Friday, June 3, 2005
Medical Examiner: “Prescriber Profiles”
Drug company whistle-blowers have warned government officials that pharmaceutical companies are tracking how many and what brand of pills doctors are prescribing—a practice known as “prescriber profiling.” Madeleine Brand talks to Shannon Brownlee about what influences the drug prescription habits of doctors, who are sometimes showered by drug companies with expensive perks. Listen to the segment.
Summary Judgment: Cinderella Man, Lords of Dogtown, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Mark Jordan Legan sums up what critics are saying about this week’s major movie releases, including Cinderella Man, Lords of Dogtown, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Listen to the segment.
Thursday, June 2, 2005
Heavy Petting: Falling in Love With a Dog
Emily Yoffe describes the first time she ever fell in love with a dog. Roscoe, a foster dog, only briefly stayed with her family, but left a lasting impression. Yoffe is the author of a new book, What the Dog Did: Tales From a Formerly Reluctant Dog Owner. Listen to the segment.
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Ad Report Card: GE’s Sexy “Eco-Imagination”
Seth Stevenson reviews a new series of commercials from General Electric. The company’s “eco-imagination” campaign takes off with a spot featuring sexy supermodels working in a coal mine. Listen to the segment.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Well-Traveled: Texas BBQ? Not So Fast …
On Monday, Alex Chadwick spoke with David Plotz, who, after exhaustive research, declared Texas the home of the nation’s best barbeque. Chadwick reads a response from a listener who begs to differ. Listen to the segment.
Hollywood Economist: “Midas Formula” Franchises
Alex Chadwick talks with Edward Jay Epstein about how movie studios build franchises. Epstein says that studios sometimes take enormous risks to build successful movie franchises, like Spider-Man and The Lord of the Rings, but the rewards for success can be enormous. He also details the “Midas formula” for reaping huge profits through licensing and merchandising. Listen to the segment.
Explainer: Court Stenography Machines
Andy Bowers explains the operation of machines used by court reporters to create detailed transcripts of court testimony. Listen to the segment.
Jurisprudence: End of High Court’s Session
Alex Chadwick talks to Emily Bazelon about key Supreme Court decisions expected as the current session comes to a close. On Tuesday, the court overturned of the conviction of accounting firm Arthur Anderson for its role in the Enron scandal. Listen to the segment.
Chatterbox: FBI Agent Says He’s Deep Throat
Alex Chadwick speaks with Timothy Noah about a new Vanity Fair magazine article that identifies former FBI agent V. Mark Felt as the Watergate source “Deep Throat.” Felt tells the magazine he was the government source who channeled information to reporters investigating the break-in at a Democratic Party office—a petty burglary that eventually led to the resignation of President Nixon. Listen to the segment.
