.


A Sad Side to Spring…

Richard Rodgers also wrote "Spring Is Here." But this time, the words were by lyricist Lorenz Hart. They were tender…but sad. The singer wants to feel happy in the new season, but can’t, because something very important in life…is missing. Ella Fitzgerald had one of the loveliest versions of this classic Rodgers and Hart song.

Once there was a thing called spring
When the world was writing verses like yours and mine.
All the lads and girls would sing
When we sat at little tables and drank May wine.
Now April May and June are sadly out of tune
Life has stuck the pin in the balloon.

Spring is here!
Why doesn't my heart go dancing?
Spring is here!
Why isn't the waltz entrancing?
No desire, no ambition leads me,
Maybe it’s because nobody needs me.
Spring is here…

New York has inspired so many wonderful – and timeless – songs, including those about the vibrant city in the various seasons of the year. My favorite is Vernon Duke’s “Autumn in New York.”  And if you’ll write a note on your calendar to join us in September when autumn arrives, we have a date to listen to it together. But, for now, here’s Tony Bennett.


Spring in Manhattan starts after dark
After a lazy afternoon in Central Park
Washington Square may be where you’ll feel her first warm touch
Down in the Village, you’ll find she may be much too much
Spring in Manhattan never stays long
Still, if you fall in love, she’ll bless you with a song
And if you listen to every word the song she’ll sing will bring
Spring in Manhattan to stay all winter long.

Just thinking about all the wonderful songs of New York, I realize we could actually do a program of New York songs. If you’d like to hear such a program on “This Is America,” be in touch – let us know!

Have an Umbrella Handy – After All, It’s Spring…

You know, we have a saying, “April showers bring May flowers.” And, of course, showers happen throughout springtime, and certainly do their part in bringing out the flowers and making the trees turn a beautiful shade of green.

Here is a very gentle song about those springtime showers, from the musical “The Fantasticks.”

Soon it's gonna rain.
I can see it.
Soon it's gonna rain.
I can tell.
Soon it's gonna rain.
What're we gonna do?


Soon it's gonna rain.
I can see it.
Soon it's gonna rain.
I can tell.
Soon it's gonna rain.
What'll we do with you?


We'll find four limbs of a tree.
We'll build four walls and a floor.
We'll bind it over with leaves,
And run inside to stay.


Then we'll let it rain.
We'll not feel it.
Then we'll let it rain,
Rain pell-mell.


And we'll not complain
If it never stops at all.
We'll live and love
Within our own four walls.

Kenneth Nelson and Rita Gardner…“Soon It’s Gonna Rain” from Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s “The Fantasticks.”

When Spring Comes Late…
​

​​Frank Loesser wrote a sad song about spring - "Spring Will be a Little Late This Year." Why has the season been delayed? Because the singer's lover has left her. Sarah Vaughan released her version of the song in 1953.

Spring will be a little late this year
A little late arriving in my lonely world over here
For you have left me and where is our April of old?
You have left me, and winter continues cold

As if to say spring will be a little slow to start
A little slow reviving that music it made in my heart
Yes, time heals all things so I needn't cling to this fear
It's merely that spring will be a little late this year

Yes, time heals all things so I needn't cling to this fear
It's merely that spring will be a little late, a little late this year


Well, by now you may be thinking: "Enough with the sad songs, already!" OK, then how about a cowboy song? Gene Autry was one of America's most famous singing cowboys. In 1937, he recorded "When It's Springtime in the Rockies."

When it's springtime in the Rockies
I'm coming back to you
Little sweetheart of the mountains
With your bonnie eyes of blue

Once again I'll say I love you
While the birds sing all the day
When it's springtime in the Rockies
In the Rockies far away

In most of the United States, spring is a warm and pleasant season. But this is not the case in the northwestern state of Alaska. According to Johnny Cash, it can be extremely cold.

I mushed from Point Barrow through a blizzard of snow
Been out prospectin' for two years or so
Pulled into Fairbanks, the city was a-boom
So I took a little stroll to the Red Dog Sea-loon


When I walked in the door, the music was clear
Purtiest voice I had heard in two years
The song she was singin' would make a man's blood run cold
When it's Springtime in Alaska, it's forty below…


[From Frank Loesser’s “Where’s Charley?”]

‘Twas a bright blue sky, and the lark sang high
On a bough that was blossom laden
And I had my eye on a very pretty maiden…

“In the Spring,” Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, “a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love." To that, I would simply add, you don’t have to be a young man…

We heard a sad song about spring by Frank Loesser earlier in the program. But Loesser captured a joyful side of spring – and romance – when two lovers meet after many years…He wrote “Lovelier Than Ever” for his musical “Where’s Charley.” We’ll conclude our “This Is America” Songs of Spring program with Jerry Desmonde and Marion Grimaldi.

Springtime, you’re looking lovelier than ever
Lovelier than ever before
Still irresistible in the same old gown of green
Still irresistible as that lilac-scented scene
When I was seventeen.
Springtime, you haven’t changed your way of whisp’ring
Whisp’ring that romance lies in store
Springtime, you’re being devastatingly clever
And lovelier than ever before…

This Is America is a production of VOA Learning English. Steve Ember here. Hope you enjoyed the music. We’ll see you next week.

Springtime, you’re being devastatingly clever
And lovelier than ever before.

Famous Woman Judge Presides over Pistorius Trial

Hello and welcome.

I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.

For today’s program, we have something a little different. First we’ll travel to South Africa to hear about a woman judge who is in charge of the Oscar Pistorius trial. He is the famous sports star who is accused of killing his girlfriend.

Then, we’ll stay in the area to hear from our correspondent Anita Powell. She will tell us about the journey she has made from covering stories in small towns in the U. S. state of Texas to reporting on major international news for VOA.

We are happy that you can spend some time with us today as we hear about our world…As It Is.

Thokozile Masipa is perhaps the most famous woman in South Africa. She currently serves as the judge in the murder trial of one of the best known sports stars in the country.

Christopher Cruise tells us more about her.

Judge in Oscar Pistorius Trial Quiet, But Strong

When South African officials announced Judge Masipa would try the case, local newspapers reacted with interest. They noted that a judge known for her position on domestic violence would be deciding the case. She has given strong sentences to men whom she finds guilty of abusing women. Oscar Pistorius is charged with killing his girlfriend.

South African officials say Thokozile Masipa was not chosen to hear the case because she is a woman. They said she was chosen because she is a knowledgeable and respected legal expert.

The judge is now at the center of a case that has broken legal barriers. It is the first South African criminal trial to be broadcast live on television.

Thokozile Masipa was one of the judges and magistrates who have helped change the country’s legal system over the past 20 years. In 1994, 160 of 165 judges were white men. Today, the judges are much more representative of South Africa’s population. Last year, the Department of Justice said 100 judges are black men. Seventy-one others are white men. Forty-nine are black women, and 21 are white women.

Reporters are not permitted to talk to Judge Masipa or her two aides during the trial of Oscar Pistorius. The three will decide whether to believe the star runner. Oscar Pistorius says he shot his girlfriend because he thought she was a criminal who had entered their home.

People who have met Thokozile Masipa say she is intelligent and works hard. She was born in 1947 and grew up in the Soweto and Alexandra townships of Johannesburg. Blacks were forced to live in those areas during the years of forced racial separation known as apartheid.

She struggled to find a job as a social worker because of her race. After working different jobs, she became a news reporter in the late 1970s. She began studying law at night while working during the day and caring for her two children.

Judge Masipa told a film crew years ago that the first years were not easy. She began working against apartheid as the system was coming to an end. She says her race, and the fact that she was a woman, hurt her. She says her legal opponents would often call and ask to speak with Mr. Masipa. They expected her to be a man.

In recent years as a judge, she has shown that she will use her position to fight domestic abuse in South Africa. James Grant is a law professor at the University of the Witwatersrand. He says she has been doing a good job in the Pistorius trial.

“(I) think very well under the circumstances, given that this is, at least on, on, in respect of the media issue, it’s trailblazing. This is a first for South Africa and she’s having to make lots of decisions on (the) spur of the moment. I think she’s doing relatively well.”

Judge Masipa has not spoken much during the trial. When she does speak, her voice is so low that people in the courtroom have difficulty hearing her. But there is no question that she is in control of a trial that has captured the attention of millions of people around the world.

I’m Christopher Cruise.

What is a Reporter's Life Like?

Thanks, Chris.

Have you ever considered being a reporter? It can be an exciting job. But it often takes a long time to work your way up from covering events in small towns to “hitting the big time” …working for major news organizations. Today we hear of one such success story.

Here is VOA correspondent Anita Powell in South Africa.

I began my journalism career by writing stories about the actions of city officials in three fast-growing towns in Texas, near Austin, the state capital. During that time I learned a lot about American democracy.

But after three years I became tired of reporting about activities in these small towns. After I left, I was happy that I would never again have to sit in a government meeting room for five hours watching elected city officials make decisions.

I understood how happy I was that I was no longer a local reporter on my first day with American troops on a patrol near the Iraqi capital Baghdad. We were trying to visit the mayor. But, a roadside bomb exploded. We had to wait under the hot sun in military vehicles for bomb experts to come.

I had two thoughts as I waited.

First, this would never happen in Texas.

And second, this may not be fun. But at least I don’t have to attend long city council meetings anymore!

City government may be democracy at its closest to the people. But the truth is it is mostly very uninteresting.

Virgil James is a spokesman for the city of Johannesburg. He told me at the mayors’ meeting that the actions of city government may not be exciting. But he said these actions are necessary.

The yearly meeting was held in a much nicer place than the place where Leander, Texas city council meetings were held. Leander is one of the cities where I used to report. For some reason, the meeting of big-city mayors made me feel a longing for Leander. So I called the city’s former mayor, John Cowman. He was surprised to hear from me. I had not spoken to him in 10 years. He offered advice to mayors of cities much larger than Leander.

“It all boils down to one thing: education. It is the bottom line. You need an educated populace. You need to empower them through education. If you educate folks, this world will be better.”

I attended my first city council meeting in Leander more than 10 years ago. About 14,000 people lived there then. More than twice that many live there now. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.

Dealing with the fast rate of growth was not easy. Mr. Cowman was a divisive mayor. And the city council meetings were often uninteresting and could be difficult to report. Sometimes citizens were very unhappy with the decisions city officials made. They would come to the meetings and show their emotions loudly and angrily.

I did not understand at the time that I was watching something special or, as Mr. Cowman claims, that I was part of it.

“Everything you do learn, really starts at the local level, Anita, and you’re living proof of it. We went through the war together. And see, that’s why I love you for that, you know, it’s like, wow. You reported things in our area that were occurring and so you were part of the team. And that’s the way we all viewed things. And yeah, there were some times I (said) ‘That darn Anita Powell,’ or ‘I’m afraid of her.’ But in the end look where we ended up.”

I have now come to know how important my days reporting about Leander were. I understand that the story of city government is really the story of people’s hopes and fears and homes.

Anita Powell, VOA News, Johannesburg.

Thanks, Anita, for sharing your story with us.

I’m Jim Tedder in Washington.

More Learning English programs are just moments away, and there is world news at the beginning of the hour on VOA.