Sony launched its new PlayStation Vita on Wednesday. The portable device is geared toward hard-core gamers and offers a lot of new technology. And after a string of tough times at Sony, the company needs this gadget to sell. Sony is trying to distinguish the Vita from the smartphones it's competing against.
The Civility Project, which is an ongoing project that reminds citizens of the importance of respect in matters of public discourse, is celebrating its one year anniversary this week. To honor the occasion, leaders of the project, including members from the Library Center and Community Foundation of the Ozarks, will be hosting the free program series called “Building Common Ground: Discussions of Community, Civility and Compassion.” The program series includes poetry readings, photo exhibits and a soup dinner. KSMU’s Rebekah Clark has more.
Food court mainstay Panda Express is now in the midst of a major transformation. It's adding premium products like angus steak and Portobello mushrooms and new flavors to keep pace with an increasingly sophisticated American palate. But that fiendishly tasty orange chicken isn't going anywhere.
Traffic cameras that snap pictures of cars running red lights or speeding are used in 661 cities around the U.S. NPR's Corey Dade explains that while local governments argue they make driving safer, some motorists believe the cameras are nothing more than revenue generators.
Advertisers collect information about us with every digital move we make. They then target ads to us based on that information. Communications scholar Joseph Turow worries that advertisers will use such data to discriminate against people and put them into "reputation silos"
The country's largest cable company, Comcast, announced it's going to carry four new channels geared toward African American and Latino audiences. Owners include Magic Johnson, Sean "Diddy" Combs and movie director Robert Rodriguez. Comcast promised Congress nearly two years ago that it would carry more minority-owned and operated networks in its bid to acquire NBC-Universal.
A Boston city councilor wants to enlist the help of valets in keeping drunk drivers off the road. "They are literally our last line of defense," says Rob Consalvo. But critics say that's too much responsibility for valets who, unlike bartenders, are not trained to spot intoxication.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon spoke on the importance of exporting goods from the state of Missouri at a steel manufacturing plant in Springfield Tuesday. KSMU’s Melanie Foehrweiser was there and has this report.
Americans have tended to save more and spend less in the years since the economic downturn in 2008. But according to a poll from BankRate.com, only 54 percent of Americans have more emergency savings than credit card debt.
Many consumers try shopping consciously by going to local stores or ones owned by certain faith or ethnic groups. Maggie Anderson and her family spent a year trying to shop exclusively at African American-owned businesses. They chronicled their efforts in the new book titled Our Black Year. Maggie Anderson talks with host Michel Martin.
Spain officially has Europe's highest jobless rate. That's based on the number of people who register for unemployment benefits, which are some of the most generous on the continent. But many Spaniards still collect a paycheck while they're on the dole.
There area a lot of bad movies out there. Some movies are so bad that they're good. For some reason people love them. Is there an art to making films that are deliberately bad? Can a company be successful by producing bad movies? One firm thinks so. Beth Accomando of member station KPBS reports on the production company A Common Thread.
Jen-Hsun Huang's education in the rough environment of eastern Kentucky helped make him a tough player in the tech industry. Now Nvidia, the company he co-founded, makes powerful graphics chips that bring realistic games and movie effects to screens small and large.
The resolution of the Greek debt crisis will depend in part on whether bondholders can be persuaded to take big losses on their holdings. At this point, it appears that most are willing to take their lumps and move on. But if enough of them balk at the settlement, it could tip Greece into default.
As many of the nation's highways continue to deteriorate, the funds to fix them are dwindling. In California, researchers are developing next-generation pavements that are quieter, more durable and more fuel-efficient, all on a tight budget.
The national average for unleaded gas has risen to $3.50 a gallon only three times in history. This year's rise to that threshold is the earliest ever, and the Department of Energy suggests that prices could near $5 a gallon by the start of the summer driving season. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with Phil Flynn of the futures brokerage PFGBEST.
Created during World War II, the Ad Council has launched one iconic public service announcement after another, from Rosie the Riveter to Smokey Bear. The nonprofit organization turns 70 on Saturday; what better way to celebrate than to take a stroll down memory lane?
Following days of rebellious complaints from The Sun tabloid's newsroom, News Corp. boss Rupert Murdoch was in London Friday to reassure journalists of his commitment to the paper. Murdoch also announced plans to create a Sunday edition of The Sun.
