Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'digital'

Obama To Congress: Act Now On Economic Plan

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:50:00 EST

In a speech Thursday morning, President-elect Barack Obama warns the U.S. could see double-digit unemployment, falling wages and a decrease in college enrollment if Congress doesn't act quickly.

An Ohio Town With Extreme Unemployment

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

Van Wert County, Ohio has the highest unemployment rate in a state hit especially hard by job losses. We speak with residents and local officials about what double digit unemployment numbers mean for life in this west central Ohio county.

Hand-Carving Gravestones A Dying Craft

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:20:00 EST

It's not news that digital forms of communication are replacing hand-written letters and diaries with text messages and Facebook entries. Even the ancient art of carving an epitaph on a gravestone is not sacred.

'Postcards' Charts China's Economic Rise

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:07:00 EST

For the last two years, James Fallows has followed China's astounding double-digit growth in a series of quirky essays for the Atlantic Monthly. His stories are now collected in a new book, Postcards From Tomorrow Square.

Dump Trucks Used to Pick Up Spilled Eggs

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:05:00 EST

Police near Detroit say a truck driver fell asleep, crashed and spilled his payload of eggs. Hundreds of cartons of eggs were bounced across a 300 foot stretch of I-94. Single-digit temperatures made for a frozen mess. Cleanup crews used front-end loaders to scrape up the eggy hazard and then hauled it away in dump trucks.

Prisons Excluded From DTV Coupon Programs

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:43:00 EST

Prisons are excluded from legislation giving millions of dollars to television viewers for coupons to cut the cost of a converter box for digital television. TV is crucial for cash-strapped, under-staffed prisons, many of which rely on analog television sets to keep prisoners occupied.

Online Comic 'Penny Arcade' Breaks Digital Ground

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Comic strips are enjoying rising popularity online. One favorite is called Penny Arcade, which has turned its creators into underdog heroes online. Host Liane Hansen speaks with David Kushner, Weekend Edition's digital culture commentator, about the comic.

The 10th Annual CD, Er, MP3 Gift Guide

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:57:00 EST

Today's environmental and global financial crises have Weekend Edition's Ned Wharton abuzz. In presenting his yearly music recommendations, he explains how digital downloads make a perfect holiday gift for these times.

The Year On Vinyl: Dropping The Needle

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:21:00 EST

Now that the MP3 is king, vinyl has become something of an underground revolution. More and more artists have begun to insist on releasing their new albums on vinyl, and music fans who jettisoned their collections in favor of "clear, perfect digital sound CDs" are raiding garage sales and rediscovering analog music all over again. Here are 10 releases from 2008 that are worth the extra effort of vinyl.

Before There Was Vegas, There Was Elko

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 09:42:00 EST

Elko, Nev., started the big bands and the big shows long before the glitz and glam of Vegas. Today, the Commercial Hotel and Casino is still open in downtown Elko, but the live entertainment is gone except for few diehards making a cacophony of digital slot machine music.

Not Just For Doctors: X-Rays As Art

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:02:00 EST

Nick Veasey has looked inside everything from airplanes to oranges. Veasey is an X-ray photographer and recently published a collection of his work. Science Friday digital producer Flora Lichtman stopped by a shoot to see the artist in action.

Fol Chen: 'No Wedding Cake'

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:55:00 EST

Fol Chen is a Los Angeles-based electro-pop band recently signed to Asthmatic Kitty, a record label known for being co-founded by chamber pop artist Sufjan Stevens. The group's debut isn't set for release until February 2009, but Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made has already garnered online buzz with the first single, "Cable TV." The wildly infectious dance tune begins with a dash of sitar before digital blips and drum machine hand claps jump in, with singer Melissa Thorne's smooth vocals.

R.E.M. Reissues A Classic, New Singles From The Decemberists, The Heligoats, More

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:56:00 EST

This year marks the 25th anniversary of R.E.M.'s debut full-length album, Murmur. The band is marking the occasion with a remastered version of the record, which includes a bonus live concert of R.E.M. performing in 1983. The Decemberists are also back with a collection of new singles. Always The Bridesmaid features seven new songs the band is releasing in three installments, on vinyl and as digital downloads but not as CDs.

New Program Maps Virtual Rat Brain In 3D

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:39:00 EST

The prototype BrainNavigator lets scientists travel through the rat brain — in 3 dimensions — and link the digital maps to pictures of real brain tissue.

How Do You Convince People To Buy In Rough Times...

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

Advertising campaigns must adjust to the fact that people are more cautious about spending money right now. Romi Mahajan, chief marketing officer for the digital ad agency Ascentium, discusses how companies are revamping their strategies.

Obama's Plans For A High-Tech White House

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:08:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama made use of text messages, e-mails and social networking sites to get elected. What role will these technologies play once he takes office? Slate.com's Farhad Manjoo discusses Sen. Obama's plans for a digital White House.

Bird Forces Hawaii To Transfer To Digital TV in Jan.

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:55:00 EST

The nation is scheduled to convert to digital TV on Feb. 17. But most of Hawaii will make the switch a month early because of a volcano-dwelling bird. Federal wildlife officials recommended hastening the transition in Hawaii. That's so the Hawaiian petrel's nesting season on the slopes of Maui's Haleakala volcano won't be disrupted by the destruction of the old analog transmission towers nearby.

Boy Eats Drum Machine: 'Booomboxxx'

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:27:00 EST

Booomboxxx, the latest from Portland, Oregon-based Boy Eats Drum Machine, might take a while to sink in. At first listen, the seemingly random mash of glitchy drum samples comes off as disjointed and overwhelming. But after several spins, you can tell Jon Ragel, the solo force behind Boy Eats Drum Machine, is more calculated in his digital orchestrations.

On Web, 'Peanuts' Gets New Lease On Life

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST

Craig Schulz, Charles Schulz's son, talks about the release of 20 Peanuts digital shorts online that are based on the classic comic strips from 1964. Schulz is president of Creative Associates, which approved and manages all of the licensing for Peanuts-related products.

Praising A 'Grown Up' Digital Generation

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:16:00 EST

A generation of young Americans has grown up with high-tech tools and toys — how will this "Net generation" shape the 21st century? Author and entrepreneur Don Tapscott investigates tech-savvy youth in Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World.

Evan Eisenberg On The Sci-Fi Future Of Music

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Evan Eisenberg's The Recording Angel, which examines the idea of music as a commodity, was published more than 20 years ago. But with recorded music going digital, Eisenberg thought it was time for an update. He discusses how technology has fundamentally changed recorded music.

As Election Day Nears, Poll Data Questioned

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Some recent polls show Sen. Barack Obama with a double digit lead in the race for the White House, while others show a much narrower gap between him and his opponent Sen. John McCain. Many wonder whether poll data is truly an accurate portrayal of voter sentiment. Celinda Lake, a veteran Democratic with Lake Research Partners, and Pamela Gentry, a political analyst with BET Networks, discuss the value of poll data among voters.

The Beatles Expected Ink MTV Digital Deal

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:00:00 EDT

MTV Networks is expected to announce Thursday a deal to use songs by The Beatles in its popular "Rock Band" video game series. This would be the group's first digital licensing deal. It would also be a huge coup for Viacom, which owns "Rock Band." The company's been vying with rival video game, "Guitar Hero," for the valuable repertoire.

Cable Subscribers Increase Before Digital Transition

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Comcast Corporation, the nation's largest cable service provider, announced Wednesday that earnings were up. The company says it lost some basic cable subscribers, but that the decline was more than made-up for by new digital subscribers. One non-profit group is urging Congress to investigate whether Comcast and other cable companies are trying to profit from the upcoming transition from analog broadcast TV to digital.

Comcast Is Accused of Deceptive Business Practices

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 22:13:00 EDT

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports says Comcast and other cable operators appear to be trying to profit from the upcoming transition from analog broadcast TV to digital, and that Comcast is forcing consumers to upgrade or accept fewer channels for the same price.