def palindrome(s):
    #1. deal with base cases
    if len(s) <= 1:
        return True

    #2. break up the string
    #ends_match = s[0] == s[len(s)-1]
    
    if s[0] == s[len(s)-1]:
        ends_match = True
    else:
        ends_match = False
    
    rest_of_the_string_matches = palindrome(s[1:len(s)-1])
    
    #3. combine answers
    return ends_match and rest_of_the_string_matches


print "BANANA: " + str(palindrome("BANANA"))
print "RACECAR: " + str(palindrome("RACECAR"))
print "AMANAPLANACANALPANAMA: " + str(palindrome("AMANAPLANACANALPANAMA"))
print "ERIKANDERSEN: " + str(palindrome("ERIKANDERSEN"))