WBUR Newsroom Election 2008 CommonHealth Blog Radio Boston Blog Boston Weather Climate Connections BBC World News NPR Top Stories NPR's Morning Edition NPR Topics: Books NPR Topics: Movies Fresh Air All Things Considered Marketplace Submit a News Tip RSS Feeds Podcasts Who Invented the Telephone? By Bob Oakes Listen to story (Real Audio) The Telephone Gambit BOSTON, Mass. - February 27, 2008 - "Mr. Watson, come here; I want to see you." In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell transmitted those now-famous words electromagnetically over a wire to his assistant, Thomas Watson. In an archived recording, Watson recalls that momentous occasion with awe: "During the months that we were working together on the telegraph, Bell often spoke to me of another invention he had in his mind. It was the telephone. I remember my surprise when he told me that expected soon to be able to talk by telegraph!" Bell holds the patent for inventing the telephone but a new book casts doubt on his claim to fame. It's called "The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret" and the Massachusetts-based author, Seth Shulman, joins WBUR's Bob Oakes to talk about it.    From The WBUR Newsroom Comparing Jobless Benefits BOSTON, Mass. (July 25, 2008) As jobless claims rise, people get more unemployment benefits in Massachusetts than in most other states. We compare what it's like for someone in Lawrence with their counterpart across the border in Salem, New Hampshire. From Pump to Pew BOSTON, Mass. (July 25, 2008) A church in West Bridgewater is giving out free raffle tickets to parishioners. The prize: a 50-dollar gas card...and more people in the pews. Strain of Stressful Finances BOSTON, Mass. (July 25, 2008) The faltering economy puts stress on individuals and families, and may lead to a rise in people with mental health issues. We talk with one doctor from Mass. General about the trend and what to do about it. The Bard is Back in Boston BOSTON, Mass. (July 25, 2008) The Bard is back: Shakespeare on the Common returns to the outdoor stage with a full schedule of free shows this summer.