By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – Quick question: what would you rather do - go to the dentist or buy a car? Even with all the "insider information" available, the fear of "who can you trust?" looms in the consumer gut. And thank you, GM, for justifying that emotion. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By Rawlins Gilliland, KERA 90.1 commentator

Dallas, TX – For starters, most American citizens could never trace having ancestors on North American soil in 1775 when Bunker Hill was fought. Indeed, most would have zero idea what "Bunker Hill" even refers to. But picky, picky! As for sharing "Our American Values," considering that this country is divided about 50/50 on abortion rights, gun control, prayer in school (to name a few), I'm trying to figure which "American values" we specifically share that these newcomers are said to be rejecting?

By Suzanne Sprague, KERA 90.1 reporter

Dallas, TX – Suzanne Sprague, KERA 90.1 reporter: When Pierre-Auguste Renoir arrived in Algeria in 1881, he may have been a bit surprised. Travel books romanticized the North African nation as an exotic Eden. But David Prochaska, who teaches history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says the capital city of Algiers, where Renoir stayed, was mostly an outpost of French colonialism, with dozens of streets marked by Parisian arcades and coffee shops.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – Numbers are a very powerful tool when telling a story. How old are we, how much weight have we lost or gained, or how many people are still out of work? Figures can tell it all. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com

Austin, TX – AUSTIN (6/10/03) - There's "lots of moving parts" to the issue of congressional redistricting, says Austin political consultant Tony Proffitt, but so far nobody seems to be able to get the parts put together to make the redistricting machine run.

By James Mardis, KERA 90.1 commentator

By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – Imagine if we, as individuals, had to go around revealing both our good and bad sides. Many would cringe at the thought of being that vulnerable. And yet, isn't that when we create the most compassion, when we can express our shortcomings? I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

Well, believe it or not, Nike, Liz Claiborne, Phillips-Van Heusen, Reebok and three other footwear and apparel manufacturers are now making their global labor practices more transparent.

By Maxine Shapiro, KERA 90.1 business commentator

Dallas, TX – The highest objective of any Corporate Board of Directors is to genuinely represent the interest of the shareholder. But a new research study says many boards continue to fall short by cowering to compensation demands of CEO's. I'm Maxine Shapiro with KERA Marketplace Midday.

By Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter

Dallas, TX – Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter: Film composer Rachel Portman - who won an Academy Award for "Emma" in 1996 and then received Oscar nominations for "Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat" - says to write, she needs total solitude. The same applies when she talks about music. Portman insisted the Houston Opera publicity staffer leave the room before answering any questions.