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Film critic Bob Mondello takes a look at how American cinema has typically portrayed gays and lesbians as maniacs or perverts. But Mondello reports that gradually those negative stereotypes are changing and in the next year, there will be several films with prominent gay characters in less stereotypical roles.

Jacki talks to Lynda MacCartney, the curator of the C.I.A. exhibit centre in the C.I.A. HQ in Langley Virginia about the new exhibit on the film director John Ford. Ford, who received a total of 6 oscars, worked for the Office for Strategic Services, the precursor to the present-day C.I.A. during World War two. During his work with the OSS Ford pioneered aerial camera techniques that saved many lives and pushed the medium of film in new directions..

George Ofman reports from Chicago on the return of Michael Jordan to the National Basketball Association. Jordan's return has been rumoured for a couple of weeks. Today, Jordan announced he would be back on the floor with the Bulls for their game tomorrow afternoon in Indianapolis.

NPR's David Welna reports from Mexico City on the tumultuous events of the past month.. He explains the complex circles of allegations and conspiracy that surround the assasinations of two leading political figures and the dire state of the economy.

Jacki talks with author Barbara Holland about the more bizarre methods of trying suspected criminals in times past. She feels that the present day jury system is a vast improvement on the previous system - trial by ordeal or trial by combat. Holland tells stories of gladiators... vats of boiling oil...and drownings.. those who survived were of course innocent.

Jacki talks to Anthony DeCurtis, an editor at Rolling Stone magazine, about the album, "I Ain't Movin" by the singer Des'ree. (dez-ray) DeCurtis says that effectively combines the slick production of contemporary R+B artists and the tradition of social comment in some of the R+B musicians of the 60s and 70s.

NPR's Chitra Ragavan reports on the efforts by lobbyists to influence the tort reform debate in Congress. This week, the House of Representatives passed a measure which limits the dollar amount that juries can award plaintiffs who sue doctors and manufacturers.

Michael Jordan returned to the National Basketball Association this afternoon. NPR's Scott Simon was at Chicago Bulls game against the Indiana Pacers and talks with Jacki about Jordan's return.

Daniel talks to Geraldine Youcha, author of "Minding the Children: Childcare in America form Colonial Times to the Present." She says that options we discuss for childcare today, such as federally funded daycare for children of working mothers and orphanages, have been tried in the past and that policymakers should look to history to examine the pros and cons of different childcare solutions.

Jacki talks with Dr. Sigmund Eckhouse. He's a former chemical engineer who for 36 years worked for the Army in developing the chemical agents that would be used in chemical weapons. They discuss the history of chemical weapons from World War one and up to the present.

We present the best and worst of the responses to last week's request for spring cleaning music - music while you clean!

Jacki Lyden talks to Geraldine Brooks, former Wall Street Journal corresspondant who has written a book on women and Islam. The book, "Nine parts of Desire" details some of Brooks more unusual experiences in the Middle East including a visit with the late Ayatollah Khomeni's family. Brooks says that there are many advantages in being a woman in that part of the world. The book is published by Doubleday.

Jyll Johnstone and Barbara Ettinger have explored the way they each were raised by nanny's in the 1950's in a new documentary called "Martha and Ethyl." Johnstone's nanny was a rigid disciplinarian, Ettinger had the opposite with a woman named Ethyl who she now look upon as a second mother.

NPR's Melissa Block reports survivors of the Long Islan Railroad shooting in New York made courtroom statements this past week in th trial of Colin Ferguson. He was convicted of killing 6 people during a shooting rampage on the railroad. Crime victims and their relatives are making their case in court more and more often.

Daniel talks with Martha Manning, psychologist and author of "Undercurrents: A Therapist's Reckoning with Her Own Depression," (HarperSanFrancisco) which recounts her descent into a debilitating depression and her decision to undergo electro-shock therapy as a last resort. She says the treatment, sometimes considered outdated by professionals like herself, helped her regain her ability to function in the world.

NPR's Laura Knoy reports on another presidential hopeful. Alan Keyes, a former top state department and United Nations official will be the first Black to run as a Republican presidential candidate. Knoy reports that Keyes is a real long-shot.

Laura Seidel reports from New York on the extradition to Oklahoma of convicted double murderer Thomas Grasso. Grasso had been serving a sentence of 20 years to life in New York--a state with no death penalty--but is scheduled to be executed in Oklahoma early tomorrow morning.

Karen Michel reports from New York on the stage adaptation of neurologist Oliver Sacks' book "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat."

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports on conflicting feelings in Japan as the August anniversary of the end of World War Two approaches.

We take a moment to solicit phone calls about what kind of music our listeners clean their house to. 1:00 Funding Credit Cross Promo Station Break (:59) Forward Promo

For the past 350 years, the people of New England have held town meetings as a forum to thrash out local issues and vote on them. Some consider these meetings the oldest and purest form of democracy in the United States. But Leda Hartman reports that in New Hampshire, this venerable institution may come to an end if the state legislature passes a law that allows local issues to be resolved by secret ballot.

Daniel talks to Goeran Carstedt, President of Ikea North America about his company's take on American lifestyles. According to an Ikea report Americans center all their furnishings around the television...which is getting bigger and bigger. By contrast in Ikea's homebase Sweden, people tend to centre their lifestyles around a dining room sets..they talk more and watch T.V. less.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports from Jerusalem that Palestinian strawberry growers are struggling to export their fruit to foreign purchasers. But an Israeli agricultural company is doing everything it can to keep direct exports from taking place.

Jacki talks to Jean Bach, producer of the documentary film, "A Great Day in Harlem," which tells the story of a famous photograph of 57 jazz musicians taken in front of a Harlem brownstone in 1958. A young novice photographer, Art Kane, put the word out that the jazz musicians in New York City should all show up at a certain corner one summer morning... and the gathering became a jazz family reunion as much as a photo shoot.

Jacki talks to NPR's Brian Naylor about the lastest budget cuts in Congress. Last week House appropriations subcomittes cut $7.2 billion from non-military domestic programs such as low income housing and nutritional programs for pregnant women and children.