The ancient Greeks so cherished their muses that they erected entire buildings in which to house them. Ever since, museums have been the place to safeguard treasures both ancient and modern. The halls are gathering places for anyone inclined to a bit of quiet contemplation of genius. But art appreciation comes the cost of acquiring rare works, maintaining them, and mounting exhibitions. And in a modern media age of everything interactive, the competition for the public’s attention and generosity has some in the museum world summoning the inspiration of a different muse: the market. Not everyone in the museum world is happy about that.

Guests:

Malcolm Rogers, director, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

James Cuno, director, Courtauld Institute of Art, London

For two months, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been talking about disengaging from the Palestinians. And now, American officials are listening. Three senior U.S. diplomats are in Israel this week discussing his plan for the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and trying to figure out how this idea fits or doesn’t fit with the U.S. supported “roadmap” for peace. Sharon says he’s prepared to make this move if Palestinians “continue to drag their feet and postpone implementation of the roadmap.” Some are praising his pledge to pull settlers out of Gaza as a good faith effort at peace. Others argue its a cynical political stunt and an invitation for Hamas to take over Gaza.

Guests:

Edward Abington, former U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem

Ambassador Dennis Ross, Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Uzi Landau, Israeli cabinet minister

Ghassan al-Khatib, Palestinian Minster of labor.

Guests:

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Anyone caught up in the events of 1968 will tell you it was a year like none other. Anyone else who looks and listens back — has to agree. It was the bloodiest 12 months of the Vietnam War and a year that saw the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. It was a year of protests around the world. Yet amid the tragedy of that time, a generational idealism was born, a belief that people could stand up and say no.

Guests:

Mark Kurlansky, author of “1968: The Year That Rocked The World”

Bernardo Bertolucci, director of “The Dreamers.”

After losing 17 straight primaries and caucuses, the former Vermont Governor has ended his bid for the presidency, but he’s not saying goodbye just yet. Deaniacs are holding fast to Dean’s promise to build a new political organization to change the country. But others are insisting he already has. He was the first candidate to turn the internet into a campaign cash register. His informal meet-ups had unlikely voters talking politics in living rooms across the country. And his moving on message touched a nerve that some voters never knew they had.

Guests:

Ryan Lizza, Associate Editor, The New Republic

Gary Wolf, Contributing Editor, Wired Magazine.

The records of the National Negro Business League Convention which took place in 1900 state that “the business in which colored men are more generally engaged as proprietors than any other in the United States is that of barbering and hairdressing.” Then and now, African American barbershops were emporiums of banter; places where men could bond, play chess, and sound off on sports, sex, and politics.

In 2002, the movie Barbershop gave audiences of all colors a glimpse of how black folks talk among themselves when white folks aren’t listening. Al Sharpton didn’t like what he heard, but the audience did, and people flocked to the theaters. Now the barbershop cast is back in business, and we’ll talk to the director.

Guests:

Kevin Sullivan, director, “Barbershop 2: Back in Business”

Melissa Harris-Lacewell, author of “Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought”

Cedric Kyles (a.k.a. Cedric the Entertainer), who plays the role of Edie in the Barbershop movies.

Brian Roberts wants to change the way America watches television. The CEO of America’s largest cable company, Comcast, calls it the “digital promise,” and he means to deliver.

Just ask the media titans who have challenged Roberts, and lost. The man is disciplined, determined, and now, aiming for Disney, is something of a stealth mogul. The keys to the Magic Kingdom would give Brian Roberts the one thing he most needs to dominate his Comcast distribution, and that’s content. Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN, creates fully one-fifth of television programming. While Mickey and friends have declined the bid, Comcast is keeping it on the table. The broadband in your back yard, tuning in to the future of American television.

Guests:

Larry Platt, editor-in-chief, Philadelphia Magazine

Ken Auletta, staff writer, The New Yorker

and Bruce Leichtman, preisdent and principal analyst, Leichtman Research Group

Guests:

Kristen Breitweiser, widow of Ronald Breitweiser

Patty Casazza, widow of John Casazza

Lorie van Auken, widow of Kenneth van Auken

Mindy Kleinberg, widow of Alan Kleinberg

Dan Eggen, Washington Post reporter

Bob Monetti, Past President of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103.

Guests:

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Guests:

Kristen Breitweiser, widow of Ronald Breitweiser

Patty Casazza, widow of John Casazza

Lorie van Auken, widow of Kenneth van Auken

Mindy Kleinberg, widow of Alan Kleinberg

Dan Eggen, Washington Post reporter

Bob Monetti, Past President of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103.