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Commentator Jedediah Purdy talks about how the message of advertising has changed over the years.

NPR's Andy Bowers reports on the battle for control of the Reform Party, founded by Ross Perot. Yesterday opponents of Pat Buchanan walked out of a closed meeting, leaving backers of Buchanan inside and the party's future in question.

NPR's Kenneth Walker reports on a new struggle between black and white South Africans over land both claim as their own.

NPR's Scott Horsley reports on a commercial database that keeps track of millions of Americans who have bounced checks. More than 85-thousand bank branches subscribe to the database, called Chexsystem, and use it to screen potential customers. But critics say a single bad check can place someone's name on the database, and once listed, it's unlikely they'll be able to open an account for up to five years.

David D'Arcy reports on Filmmaker John Waters and his new movie, Cecil B. Demented. The film's main character seems loosely based on Waters' own life; Cecil B. Demented is a director of shock cinema and has attracted a cult-like following. But unlike Waters, Demented is a terrorist who targets bad cinema for destruction.

From his childhood in Carthage, Tennessee and Washington D.C., Al Gore was raised not just to be a politician but to be a Democratic presidential candidate. Next week in Los Angeles, Al Gore will take the penultimate step toward fulfilling his lifelong goal when he becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for the White House. NPR's Anthony Brooks reports.

Advances in medicine have made it possible for very small pre-term babies to survive. But these infants who survive still face high risks of developing disabilities. A study published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine puts some hard numbers to the rates of pre-term disabilities. This will help doctors and parents understand, at least statistically, what a baby's chances are for normal development. NPR's Allison Aubrey has this report.

Volcanologist and resident geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey DAN MILLER. He also heads the Survey's Volcano Disaster Assistance program which helps developing countries in the event of volcanic eruption. MILLER was part of the team of geologists who studied Mt. St. Helens and predicted a blast before the turn of this last century. Mt. St. Helens blew May 18th, 1980. His team studied the frequency and past characteristics of eruption in Mt. St. Helens and put together hazard assessments for local officials. MILLER and his team are profiled in the new book "Volcano Cowboys: The Rocky Evolution of a Dangerous Science" by Dick Thompson.12:28:30 FORWARD PROMO (:29)12:29:00 I.D. BREAK (:59)12:

Mark Moran of member station KJZZ reports on efforts by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to crackdown on illegal immigrants in the southwestern United States. The smuggling of undocumented immigrants has become a multi-billion industry in the US and the INS hopes to curb the practice through a new initiative called operation denial.

From Maine Public Radio Charlotte Renner reports on recent changes to Maine's campaign finance legislation.