Morning Edition

Great Day In South Carolina? Depends Who You Ask

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Under orders from GOP Gov. Nikki Haley, state employees must answer the phone saying: "It's a great day in South Carolina." Two Democratic legislators want to ban the cheery mandate. They say no sunny hellos as long as unemployment is more than 5 percent in the state.

With No Day Job To Quit, Specter Turns To Standup

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:52:00 +0000

Former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania performed at a Philadelhia comedy club Tuesday night. He joked he'd already been in comedy for 30 years. But he added in politics, it's sit-down comedy rather than standup.

Iraqi Journalist Reflects On 8 Years Of War

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:40:00 +0000

At NPR's Baghdad bureau, Isra' al Rubei'i has long worked as a reporter and translator. She submitted this short piece of fiction about a man standing before a judge — a character, who she says represents the Iraqi experience.

2012 Could See New Regs For Table Saws

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Every year, thousands of Americans suffer severe injuries using the saws. But after a series of reports by NPR, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has started crafting new safety rules for table saws.

Business News

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Steve Inskeep has business news.

The Last Word In Business

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Steve Inskeep has the Last Word in business.

GoDaddy's Suport For SOPA Draws Customers' Ire

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Linda Wertheimer talks to Declan McCullagh, chief political correspondent for CNET, about Dump GoDaddy Day, a protest against the company for its initial support of proposed legislation to curb online piracy. SOPA is short for the Stop Online Piracy Act. GoDaddy is one of the largest accredited Internet domain registrar in the world.

N.H. Voters Look For Calm Amid Economic Jitters

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

The economic fears and hopes of the electorate in early-voting states like New Hampshire will play a significant role in determining who emerges from the pack of Republican presidential candidates.

And despite the Granite State's financial stability, lots of Republican voters see cloudy skies ahead.

Economist Ross Gittell says New Hampshire has some attractive numbers: "The national unemployment rate is 8.6 percent. New Hampshire, it's currently 5.2 percent. New Hampshire has relatively high per-capita income.

True Grit: 'Into The Silence' Scales Everest

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

No mountain captures the popular imagination like Everest. The world's highest peak, towering out of the Himalayas, has frequently proved deadly to those who have tried to reach its summit. The most famous of its victims was the first Englishman to attempt a climb: George Mallory.

2011 Put Chrysler Back In The Fast Lane

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

Despite a sluggish economy, it's been a good year overall for the auto industry. But among the Detroit Three, there's been a clear standout.

From marketing and advertising to car quality to sales, it has been a very good year for Chrysler — and that year began in January at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.