National

Diversions

Kayaking in Alaska

July 31, 2004 • Doug Fine sends an audio postcard recorded during a kayaking trip in Alaska -- where whales and seals were his only company.

The Real People at the Democratic Convention

July 31, 2004 • A collection of voices from this week's Democratic National Convention -- not of politicians or celebrities, but the words of ushers, security guards and vendors who made the event happen.

Religion

Vatican Instructs Bishops on Gender Roles

July 31, 2004 • A Vatican letter to bishops charges that feminism blurs the differences between men and women -- and suggests it has also promoted the idea that homosexuality and heterosexuality are equivalent. Hear NPR's Brian Naylor and John Allen, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.

News

Bush, Kerry Focus on Midwest

July 31, 2004 • President Bush and Sen. John Kerry nearly cross paths on bus tours through the swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Kerry questions the president's assertion that the economy is "turning a corner." Bush acknowledges workers' fears, but says the way to save jobs is to keep business taxes low. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

The Moral Dilemmas of Combat

July 31, 2004 • Combat situations create moral and ethical dilemmas for the servicemen and servicewomen involved in the action. NPR's Brian Naylor talks with Martin Cook, an ethics professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and one of Cook's former students, Col. John Peabody.

Law

Sentence-Guideline Ruling Stirs Confusion

July 31, 2004 • In June, the Supreme Court invalidated Washington state's sentencing guidelines, casting doubt on the 15-year-old system. The result is what one expert calls legal anarchy, with jurists uncertain how to proceed in the wake of the ruling. NPR's Wendy Kaufman reports.

Diversions

Put Up Your Sticky Hands, You're Under Arrest

July 31, 2004 • NPR's Scott Simon takes note of an odd arrest this week on the Washington, D.C., Metro system. A woman who was eating a candy bar was arrested when she refused to stop chewing.

Culture

A Conversation with Chess Master Gary Kasparov

July 31, 2004 • World chess champion Gary Kasparov is writing a six-volume series on fellow masters of the game. He's also a columnist with The Wall Street Journal. He speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about Bobby Fischer and other greats of the game.

World

South Africa's Plus-Sized Thieves

July 31, 2004 • Police in Durban, South Africa, are dealing with a rash of shoplifting. A gang of plus-sized women raided retail stores in groups of 10 or 15, intimidated the staff with their "quite large" size, and made off with clothing in small and petite sizes. Durban police inspector Michael Read tells NPR's Scott Simon that this is not Durban's first encounter with plus-sized gangs.

World

Ugandan Activist Reunited with Kidnapped Daughter

July 31, 2004 • Eight years ago, Ugandan activist Angelina Atyam's young daughter was kidnapped by a rebel group called The Lord's Resistance Army. This week the young woman escaped from her kidnappers was reunited with her mother. Angelina Atyam speaks with NPR's Scott Simon

Business

Cement Shortage Hits U.S. Construction Industry

July 31, 2004 • The U.S. is short on cement, which means that some driveways and pools may go un-poured this construction season. Who's to blame? China. NPR's Scott Simon gets the story from Ed Sullivan, chief economist for the Illinois-based Portland Cement Association.

News

Campaigns Plot Spending Strategies

July 31, 2004 • Both major presidential candidates have ample resources heading into the last months of the long campaign. How will they spend their money? Hear NPR's Scott Simon, Democratic media consultant Dan Payne and Republican media strategist Todd Domke.

News

Kerry, Edwards Launch Campaign Tour

July 31, 2004 • Sen. John Kerry and running mate Sen. John Edwards campaign in Pennsylvania on the first day after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

News

Bush Stumps in Midwest States

July 31, 2004 • President Bush returns to the campaign trail with a speech evaluating Sen. John Kerry's Senate record as ineffective against terrorism. Both candidates are on a swing through the Midwest. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

Economy

Bush Defends Policies in Face of Record Deficit

July 31, 2004 • President Bush uses his weekly radio address to defend his economic policies. Though the White House said Friday that the federal deficit will hit a record $445 billion this year, Mr. Bush predicted Saturday that the deficit for 2004 and 2005 will be $100 billion less than his advisers previously estimated.

Bush Defends Policies in Face of Record Deficit

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