Bill Chappell

Descending Into The Mariana Trench: James Cameron's Odyssey

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:41:00 +0000

At nearly seven miles below the water's surface, the Mariana Trench is the deepest spot in Earth's oceans. And the site north of Guam is where director and explorer James Cameron recently fulfilled a longtime goal of reaching the bottom in a manned craft.

For the dive, Cameron designed a 24-foot submersible vehicle, the Deepsea Challenger — "this kind of long, green torpedo that moves vertically through the water," as he tells All Things Considered's Melissa Block.

For Second Time, Moore Family Loses Home To A Tornado

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:53:00 +0000

The tornado that devastated Moore, Okla., Monday destroyed some 12,000 homes, according to Oklahoma City Police. And for one family, it was the second house they've lost to a tornado in the past 14 years.

3-D Printer Makes Life-Saving Splint For Baby Boy's Airway

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:53:00 +0000

A 3-D printer is being credited with helping to save an Ohio baby's life, after doctors "printed" a tube to support a weak airway that caused him to stop breathing. The innovative procedure has allowed Kaiba Gionfriddo, of Youngstown, Ohio, to stay off a ventilator for more than a year.

The splint that changed Kaiba's life was implanted in February of 2012, when he was 3 months old.

Production Of New Vehicles Predicted To Hit 2002 Levels

Bill Chappell — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:15:00 +0000

Strong new-vehicle sales figures are causing industry analysts to revise their forecasts for North American production levels in 2013, with J.D. Power & Associates and LMC Automotive predicting 16 million units will be produced — a mark not hit since 2002.

More than 1,157,000 new vehicles are projected to be sold in May, the third month in a row to top the 1 million level. The growth is being helped by strong demand for full-sized pickups, which represent more than 11 percent of retail sales, according to a news release from J.D.

British Driver Says She's Sorry In 'Twit And Run' Case

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:04:00 +0000

A British driver who struck a cyclist with her car — and who then bragged about the incident on Twitter — has issued an apology. The incident caused an uproar after the collision Sunday.

"Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax!

Oregon's Cash-Strapped Counties Reject Public Safety Levies

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:06:00 +0000

Two Oregon counties have reportedly rejected property tax increases that would have funded law enforcement and public safety services. The counties once received federal timber subsidies, but those days are over — and now they're scrambling to pay for essential services.

In Josephine County, where nearly 70 percent of the land belongs to the U.S. government, Tuesday's vote that was too close to call last night.

Libya 'Talking Points' Emails Put Petraeus Back In Spotlight

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:25:00 +0000

Former CIA Director David Petraeus is under renewed scrutiny over the role he played in creating the discredited "talking points" about the attack that killed four Americans last year in Benghazi, Libya. The Washington Post has a front-page story Wednesday that suggests Petraeus sought to shape the resulting memo to favor his agency.

In the days immediately after the violence on Sept.

Microsoft Reveals New Xbox One Game System

Bill Chappell — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:32:00 +0000

Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox One Tuesday, displaying a device that takes new steps in game consoles' journey to becoming all-purpose entertainment and communication devices. The new console replaces the Xbox 360, which has been on the market for nearly eight years.

One of the new device's most striking features is the ability to run multiple apps at once — and to split a TV screen into different tasks.

Dolphins Find 19th Century Navy Torpedo In Pacific Ocean

Bill Chappell — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:43:00 +0000

A rare piece of America's military history was located this spring, when dolphins from the Navy's Marine Mammal Program located an unusual artifact: a torpedo from the 19th century. Discovered during a training exercise in the ocean near San Diego, the torpedo will eventually make its way to a museum.

The bottlenose dolphins were honing their ability to find underwater mines when the discovery was made. The torpedo did not have a warhead, Navy officials say.

"The Howell torpedo, one of the first self-propelled torpedoes developed and used by the U.S.

After Tornado, A Dog Rescue Raises Spirits, And Gains Fans

Bill Chappell — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:25:00 +0000

Before Monday's tornado hit, Barbara Garcia says, she had a gameplan. In the event of an emergency, the Moore, Okla., resident would gather up her little dog and retreat to a bathroom to wait out the storm.