Hearing Voices - Radio Stories / Business

Private Sector 59:00 Nancy Updike

20,000 civilian contractors are part of the American forces in Iraq. They have been killed by roadside bombs, they were interrogating prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Ira devotes the whole hour this documentary on the lives of several: including a Boston policeman teaching Iraqis the trade, and a screener at Baghdad airport: private citizen on the payroll of an occupying power.

Broadcast: Jun 10 2005 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life; Jun 4 2004 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: Business, International, War

Don Henry Ford 3: A Smuggler’s Story 7:46 Scott Carrier

Drug lords and doing time: The final part of a profile of Don Henry Ford, a convicted drug smuggler who made millions smuggling marijuana. [transcript]

Broadcast: May 20 2005 on NPR Day to DaySeries: Smuggler’s Story Subjects: International, Business

Don Henry Ford 2: A Smuggler’s Story 7:46 Scott Carrier

Dying for drugs: The second of a three-part profile of Don Henry Ford, a convicted drug smuggler who made millions smuggling marijuana. [transcript]

Broadcast: May 19 2005 on NPR Day to DaySeries: Smuggler’s Story Subjects: International, Business

Don Henry Ford 1: A Smuggler’s Story 7:48 Scott Carrier

A three-part profile of Don Henry Ford, a convicted drug smuggler who made millions smuggling marijuana across the Texas border in the 1970s and 80s. He had run-ins with police and drug lords, was jailed and nearly executed, lied, cheated and stole -- and still continued to smuggle, even when nearly all his fellow criminals were either dead or in prison. [transcript]

Broadcast: May 18 2005 on NPR Day to DaySeries: Smuggler’s Story Subjects: International, Business

Traders at Chicago Board Options Exchange

Traders 15:29 Larry Massett

The art of gammas, deltas, collars, butterflies, and boxes. Options traders discuss buying and selling anything, but really nothing, at their weekly social get-together over cake and coffee. [transcript]

Broadcast: Apr 26 2005 on WBEZ Chicago Matters Subjects: Business

Private Sector 59:00 Nancy Updike

Award winner: Congrats to Nancy for winning the Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award for Excellence In Electronic Media/Radio. 20,000 civilian contractors are part of the American forces in Iraq. They have been killed by roadside bombs, they were interrogating prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Ira devotes the whole This American Life hour this documentary on the lives of several: including a Boston policeman teaching Iraqis the trade, and a screener at Baghdad airport: private citizen on the payroll of an occupying power.

Broadcast: Mar 11 2005 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: War, Business, International, Public Affairs

Brown�s scuplture made from pink envelop clasps

Office Art 7:13 Dmae Roberts

A towering curve of yellow interoffice envelopes sits in the lobby of a Portland office building. It�s the work of visual artist Larissa Brown. After this office worker took a sculpture class, she became inspired to make art pieces from the supplies at work -- shipping tags, staplers, and typewriter ribbon.

Broadcast: Jan 7 2005 on PRI/WNYC Studio 360 Subjects: Business, Labor, Art

Cover of Juarez book: man climbing over border fence

Juarez 3: Maquiladoras 7:57 Scott Carrier

In the third segment of this series on the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez, we go to the factories called "maquiladoras" and their surrounding neighborhoods. [transcript]

Broadcast: Jul 5 2004 on NPR Day to DaySeries: Juarez: City on the Edge Subjects: Business, International, Hispanic, Labor

Hairdresser on the Job 1:14 Helen Woodward

Sonic IDs from WCAI/WNAN and Atlantic Public Media in Massachusetts (Editor: Jay Allison): An audio snapshot of a Massachusetts hairdresser about her work, which she says beats everything but brain surgery. [transcript]

Broadcast: Apr 8 2004 on NPR Day to DaySeries: WCAI/WNAN Sonic IDs Subjects: Labor, Business

Clock Maker’s Time Off 1:01 Jeremy Hobson

A retired clock maker adjusts to life away from the time business. [transcript]

Broadcast: Feb 5 2004 on NPR Day to DaySeries: WCAI/WNAN Sonic IDs Subjects: Senior, Labor, Business