Search results for

Bob Mondello reviews the film Thirteen Days, starring Bruce Greenwood as President Kennedy and Kevin Costner as a presidential advisor. The movie is based on the book The Kennedy Tapes--Instead the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis. The story starts in October of 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced the U.S. response to the presence of medium-range ballistic missiles in Cuba. For the following week, Soviet military vessels raced toward the Caribbean as the rest of the world held its breath. The film opened today in New York and Los Angeles.

Host Bob Edwards talks with reporter Anthony Kuhn about a fire at a disco in China that has left dozens dead.

Commentator Nancy Hall talks about the culinary clash with her new Northerner husband, as they planned their first holiday dinner together. The bickering over competing foods peaked with the arrival of a southern country ham. Her Yankee butcher husband balked at slicing ham with a moldy hide, but their guests ate it with abandon.

Our piece continues.

Electricity deregulation was supposed to bring Californians lower prices. Instead they've gotten higher prices and unreliable service. Scott Horsley of member station KPBS reports on why this happened, including mistaken judgements in planning the big change and the fact that electricity cannot be stored to meet market demand.

News analyst Daniel Schorr says the latest attempt at renewing middle east peace talks faces many hazards. President Clinton called Wednesday the deadline for the two sides to demonstrate enough potential to work towards another summit. Prime Minister Barak faces a deadline of February 6 when Israelis vote on whether or not to keep him in office---and Yasser Arafat faces the prospect of having to deal with Ariel Sharon, should Barak lose the election.

Neda Ullaby reports on the recent history of Anti-Christmas tunes. From Bananarama to Dr. Demento, many musicians have had it with the traditional carol and are ready to express their Christmas angst.

Karal Ann Marling, author of Merry Christmas: Celebrating America's Greatest Holiday, explains the history behind wrapping paper, with the help of readings from advice columns and other periodicals from the past. Marling says gifts weren't always wrapped in paper. That tradition began in the early 1900's when people began to use white tissue paper and red ribbon.

Susan Gage of Florida Public Radio reports on the 25 people who cast the state's contentious electoral votes for George W. Bush. Electors say they've been in a bright and unexpected spotlight in the weeks since the election.

NPR's Pam Fessler reports on George W. Bush's meetings today with the man he will succeed -- President Bill Clinton -- and the man he defeated for the job, Vice President Al Gore. As he did during yesterday's meetings with congressional leaders, Bush said he was "here to listen."