Weekly Edition
July 8, 2001

Listen to the entire program (14.4 | 28.8)

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An index of this week's stories:

Rise to Rebellion(14.4 | 28.8) Noah Adams talks with Jeffrey Shaara, author of Rise to Rebellion a novel about the years leading up to the Declaration of Independence. Shaara begins with the Boston Massacre in 1770 and tells the story through the eyes of well-known American patriots and founding fathers, including Benjamin Franklin. Shaara tells Adams about the eye-opening trip to Ireland that changed Franklin's perspective and set him on the course to support independence from the king. (8:00)

Mexico Border Towns(14.4 | 28.8) Independent producer Sandy Tolan reports from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico that the towns along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to swell with immigrants from the impoverished south. The NAFTA free-trade zone has made border towns into magnets for people seeking work. But concerns have been raised about where water will be found to support the exploding population. Juarez is an example -- its sole source of water is an underground aquifer that's quickly drying up. (12:30)

Silicon Valley(14.4 | 28.8) NPR's Chris Arnold reports on what some perceive as a fundamental shift in the culture of Silicon Valley. Some old timers in the computer industry are mourning the early days when the goal was to develop technology to improve lives instead of simply to make money. (6:34)

Hot Dog Contest(14.4 | 28.8) Japanese speed-eating champ Kazutoyo Arai will defend his title tomorrow in Coney Island, New York at the annual hot dog eating competition. NPR's Eric Weiner met Arai for lunch in Japan and filed a report. (4:30)

Barbershop Tribute(14.4 | 28.8) Host Bob Edwards talks with author Vince Staten about the old-fashioned barbershop, where a kid could bond with his dad, hear all the latest gossip, and maybe even learn a few new words. It's an experience he mourns with the advent of today's upscale, pricey salons. (6:11)

Chet Atkins Remembered(14.4 | 28.8) NPR's Tom Cole reports on the death of country music pioneer Chet Atkins. Atkins is credited with developing the "Nashville sound," and attracting a wider audience to country music. He died Saturday at age 77. (8:59)

Some stories do not link to audio files because of Internet rights issues.

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