Telemarketing Firms Seek Out Scots January 31, 2004 • The Scots, with their cool accents (think Sean Connery) and friendly attitudes, are becoming the preferred telemarketers for many multinational companies. Hear NPR's Scott Simon.
Big Shoes to Fill at 2BIGFEET.COM January 31, 2004 • Host Scott Simon talks with Neil Moncrief, owner of 2BIGFEET.COM about selling extra large size shoes over the Internet to people with, well, extra large feet.
Culture Pixar, Disney to End Partnership January 30, 2004 • Pixar Animation and the Walt Disney Co. announce they will end the 12-year partnership that has produced such hit movies as Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo. The two firms failed to agree to the terms of a new contract. Analysts see the split as a blow to Disney, which has struggled recently with its own animated films. Hear NPR's Kim Masters.
Economy Grows, But Job Production Lags January 30, 2004 • The U.S. Commerce Department says the nation's economy grew at a 4 percent annual rate during the last three months of 2003 -- somewhat less robust than analysts had expected. The numbers suggest an economy sustaining momentum as it enters the new year, but economists warn that the recovery could falter without a sizable increase in new jobs. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.
Halliburton Posts Big Quarterly Loss January 29, 2004 • The Halliburton oil services company records a $947 million fourth-quarter loss, reflecting a $1.1 billion charge to settle hundreds of thousands of asbestos claims. But revenues for the period were up 63 percent. Hear NPR's John Burnett.
Fed Statement Shakes World Markets January 29, 2004 • The Federal Reserve sparked a sell-off in world financial markets Wednesday, after tweaking the phrasing of its interest-rate policy. Fed policy makers decided to keep interest rates at current lows, but removed the phrase "considerable period" in describing how long they will continue to do so. Hear NPR's Jack Speer.
GOP Revives Bankruptcy Reform Fight January 29, 2004 • Congressional Republicans renew efforts to rewrite the nation's bankruptcy laws in order to tighten rules for debtors. The House passes the bankruptcy reform bill -- for the ninth time since 1997. The bill is likely to meet stiff opposition from Senate Democrats, who have helped defeat it in the past. Hear NPR's Peter Overby.
Congress Questions FCC Decency Rules January 28, 2004 • Congressmen grill Federal Communications Commission regulators over the agency's efforts to curtail indecent language and content on the nation's airwaves. Republican and Democrat lawmakers on the House telecommunications subcommittee joined in calling for stiffer penalties for infractions. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.
Cunard Stakes Future on Queen Mary 2 January 28, 2004 • The Queen Mary 2, the world's largest and most expensive cruise ship, arrives in Florida after completing her maiden transatlantic voyage from Southampton, England. Cunard Lines, owned by the giant Carnival corporation, hopes the luxury liner -- and the fanfare it's generating -- will reverse the company's flagging fortunes. Hear NPR's Phillip Davis.
Testimony Begins in Martha Stewart Trial January 28, 2004 • Opening arguments began Tuesday in the federal fraud trial of Martha Stewart and her former Merrill Lynch stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic. Prosecutors allege the two lied about a stock trade to hide evidence of insider trading. Defense lawyers say Bacanovic had been pressuring Stewart to sell her shares of ImClone, and the two had an informal deal to sell the stock if it dropped below $60 a share. Hear NPR's Jim Zarroli.
FCC to Probe Payola in Music Radio January 28, 2004 • FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein says he will launch an investigation into allegations that record companies are paying radio stations to get music on the air. The practice has been common for decades, even though it was outlawed following a congressional probe in the 1960s. Hear NPR's Rick Karr.
Martha Stewart's Fraud Trial Begins January 27, 2004 • Martha Stewart's trial on charges of obstructing justice and securities fraud begins in New York. Federal prosecutors say Stewart lied to them when questioned about a suspicious stock trade. Stewart's attorney counters that the government's case lacks solid evidence. A jury of eight women and four men will hear the case. NPR's Michele Norris talks with NPR's Jim Zarroli.
Iowa Farmer Focus of Wind-Energy Debate January 26, 2004 • An Iowa farmer is at the center of a legal battle that could have far-reaching effects for the future of wind-generated power in the United States. The dispute is over whether people who put up wind turbines have the right to connect them to the power grid and sell excess electricity back to utilities. NPR's Greg Allen reports.
Wyoming Cattle Ranchers Dealt Double Blows January 23, 2004 • For Wyoming's cattle industry -- which accounts for more than 10 percent of the state's jobs -- the economic fallout from the first U.S. case of mad cow disease compounds existing woes. The state's ranchers are already reeling from the effects of an outbreak of brucellosis, which produces miscarriages in cows. Aaron Alpern of Wyoming Public Radio reports.
Stricter Standards Eyed for Electric Utilities January 23, 2004 • The Federal Regulatory Commission considers creating tougher, mandatory standards for electric utility companies. Currently, such standards are voluntary and vary from state to state. Many argue a lack of uniform requirements contributed to last August's massive blackout in the United States and Canada. NPR's Janet Babin reports.