Friday, Dec. 26, 2003
Summary Judgment: Peter Pan, Cheaper By the Dozen
Ben Williams looks at what critics are saying about two Christmas-season films—the first live-action Peter Pan since silent films, and Cheaper By the Dozen, a comedy starring Steve Martin. Listen to the segment.
Thursday, Dec. 25, 2003
Summary Judgment: Cold Mountain, Paycheck, Monster
Christmas week is a busy one for movie openings. In a bonus edition of Summary Judgment, Ben Williams looks at what critics are saying about the Civil War epic Cold Mountain, John Woo’s sci-fi thriller Paycheck and Charlize Theron’s portrayal of a real-life serial killer in Monster. Listen to the segment.
Explainer: No More A and B Battery Sizes
Andy Bowers explains why we only see standard-sized batteries like AA, AAA, C and D—but we no longer see larger-sized A or B cells. Listen to the segment.
Kausfiles: Announcing Your Retirement
Slate blogger Mickey Kaus shares his views on the best way for a person to announce a pending retirement. Listen to the segment.
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003
Ad Report Card: Miller Beer’s New Campaign
Seth Stevenson reviews a new commercial by that perennial underdog, Miller beer. The ad’s creative director says that Budweiser has become a “default” choice, so Miller’s new message is, “Don’t be a sheep.” Listen to the segment.
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003
Jurisprudence: Court Challenges to White House Enemy Combatants Policy
NPR’s Alex Chadwick talks with Dahlia Lithwick about two major federal court rulings that challenge the administration’s policy on enemy combatants. Listen to the segment.
Monday, Dec. 22, 2003
Ballot Box: The White House Hopefuls
NPR’s Alex Chadwick talks with Will Saletan about how the Democratic candidates are faring in their bid for the White House. Listen to the segment.Chatterbox: Amazon.com’s Customer Service
Timothy Noah exposes the notoriously hard-to-find phone number for Amazon.com’s customer-service department. Listen to the segment.Press Box: Changing Policy at the New York Times
NPR’s Mike Pesca speaks with Jack Shafer about how the New York Times is becoming more proactive about crediting outside sources where it finds ideas or facts for stories. Listen to the segment.
