Kristen Meinzer

Although his father was the first candidate to release their tax returns, the impetus for Massachussetts governor Mitt Romney making his financial life public — and the rallying cry of Gingrich-boosting Super PACs — is the assertion that Romney is too rich and therefore too out of touch to be president. Throughout the decades, Americans have elected very wealthy men to the White House without any fanfare. Yet with record rates of unemployment that many are experiencing over a period of years, the issue of class in the U.S. has gained a new significance.

The main focus of Tuesday’s State of the Union address was the economy and income inequality. Along with his ideas about taxation and protecting homeowners, president Obama also expressed a desire to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Since the 1980s, the U.S. economy has shifted away from manufacturing and towards intellectual property and services. This has been due in part to the perceived expenses involved in production based in the U.S., as well as labor laws. 

In the early 1980s, a 50-year-old radiator manufacturer who'd never made a gun before was given the opportunity to make some for the Austrian army. His name was Gaston Glock, and the gun that bears his name has gained a ubiquitous presence both on-screen and in real-life crimes over the past 25 years. Made mostly of plastic and consisting fewer parts, the glock is lighter and easier to handle than other handguns — making it "amateur-friendly."

A year ago President Obama announced his plans for high speed rail lines and other cutting edge transportation for the nation. But after many defeats in Congress, including the de-funding of high-speed rail, the President’s transportation initiative suddenly seems less futuristic and more focused on rebuilding the old highways of the past. 

Most college students don’t find much time in between classes, studying, and planning their own futures to solve major problems in their local communities. But when Harrisburg, Pennsylvania found itself on the brink of bankruptcy, a college student saved the day. The 23-year-old John Campbell is also the city’s treasurer. He was elected to the post on January 3 and has a step-by-step plan to save the state capital from financial collapse.

Wyatt Cenac is best known as "The Daily Show" correspondent behind popular segments like "Black to the Future" and "Rapper or Republican." When he is not working for "The Daily Show," Cenac’s is acting and performing as a stand-up comedian. His current project, hosting the fourth season of "AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange," is a documentary series profiling men and women from across the African Diaspora — including California punk band Fishbone, a 26-year-old solar energy entrepreneur in Mali, and a minister’s daughter who plays calypso music.

In Steven Soderbergh's latest movie, the "Ocean's Eleven" director recruits mixed martial arts fighter Gina Carano to play the heroine in the action-packed "Haywire." Both the director and actor joined The Takeaway to talk about their unlikely pairing for Carano's first movie. Now we hear about the movie from Movie Date podcasters Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday, and Kristen Meinzer, culture producer for the Takeaway.

Steven Soderbergh is a director who is not afraid to try new things. His films range from a remake of the popular rat pack vehicle "Ocean’s Eleven" to the multi-part biopic “Che” to his experimental film "Scizopolis." On Friday his latest risky endeavor, "Haywire," hits theaters. Newcomer Gina Carano stars as a mixed martial arts fighter who seeks revenge after being betrayed during a mission.

The Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) is a dictionary that defines and classifies all mental health disorders. First published in 1952, the DSM is used by everyone from clinicians to pharmaceutical companies to policy makers. Since its inception, the DSM has been revised only four times — one such occasion was in 1980 when homosexuality was no longer defined as a mental disorder. In the fifth edition, another big change may come to the DSM. Autism is up for a redefinition which could potentially reduce the number of people considered "autistic" by half.

Acclaimed director Wim Wenders, of past successes like "The Buena Vista Social Club," and "Wings of Desire," talks about the process of creating "Pina," his new film about the legendary choreographer Pina Bausch. Wenders was first inspired by Bausch 25 years ago when he watched her perform an emotional double-bill that made him cry. As a result, Wenders collaborated with Bausch for twenty years to develop the concept for the movie, but unfortunately the choreographer died before he ever began filming.

Two conversations this week on the sensitivity of certain subjects in the classroom produced lots of reaction from listeners. A ban on ethnic studies in Tuscon Arizona, and a resistance to teaching Climate Change as an accepted body of knowledge in certain school districts around the country raises a broader question. Are there pieces of history and science that are simply too hot to handle in a classroom where active debate may get away from the truth and consensus on what to teach may be hard to find?

Three-year-old Amelia Rivera has a rare genetic disease called Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. She suffers from mental impairment, epileptic-like seizures, and she can't walk or talk. Besides her illness she's in desperate need of a kidney transplant to live to see her fourth birthday. But the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Amelia is treated, told Amelia’s family that they would not perform a transplant even if a family member donates a kidney. The reason, according to her mother's blog, is because she is “mentally retarded.”

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor is infamous for many atrocities. As one of the first African leaders to be tried for war crimes, Taylor was a notorious dictator who oversaw the murder of over one million people. He was also an active participant in the diamonds-for-guns trade, and at one point gifted Naomi Campbell a pouch of blood diamonds. Monday the Boston Globe revealed that during his rise as a ruthless despot, Taylor worked with U.S. spy agencies like the CIA and Pentagon since the early 1980s.

Last night was the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards and once again Ricky Gervais played host. Gervais did what he does, a little more gently this time around. The stars were out, well Winner Woody Allen didn't show, but it was a party as usual. Here to weigh in are our Movie Date team, Rafer Guzman, who's also movie critic for Newsday and his co-host Kristen Meinzer, who's also culture producer for the Takeaway.

The Golden Globe awards are Sunday. Who will come out as Hollywood's big winner? Who will look stunning on the red carpet? And who will flame out? Find out what Takeaway Movie Date podcasters Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer think about the winners and losers. Have any favorites, or movies that you think we're overrated? Let us know here or call us at 1-877-8-MY-TAKE.

After the December onslaught of Oscar-hopefuls and arthouse faire, two star-powered crowd-pleasers open this week: "Contraband" and "Joyful Noise." The latter sees the big-screen return of Dolly Parton after a decade, and the former promises big-budget CGI thrills from Mark Wahlberg. But whether or not the year's first popcorn flicks deliver on their excitement and laughter remains to be seen.

Chic Flicks and Dude Flicks released on the same day? It happens this week as Mark Wahlberg packs heat and battles bad guys in the new thriller "Contraband." Also being released is "Joyful Noise," a musical starring the dynamic duo of Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah. Which movie will please both genders, and more importantly, which makes a good movie date? Takeaway Movie Date podcasters Rafer Guzman and Kristen Meinzer tell us about what movies you might want to take your spouse to, and which one you should see alone.

In 2011 two franchises based on novels for teens — "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two" and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part One" — overtook stoner comedies, CGI kiddie movies, and comic book adaptations at the box office. In 2012, the bigscreen adaptation of "The Hunger Games" will wage a similar battle against "The Dark Knight Rises." But this year won't be all explosions: a new take on "The Great Gatsby" starring Leonardo DiCaprio and a biography of Lincoln starring Daniel-Day Lewis will also hit theaters.

Louis CK is a veteran stand-up comedian who writes, stars, and frequently directs the cult FX series "Louie." Known among comedy connoisseurs for wittily playing with language and awkward social scenarios, his most recent venture has been to independently produce the feature-length concert film "Live at the Beacon Theatre." Distributed exclusively online, it has earned over one million dollars since its December 10 release. (Watch an outtake from the special after the jump.) Louis CK talks about his special, and gives his predictions for the coming year.

The last week of the year brings with it Hollywood's last chance to release movies eligible for 2012's Academy Awards. "The Iron Lady" (trailer after the jump), the Margaret Thatcher biopic starring Meryl Streep is among them. The movie is getting mixed reviews, but Streep's performance is said to make her a shoo-in for this year's Oscars. The Takeaway's Movie Date podcast team gives their assessment of "The Iron Lady," and look back at their picks for the best and worst movies of 2011.