Military offensive in Afghanistan | Auto sales | Phone tech | Sanford | Dillinger | Unemployment & macho culture | Miami-Dade healthcare | Cheating line

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This morning the U.S. military launched one of the largest offensives in recent U.S. military history in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. The operation against Taliban fighters involves 4,000 Marines and hundreds of Afghani fighters. Joining The Takeaway now is Captain William Pelletier, U.S. military spokesman for the Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, who is joining us from Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

Click through for transcript

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Now that Google is rolling out a free phone management service, phone use is becoming more like email and instant messaging. Join The Takeaway and New York Times personal technology editor Sam Grobart as we play with a powerful new means of communicating and managing your identity in a world of instant communications.

PLAY TELEPHONE WITH US!

Google Voice has a transcription service, but it's far from perfect. We're playing with it's flaws by having people leave a message with part of the Gettysburg address. Click through here, then click the Google Voice image, enter your phone number and when it connects you, pick a section below and read it. We'll post the (imperfect) transcripts later.

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A possible E. coli outbreak in beef produced by the JBS Swift Beef Co. of Colorado has sickened people in nine states. The meat has been recalled, so check your fridge before your holiday cookout.

So far 23 people have been sickened across nine states.Wisconsin and Michigan appear to be the hardest hit by the outbreak so far, with the CDC reporting six people ill in each state. Other cases were reported in California, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York.

Most of the beef packages in the first recall bear the establishment number "Est. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection and have identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209." The CDC urges consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for beef products produced by this firm and purchased on or after April 21, 2009 and discard or return the recalled beef products to the place of purchase for a refund.

The Kroger Co. is recalling packages of meat with "sell by" dates of April 27 to June 1 in Ohio including northern Kentucky, southeastern Indiana, western Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Illinois and eastern Missouri. The company said the suspect beef was sold under its store brands in more than a dozen states.

Other grocery retailers affected include: Hannaford Supermarkets, Stop & Shop, and Food 4 Less stores in the Chicago area, Fry's stores in Arizona,and Smith's stores in Arizona, Utah, and other western states.

The outbreak comes on the heels of a recall of Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products.

For more information head to the CDC's website

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The U.S. has launched a major offensive in a southern province in Afghanistan. The military has sent 4,000 Marines and 650 Afghan soldiers flooding into the Helmand province in one of the largest offensives since the Vietnam War. For more on this story we turn to Sam Gardiner, retired Air Force Colonel who taught strategy at the National War College, and Paul Tait, specialist editor for Reuters based in Kabul, Afghanistan.

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Academy Award winning actor Karl Malden died yesterday at the age of 97. He died of natural causes in his home in Brentwood, California.

Here is the role he is most famous for, as Father Berry in "On the Waterfront."

He received the award for best supporting actor as Mitch in "A Streetcar Named Desire."



He also played Reverend Ford in "Pollyanna."

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In continuing analysis of the new U.S. military offensive against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, The Takeaway is joined by Lawrence Korb, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. He was also the Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1981 through 1985.

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This morning the unemployment numbers come out and there is a strong chance that they could reach the double digits. The economy is hitting men particularly hard. From the corporate suites to the construction sites, since November, more than 80 percent of job losses in the U.S. have fallen on men. For a look at what this means for both men and women in the workforce, we are joined by Kelly Evans, she is the economics reporter for the Wall Street Journal. We are also joined by Riehan Salam, a fellow at The New American Foundation; he’s written a new piece on this for Foreign Policy magazine titled The Death of Macho. And for an up close look on how the recession is affecting men we turn to Michael Doyle. Doyle is the Vice President and General Manager of the Southeast Division of Manpower, which is an employment service provider.

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The U.S. military has launched a major operation in Afghanistan. Over 4,000 Marines have been dispatched from the American base and to rout the Taliban from the region. The offensive was launched shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday local time in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold in the southern part of the country and the world's largest opium poppy producing area. Joining The Takeaway to discuss the offensive is the BBC's Defense Correspondent Rob Watson.

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More than 80 percent of job losses have fallen on men. What effect do you think this will have? Does it signify the end of a macho culture?

What's your take? Leave a comment below or record your story at 1-877-8-MY-TAKE.   "Men whine more than women." (7/2/2009)

  "I really do think that we're seeing a change in men's roles..." (7/2/2009)

  "It is a travesty that men are out of work in the numbers that they are. " (7/2/2009)

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While The White House and Congress continue to hash out a plan to reform health care across the country, the people in Miami-Dade County are taking matters into their own hands. County officials and Blue Cross Blue Shield are teaming up to develop a plan for the uninsured. If it's successful, this public-private partnership could be a model for the nation. Joining The Takeaway to discuss this plan is Josh Johnson, reporter and anchor for WLRN, Miami Herald News, who attended the first day of health care sign-ups last night.

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Over the past week we have become way too familiar with the affairs of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. But if you think the nation is consumed, just imagine how it is for South Carolina's First Lady Jenny Sanford. Luckily for Jenny, the women of South Carolina have rallied around her and offered their support — most recently in an online campaign called “Stand with Jenny.” Joining The Takeaway to discuss the campaign is Cindy Mosteller, former chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party, part of the evangelical organization that is spearheading “Stand with Jenny,” as well as Beccie Robbins, communications director for South Carolina Progressive Network.

Click here to Stand with Jenny.

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Auto sales numbers are out and there may be a glimmer of hope for the U.S. auto industry. The industry posted their second best month of sales this year. So who's buying American these days? The Takeaway turns to Mark Porter, President of Mark Porter GM Supercenter dealership in Pomeroy, Ohio, and Dale Hart, who just bought two cars from Mark.

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Ted Olson, Solicitor General under President George W. Bush, argues this week in California courts against Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on gay marriage. He spoke with The Takeaway's Washington Correspondent Todd Zwillich about his motivation for taking the case and discusses why he feels gay couples shouldn’t be the political football they've become in recent years.

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South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's admissions about his private life have raised as many questions as they have eyebrows. If nothing else, the governor has sparked a conversation about sex in America. The Takeaway talks to Audicia Ray, a professor of sexuality at Rutgers University and author of Naked on the Internet: Hookups, Downloads, and Cashing in on Internet Sexploration . We're also joined by Debby Herbenick a research scientist at the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University. Debby is the author of the forthcoming book, “Because Its Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction.”

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Headlines; Offensive launched in Afghanistan

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Many people know the legends of Jesse James or Bonnie and Clyde, but lesser known is one of the greatest bank robbers in history – John Dillinger. Nicknamed "The Jackrabbit" for his swift moves, he terrorized banks throughout the Midwest in 1933 before being shot by FBI agents at a movie theater in Chicago. Johnny Depp portays him in the new movie “Public Enemies,” bringing his life (and legend) to the big screen.

On The Takeaway this morning we are joined by John Dillinger's great nephew, Jeff Scalf, who was a consultant for the film and currently lives in the house where Dillinger grew up. We also have Elliot Gorn, Professor of History at Brown University and author of the new book "Dillinger's Wild Ride: The Year That Made America's Public Enemy Number One."

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John Hockenberry and Todd Zwillich perform a classic tune to mark the (eventual) resolution of the U.S. Senate election in Minnesota.

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From Wednesday, July 1, 2009

After a long battle, an election and a court fight, actor and comedian Al Franken is officially going to Washington. He joins a long list of celebrities in politics. Who else do you think should be in politics? Treasury Secretary Paul Krugman? Surgeon General Dr. House? Give us your nominations.

  "Forgive the cheap shot, but..." (7/1/2009)

  "Dr. Ellie Sattler played by Laura Dern and Dr. Alan Grant played by Sam Neill..." (7/1/2009)

  "My nominee for celebrity politician is Paris Hilton" (7/1/2009)

  "I'd like to see Bruce Lee as President..." (7/1/2009)

From Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The sentencing judge called Bernie Madoff's crimes "extraordinarily evil." What are your examples of something truly evil? It could be an example from the news, or even from your life.

  "Extraordinary evil is the Bush administration..." (6/30/2009)

  "His parents gave him the same gun that his brother used to kill himself...was that evil?" (6/30/2009)

From Monday, June 29, 2009

Today, Bernie Madoff will appear in a federal court in New York to receive his sentencing. How many years should he be sentenced to and how should he have to spend them? Tell us how you'd sentence Madoff.

  "Bernie Madoff should be stripped of every penny he owns..." (6/29/2009)

  "Bernie Madoff should be forced to record video commercials..." (6/29/2009)

  "I would suggest Bernie Madoff should be forced to live in a cardboard box..." (6/29/2009)

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