March 6, 1998 All Things Considered (entire program) Requires the RealAudio Player

An index of the day's stories:

PADUCAH -- In Paducah (puh-DOO-kuh), Kentucky, fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal (kahr-NEEL) appeared in court today. He has been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder in connection with a shooting at his high school last year. Carneal has already been certified for trial as an adult. (1:00)

UNEMPLOYMENT -- NPR's Jim Zarroli reports the Labor Department released another strong employment report today. February's jobless rate fell a notch to 4.6% and business payrolls increased by a robust 310,000 jobs. Unemployment is at its lowest rate since October of 1973. The stock and bond markets reacted favorably. (3:00)

HI-TECH JOBS -- NPR's Chris Arnold reports that in Silicon Valley, software companies are offering record bonuses and buying radio time to run ads aimed at luring employees away from their competitors. Arnold attends a job fair where it is the employers who are struggling to make a good first impression. (5:00)

BOXSCORES & BUDGET -- Robert speaks with regular contributor Stefan Fatsis, who writes about sports for the Wall Street Journal. They discuss the correlation between payroll and achievement in major league baseball. The clubs with the highest salary outlays have been more likely to reach the post-season playoffs than the teams spending the least. Fatsis predicts that within 3 years, the expansion-club Arizona Diamondbacks will be among the biggest spenders, and will reach post-season play. (5:00)

ICE CREAM MAN -- Linda talks with Jeffrey Cabaniss (cuh-BAH-niss), an ice-cream vendor in Ocean County, New Jersey. Cabaniss talks about the recent ordinance passed in Stafford Township, New Jersey, which prohibits the use of amplified music or bells on ice-cream trucks. Cabaniss says that the provision is most likely directed toward him and his business. (2:30)

EL NINO & GROCERY PRICES -- NPR's Cheryl Corley reports from Chicago that El Nino-driven storms on the West Coast and heavy rains in Florida are causing shortages and driving up prices for some produce at grocery stores. Shortages and higher prices may continue for some time. Farmland is so saturated that planting new crops is impossible, cutting down on the prospect of bountiful harvests later in the year. (3:30)

MASS MARKET COUNTERFEITING -- NPR's Christopher Joyce takes a look at how new technologies are feeding an ever-expanding counterfeiting trade. Computer software and compact disks are the biggest money makers but many people have been surprised to discover that such products as teabags and soap are also faked in great numbers. (9:00)

OLD TREES OR NEW GRAVES? -- NPR's John Nielsen reports on an unusual patch of old-growth forest that is being threatened -- a parcel of land right next to Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery says it needs to expand -- but environmentalists are fighting the effort. (5:45)

MY LAI -- U-S Army helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and door gunner Lawrence Colburn received the prestigious Soldier's Medal at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington today for their attempts to stop the notorious My Lai [mee-leye] massacre in Vietnam. On March 16th, 1968, Thompson landed his helicopter in front of Americans who were advancing against the residents of My Lai and ordered Colburn to open fire if the Americans attempted to harm the villagers. After radioing for additional support, they airlifted a dozen people to safety. We'll hear tape from the ceremony. (2:00)

STARR ETC. -- Robert talks with NPR's Chitra Ragavan about developments this week in Kenneth Starr's investigation into allegations that President Clinton had an affair with a White House intern and tried to get her to lie about it under oath. They talk about the impact of testimony by presidential confidante Vernon Jordan, the publication of portions of President Clinton's deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case and the negotiations over Monica Lewinsky's testimony before the grand jury. (4:30)

INTRUSION? -- Commentator Jacob Weisberg says that some Republicans and others are behaving as if people foolhardy enough to work for the government don't deserve any of the same basic rights to privacy enjoyed by the rest of us. Few on the right have objected to Kenneth Starr's overzealous investigation--and the right-wing Judicial Watch issued a subpoena to Clinton administration official Paul Begala for the crime of making a joke. (3:00)

MCKINNEY COURT MARTIAL -- Linda talks with Scott Silliman, the Executive Director of the Center for Law, Ethics, and National Security at Duke University. Silliman is an expert on civil and military court procedure and will discuss the issues involved in the court martial proceedings against former Sergeant Major of the Army Gene McKinney. They discuss what lies ahead procedurally now that the defense in the case has rested. (4:30)

AUCTION -- NPR's Andy Bowers reports from Moscow that for the first time since the Bolshevik revolution, there has been a sale of land in Russia. Russian President Boris Yeltsin has been pushing the idea of selling state-owned land to raise cash, but the Communist-controlled parliament has balked. Last year, he out-maneuvered the Duma and decreed that local governments could make up their own laws on land sales. With this first sale, several reform-minded governors are expected to follow with their own public auctions soon. (4:00)

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- Commentator Jeffrey Tayler talks about the International Women's Day holiday in Russia, which happens on Sunday, March 8th. He says it's one of the biggest holidays of the year in the former Soviet Union, and requires a personal greeting from men to women. He tells us about the greeting he memorized for all of his female friends. (4:00)

KOSOVO -- Robert talks with BBC correspondent Karen Coleman, who has been filing reports from Pristina in the region of Kosovo, Yugoslavia. Serb police have sealed off a part of the southern portion of Kosovo for a second day, following reports that Serb paramilitaries have killed numerous Albanians in the area. Coleman has not been able to enter the region, but has spoken with refugees who have fled the area. (4:30)

INDONESIA -- NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that Indonesia's currency plunged in value again today amid a growing confrontation between Indonesia's President Suharto and the International Monetary Fund over implementation of economic reforms. The IMF is threatening to delay or even cancel the next installment of a bailout package it had promised Indonesia to shore up the country's tottering economy. The IMF and the US say that Suharto's proposal for establishing a currency board in Indonesia is unworkable in the current economic climate. The IMF also has doubts about Suharto's sincerity in pursuing reforms mandated by the IMF bailout. (4:00)

MEN WITH GUNS -- Movie critic Bob Mondello has a review of the latest film by screenwriter and director John Sayles. It's called "Men With Guns," and is a film in Spanish. American viewers can see a version with subtitles. Sayles taught himself Spanish in 1991, and wrote the script in Spanish...and Sayles spoke only Spanish on the set, and spoke to his native American cast members through an interpreter. Mondello says it's a wonderful film. (4:00)

VONDA SHEPARD -- Linda speaks with singer/songwriter Vonda Shepard. Shepard and her songs are an integral part of the Fox Network television show "Ally McBeal." Shepard talks about playing the alter-ego of a television character and performs some of her compositions. (STATIONS: the soundtrack for "Ally McBeal," featuring Vonda Shepard, will be released soon by Sony 550. Her latest album is called "It's Good, Eve" and is available on Vesperally Records.) This item is unavailable due to copyright issues.