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A man, a woman, a house and a pitchfork. Those four elements make Grant Wood's depression-era painting, American Gothic, instantly recognizable and easily mimicked. As part of the Present at the Creation series, NPR's Melissa Gray reports on the painting that launched a thousand parodies. Image at left courtesy Art Institute of Chicago.

A truly global economy and the ever-expanding reach of the Internet are compelling us all to "think globally." Yet the results of a new National Geographic-Roper study reveals young people aged 18 to 24 remain woefully ignorant about geography and world affairs. In fact, 83 percent of Americans quizzed couldn't find Afghanistan on a map. All Things Considered guest host Lynn Neary talks with National Geographic Society President John Fahey about the quiz results -- test your knowledge, and take the quiz online.

Private relief organizations are increasingly alarmed by their inability to plan for the consequences of war in Iraq.

In his special year-end installment of Director's Cuts, Ned Wharton, music director of Weekend Edition Sunday, offers musical gift suggestions, including albums by Tim Sparks, Joni Mitchell and Rachel Z.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says he's "confident" in international inspectors who have begun looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In an interview with NPR's Michele Kelemen, Powell says the Bush administration hopes for a peaceful resolution to the Iraq issue but warns that if war does come, the United States and other nations will be ready to "accomplish the mission of disarmament." NPR Online has the complete interview.

After three decades of performing his post-Beatles pop, Paul McCartney releases a new live recording filled with Beatles tunes. In an interview with NPR's Renee Montagne, McCartney discusses the emotions of performing songs dedicated to George Harrison and John Lennon.

This interview was recorded before his Seinfeld fame. Comedian, a new documentary following Seinfeld on a recent stand up tour, is showing in theaters now. The hit TV show, Seinfeldwhich catapulted the comedian to fame, won 6 Emmy Awards before ending its run in 1999. Seinfeld is also author of the bestselling book SeinLanguageand a new children book, Halloween. (REBROADCAST FROM 9/2/87)

Puzzle master Will Shortz quizzes one of our listeners and has a challenge for everyone at home. (This week's winner is Diane Anderson from Champaign, Ill. )

He starred in HBO's parody of talk-shows, The Larry Sanders Show. It featured Shandling as a veteran talk-show host. His guests included Robin Williams, Howard Stern, and, actual talk show host, David Letterman playing themselves. The show went off the air in 1998, but reruns of the show are currently airing on the network Bravo. Shandling also starred in It's Garry Shandling's Show. Shandling also appears in the new Seinfeld documentary, Comedian,which shows in theaters now. (REBROADCAST FROM 10/1/93)

In one of his frequent NPR essays, Walter Cronkite remembers the day President Kennedy was assassinated, 39 years ago today. National Archive recordings of ground-to-air communications with Kennedy's cabinet and Air Force One shed new light on the crisis. Listen to the recordings, and samples of broadcasts Cronkite made on Nov. 22, 1963.