"Sunday Morning" on April 22, 2012

Charles Osgood introduced the stories for April 22, 2012. Our national anthem mentions "land of the free," but many Americans are behind bars. Martha Teichner does a cover story "Incarceration Nation", starting with a Supreme Court decision about California prisons. Nearly 2.3 million people are behind bars in the U.S. Rita Braver's story on Tiffany's was described second. Third, Anthony Mason on The Black Keys. College dropouts from Akron, Ohio. Fourth, Bill Geist on beach-combing at Sanibel Island. Extreme shelling. Good by to Dick Clark. News headlines: George Zimmerman remains in jail. The French are voting to pick a president. US Senator Hatch forced into primary fight. Charles Colson died at the age of 80. Etan Patz. Soccer Ball on Middleton Island, Alaska. Phil Humber pitched a perfect game for the White Sox, ironically is first major league complete game. Weather: warm and sunny in the west but maybe a noreaster in the east. The Teichner started with the Gadsden County Jail in Florida. Then, overcrowding in California, referencing a Supreme Court decision in May 2011. The crime rate has dropped 40%. The US has 5% of world population but 40% of prisoners. In places like Connecticut, cost is about $50K/prisoner. Overall, more than 63 billion per year spent on incarcerating prisoners. The beginning of the trend for larger prison populations: the war on drugs. Blacks are disproportionately impacted: 3/4 of people in jail for drugs are blacks. 1/3 black men are in prison, on parole. Brian Stevenson argued about sentencing kids. US Senator Jim Webb: if you are a violent career criminal you belong in jail...(but) We can be much more adaptive to non-violent crimes. 15 states in 2011 passed sentencing reform laws. State of Florida is building a re-entry center. At Gadsden County, teaching inmates to look for jobs. California's San Quentin: prisoner university project, including a class on Greek tragedy. One more tool. More than 50% of ex-prisoners will be back behind bars within three years. In New York, between 2000-2010, prison population dropped. Almanac. Atom Bomb Lady. April 22, 1952: nuclear bomb test in Nevada desert televised live. CBS "See it Now" did story. 8 governors were present. Troops were present. Bomb was dropped from a plane. Drink: the Flamingo atom bomb. Film: The Atomic Cafe. (duck and cover). 1963: test ban treaty. 49,000 cases of thyroid cancer created by testing? A diamond necklace from Tiffany's began the story. 1961 film. "To dream about Tiffany." Michael Kowalski, President. The company began 175 years ago. Flagship store built in 1940. Initial store 1837. American Indian inspired loving cup. Even Abraham Lincoln bought sea pearls from Charles Louis Tiffany. No one gets a discount at Tiffany & Company. Blue color favorite of Empress Eugenie (deposed in 1870; sold some of her pieces to Tiffany). Now, 3.6 billion in annual sales. Yellow diamond (1877) considered priceless. 128 carats. Bought for $18,000. Louis Comfort Tiffany known for artistry. Montana Sapphires. Yago Gulch. Orange serpentine from New Jersey ( "don't get enough respect"). In 1885, version of a great seal of the United States, now used on US dollar bills. Tiffany silver costs about $100. Issue of brand dilution. Rubedo: mix of gold, silver, and copper, with the name trademarked. History of product innovation. Challenge of being an innovator: surprising people. Tiffany name synonymous with quality. Lonely Boy by The Black Keys. Anthony Mason does story. Album "El Camino." They sold out Madison Square Garden in 15 minutes. Music used in more than 300 commercials. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney on drums. In 2003, offered 200,000 pounds for music for a mayonnaise company. They turned it down. They accepted the next offers. Wearing a tuxedo: "I felt like I was wearing a hot dog casing." Akron's Harvey Firestone High School placed them on Alumni Hall of Fame. Carney: one of three winners of most unique. Got a B in music appreciation. Carney's brother Michael designs album covers. Jim Carney, the father, is a reporter. Chuck Auerbach, father, is an antiques dealer. Campaign finance trial of John Edwards reported by Erin Moriarty. Federal criminal indictment of Johnny Reed Edwards. He is accused of mis-using campaign funds. Hansen Dellinger, former deputy attorney general, notes no other candidate has faced such charges. Usually, selling something in exchange for money. This has not happened here. Andrew Young is chief witness. Andrew Young was given full immunity to testify. John Edwards on Nightline denied he was father. Melanie Sloan of Crew believes case against Edwards should be thrown out. At least 56 federal agents employed in nearly 4 year investigation. Edwards treated for atrial fibrillation. Edwards was offered a plea deal, but turned it down. Pulse: Progress on environment problems since 1970: only 17% said yes. Bill Geist on Sanibel Island. Competitive shellers are Shellebration on Sanibel. 400 species of colorful, artistic specimens. "I broke my husband's leg shelling." Leroy Nightsell. Captain Joey Burnsed. Fighting conch. High-low tide. Alternative approach: just buy shells. David Turecamo on Pierre Cardin. Cardin will be 90 this year. He was commissioned by the Beatles to prepare suits. Last fall, he presented a new collection. I like to continuously prove myself. Party at Maxim's. He was Pietro Cardin, born in Italy. Avril Grahams of Harpers. Love of geometric patterns. Futuristic dabbling with materials, vinyls, PVCs. He worked for Christian Dior. Cardin's first collection was in 1951. Ready-to-wear. In the 1950's, designers catered to the super-rich. This is an elitist profession. In 1959, Cardin sold his collection in a department store. Cardin made millions. Cardin changed the business of fashion. Issue of licensing the Cardin name to others. "Everything is business." If you don't sell your picture, you are no one. "I'm a fancy boy." Pierre Cardin made elegance affordable. Levon Helm died at age 71. Member of "The Band." The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Bruce Springsteen: We get used to versions of the thing; Levon is the thing. "The Last Waltz" The Right Stuff. Coal Miner's Daughter. Woodstock, New York. In the winter of 2004: concert in Levon's barn in Woodstock. "Levon's midnight ramble." Heaven decided to give Levon an extra decade. In the whole history of rock n roll, no one had a better encore than Levon. Steve Hartman taking us "On the Road" again, about dominos in Newtown Square, PA. Bob Speca. Piece by Kuralt 29 years ago. "Human Mattress Dominos". 850 people. The whole thing worked in 11 minutes. La Quinta. Bob mentors "after-school" domino club. Dick Clark, Sunday Passage. Died at age 82, 56 years after taking over American Bandstand. The world oldest teenager. On "Person to Person." A common ground of understanding. The Jackson Five. New Year's Eve Countdown. He returned in 2006. American Bandstand Blvd in Philadelphia. Next week: The Beach Boys. Moment of nature. Spiriva Handihaler. On the beach in Galveston Island, Texas. Lots of birds.