Search results for

Commentator David Ropeik explains why Americans should abandon their fears of food irradiation. Despite its erroneous reputation for making food glow, irradiation is actually, the most effective method of ensuring that this summer's barbecue is free of the germs that harm people.

NPR's John Ydstie reports that once again the economy has outperformed expectations. The nation's gross domestic product increased five-point-two-percent in the second quarter, a much faster pace than most economists expected and a bit faster than growth in the first quarter. But even as overall growth sped up, inflation cooled off.

{LOST AND FOUND SOUND: "VOICES OF THE DUSTBOWL"} -- Today we hear the latest installment the "Lost and Found Sound," series: "Voices of the Dustbowl." In the 1930s, hundreds of thousands of people from Oklahoma and Arkansas traveled to California, in search of better living. Depression-related poverty and a massive drought and subsequent dust storms had made life impossible for them back home. There were no jobs, and the fields were fallow. California held the promise of work and wages, harvesting fruit and vegetables year-round. Sixty years ago, in the summer of 1940, Charles Todd was hired by the Library of Congress to visit the federal camps where many of these migrants lived, to create an audio oral history of their stories, and to document the success of the camp program to the Roosevelt administration back in Washington. Todd carried a 50-pound Presto recorder from camp to camp that summer, interviewing the migrant workers. He made hundreds of hours of recordings on acetate and cardboard discs. Todd was there at the same time that writer John Steinbeck was interviewing many of the same people in these camps, for research on a new novel called "The Grapes of Wrath." Producer Barrett Golding went though this massive collection of Todd's recordings. Together, they bring us this story, narrated by Charles Todd.

United Nations arms inspector Scott Ritter is returning to Baghdad this Saturday at the invitation of Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi leader has agreed to provide Ritter and a documentary film crew access to weapons facilities throughout the country. Ritter will attempt to judge whether Iraq has rebuilt its arsenal since U.N. inspectors left the country 19 months ago. Linda talks to Colum Lynch, United Nations Reporter for The Washington Post, about Ritter's trip.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Philadelphia, where the Republicans are holding their Platform Committee hearings in preparation for next week's presidential nominating convention. Republicans, following the lead of their presumed nominee, George W. Bush, are taking some of the tougher-edged rhetoric out of this year's document. But it remains a strongly conservative platform, as abortion-rights advocates were once again thwarted in their efforts to modify the plank.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports that US Secretary of State Albright met with her North Korean counterpart today in the highest level talks between the US and North Korea since the end of the Korean War half a century ago. The meeting, which took place in Bangkok, comes after a series of moves by North Korea to end its long isolation.

NPR's Ted Clark reports the Israeli government has revived efforts to persuade the United States to transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. President Clinton broached the issue in an Israeli television interview today.

In this election year, a new NPR-Kaiser-Kennedy School Poll finds that Americans distrust government at all levels. They distrust the federal government the most, but they also want it to do more. NPR's Pam Fessler explores what's behind this distrust, and she visits a conference of state legislators, who plan to combat distrust with an education campaign in the schools to explain what they really do.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports that some members of Congress are pressing President Clinton **not** to certify that Colombia is making progress in improving its human rights record. The determination is a precondition to the release of a billion-dollar US aid package for the South American nation. Colombia's military has come under criticism for its ties to notorious right-wing paramilitary groups, which are responsible for most of the country's rights abuses.

Linda Wertheimer speaks with sportswriter Stefan Fatsis about professional football. The NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and the first pre-season games of the year take place this weekend. Stefan also talks about changes in the network TV contract. Networks can now broadcast both of their doubleheader games on Sunday opposite another network's broadcast of a local team's home game. The league hopes more games on TV will translate into more interest in the NFL. Also, NFL owners have a vested interest in President Clinton signing the repeal of estate taxes. Stefan explains why.