Sarah Vowell & Jon Langford: Everyone’s favorite cartoon-voiced author is teaming up with everyone’s favorite alt-country punk for a night of stories and songs based around ships and islands to promote Vowell’s new book Unfamiliar Fishes.

Michael Beschloss:  Author and presidential historian Michael Beschloss gives us some perspective on the Obama presidency, and how others have won a second term with the country is facing difficult challenges and a highly divided government.

Hudzik/Elections: WBEZ’s Sam Hudzik takes us deep into Illinois 8th Congressional District. A pair of well-funded Democrats are battling for the chance to take on Tea Party freshman Joe Walsh in November.

Moore/CHA:  The CHA is transforming its Plan for Transformation.  Last week, Afternoon Shift covered the tech/resident participation part of the equation.  Today, WBEZ’s Natalie Moore sits down with the new head of the CHA to get his perspective on the changes.

Headhunting in the NFL:  Recent news of a pervasive “bounty system”within the NFL has revealed an ugly truth about the league’s culture—but is it all part of the game or is it systemic unnecessary roughness?  ESPN.com’s Lester Munson and former Bears Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer come in to toss around the pigskin.