Iraq Contractor Suit
Nine Americans who worked to repair a water injection plant in Iraq in 2003 are suing their employer, KBR, claiming the company knowingly exposed them to a deadly substance that greatly increases cancer risk. Boston Globe reporter Farah Stockman wrote the story and joins us to talk about it.
The “Yuck!” Factor
Listen
America may champion the free market, but the slippery emotion of repugnance helps determine what can be bought and sold in that market. For example, it’s illegal for humans to eat horses in California, but perfectly legal to use horse meat in pet food. Until quite recently, charging interest was considered repugnant over much of Europe, as it still is in the Islamic world. Our guest is Harvard University economist and business professor, Alvin Roth.
Olympic Torch
Listen
French President Nicolas Sarkozy considers boycotting the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics this summer because of recent Tibet protests. We speak with University of Chicago anthropologist John MacAloon, who advised the Beijing Olympic Committee on the international route of the torch relay. He says protests are part of the Olympics and can lead to changes that even some in the Chinese government want to see take place.
Laurie Anderson
Listen
We speak to performance artist Laurie Anderson who begins a world tour of her new show “Homeland” this week.
