Day to Day

Critics Get Closer

Friday, Dec. 3, 2004

Summary Judgment: Closer, The House of Flying Daggers, I Am David
Mark Jordan Legan looks at what the critics are saying about this week’s major movie premieres, including Closer, The House of Flying Daggers, and I Am David. Listen to the segment.

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004

Middlebrow: Goodbye, Tom Brokaw
Bryan Curtis reflects on the career of news anchor Tom Brokaw, who last night retired from the NBC Nightly News after helming the news show for more than two decades. Curtis praises Brokaw’s news delivery, but questions his journalistic instincts. Listen to the segment.

Jurisprudence: High Court Dodges Gay Marriage
NPR’s Alex Chadwick talks with Lyle Denniston, a longtime observer of the U.S. Supreme Court, about its recent decision not to review a case challenging the legality of gay marriage in Massachusetts. Denniston says there’s less to the Supreme Court’s decision than some media commentators have claimed. Listen to the segment.

Ad Report Card: NetZero’s AOL Attacks
Seth Stevenson gives his assessment of a new ad campaign by Internet service provider NetZero that mocks recent ads from America Online. Listen to the segment.

Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004

Moneybox: Wal-Mart’s Holiday Woes
Daniel Gross examines whether a disappointing start to the holiday shopping season for Wal-Mart could present opportunities for other retailers. The nation’s largest retailer reported less-than-normal sales as the busiest American buying period begins. Listen to the segment.

Jurisprudence: High Court’s High Season
NPR’s Alex Chadwick and Dahlia Lithwick discuss two high-profile Supreme Court cases—one involving gender discrimination, the other looking at California’s efforts to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Listento the segment.

Explainer: Holy Grilled Cheese Shuns Mold
Andy Bowers explains how a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that supposedly bears an image of the Virgin Mary has remained free of mold. The sandwich recently sold for $28,000 on the eBay.com online auction site. Listen to the segment.

Politics: Commerce Secretary, Gay Marriage
NPR’s Alex Chadwick talks with Chris Suellentrop about some of the major political stories of the week, including President Bush’s nomination of Kellogg CEO Carlos Gutierrez to head the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to hear a challenge to legally recognized gay marriage in Massachusetts. Listen to the segment.