AMERICAN MOSAIC
By

Broadcast: Friday, April 16, 2004

The American public seems to be supporting a change to metric in recent years. For example, a federal law requires all product packaging in the United States to include both metric weight and non-metric weight. Mister Butcher says about five-hundred American companies now support a proposal that would change the law so companies would not have to provide the non-metric weight on the package. Only the metric weight would appear on the package. He also says that most American states support this idea, too.

Mister Butcher says his office has provided American schools with materials to teach the metric system for many years. He says this effort is now showing results as young American business leaders are seeking to change to the metric system.

Sesame Street Anniversary

(MUSIC: "Sunny Days"/Sesame Street Theme)

HOST:

 
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Do you recognize this music? We are not surprised! The children's television show "Sesame Street" is broadcast in more than one-hundred-twenty countries. "Sesame Street" began its thirty-fifth year earlier this month. Gwen Outen tells about the show and plays some its many famous songs.

ANNCR:

In the late nineteen-sixties, Joan Ganz Cooney was dissatisfied with American television programs for young children. She wanted to make them educational and fun. She especially hoped to reach poor children. Mizz Cooney and officials from the Carnegie Corporation set up the Children's Television Workshop. They developed "Sesame Street" with the help of Jim Henson. He created the famous puppets on "Sesame Street." They are called the Muppets. One of the earliest and most popular Muppets is Kermit the Frog. Here Kermit sings a song about the color of his skin. It is called "Bein' Green."

(MUSIC)

Humans also live on "Sesame Street." Bob McGrath has lived on the street since its beginning. He plays a music teacher. Here Bob sings the popular song "People in Your Neighborhood."

(MUSIC)

In the late nineteen-eighties, a furry red monster puppet named Elmo arrived on "Sesame Street." He has since become a huge star. We leave you now with Elmo and some of his Muppet friends singing "Elmo's Song."

(MUSIC)

HOST:

This is Doug Johnson.

I hope you enjoyed AMERICAN MOSAIC. Join us again next week for VOA's radio magazine in Special English.

This program was written by Nancy Steinbach, Paul Thompson and Caty Weaver. Paul Thompson was the producer. And our engineer was Tom Verba.