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Consumer confidence is at its lowest level in more than four years, according to a report released today. Consumer sentiment is seen as the critical factor when it comes to whether the economy will regain its footing or plunge into recession. The report shows that consumers are increasingly fretful about layoffs and the faltering stock market. Other data released today, on sales of homes and orders for other expensive durable goods, confirms that businesses and consumers are cutting back on spending. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

Ted Clark reports on Colombian President Andres Pastrana's visit to the White House today. He and President Bush talked about drugs, Colombia's civil war and expanded trade which could improve the country's economy and ease the conditions which lead to the drug problem and the war.

More things happen in one day in New Orleans at Mardi Gras than happen all year in a typical Ohio town. Commentator Andrei Codrescu hires an actual person from Ohio to chronicle all the things that happen in the French Quarter.

Kelley Griffin of Colorado Public Radio reports on a controversy over a grade school science fair project in Boulder. School authorities banned a project using black- and white-skinned Barbie dolls to test views on race.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports the judges hearing Microsoft's appeal of its antitrust case raised serious questions about the government's plan to split the company in two. The seven-judge panel suggested they may send the breakup order back to a lower court to be reconsidered. The appeals court panel also expressed concerns about the way the district court judge handled the case and comments he made to reporters while the trial was still in session.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews several new books about food, the new Modern Librarys Food series which collects four books about food, and Comfort Me with Apples (Random House) by Ruth Reichl and The Kitchen Congregation (Picador) by Nora Seton.

MAD magazine ends its policy of not accepting advertising. It's a shock to commentator Bill Harley, who grew up learning about phoniness and crass commercialization. MAD was beholden to no one. Not any more. A very sad revelation.

Linda Wertheimer talks with NPR's Don Gonyea, who is traveling with the president today, one day after Mr. Bush gave his budget address to a joint session of Congress. The president got good reviews on his oratory, but Democrats claim that the plan favors the rich. Mr. Bush, in visits around the country to sell his plan, insisted that the Democrats were playing "class warfare," and that the current state of the economy warrants his $1.6 trillion tax cut.

People sampled from Houston and Kansas City offer comments about President Bush's budget address last night.

NPR's David Welna reports on the battle lines being drawn in Congress in the aftermath of President Bush's budget proposal that was sent to Capitol Hill this morning. Reaction to the president's speech last night predictably fell along partisan lines, and today's skirmishing over the details was not much different.