Have you ever had one of those moments when you know you really should think about a different line of work? For Daniel Pink, it was a scorching hot June day in Washington, D.C. when he almost threw up on Al Gore. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Daniel Pink's career as a "free agent" – an independent worker. Also journalist Barbara Ehrenreich shares her stories of life as a waitress, maid, and cleaning woman.

Daniel Pink is the author of "Free Agent Nation: How America's New Independent Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live." He tells Jim Fleming about the day he almost threw up on Al Gore, and gives examples of the new ways people are finding to work. His website is http://www.freeagentnation.com. Also, Steve Paulson talks with Josh and Jacob Kornbluth who made a film version of Josh's play "Haiku Tunnel, which chronicles Josh's experience as a temporary worker. And we hear a selection from "Temp Slave: The Musical." Their website is http://www.haikutunnel.com .

Cheri Register is the author of "Packinghouse Daughter: A Memoir." She tells Jim Fleming about her visit with her sixth grade class to the meat-packing plant where her father worked, and recalls the bitter strike at the plant that divided the town, temporarily closed the plant and brought violence and fear to the community.

For her latest book, "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America," writer Barbara Ehrenreich worked at a series of minimally paid jobs. She tells Anne Strainchamps that cleaning houses under deadline pressure was the worst job she had and that she was surprised to be both physically exhausted and mentally challenged by "menial" work. Also, Bob Jacobson tells Steve Paulson that he attaches no moral value to working. He has a job, but would rather spend his time loafing, and gives some examples of his past jobs.

Books:

• Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (Metropolitan)
• Daniel H. Pink, Free Agent Nation: How America's New Independent Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live (Warner)
• Cheri Register, Packinghouse Daughter: a memoir (Perennial/HarperCollins)

Music:

• "Work, Work, Work"/Lee Dorsey from his album, "Wheelin' And Dealin: The Official Collection" (Arista)
• "Snowball In Hell"/They Might Be Giants from their album, "Lincoln" (Restless Records/ Bar/None Recordings)
• "I'll Take It" from the album, "Temp Slave: The Musical" (independent)
• "Begin The Beguine"/Esquivel from his album, "Space-Age Bachelor Pad Music" (Bar/None Records)
• "Casey Jones - The Union Scab"/Pete Seeger and the Song Swappers from the album, "Don't Mourn -- Organize!: Songs of Labor Songwriter Joe Hill" (Smithsonian Folkways)
• "Over The Waterfall"/Hollow Rock String Band from the album "Folk Song America: A 20th-Century Revival" (The Smithsonian Collection of Recordings/Sony Music)
• "Minimum Wage"/They Might Be Giants from their album "Flood" (Elektra)
• "I Got A Job"/Nick Lowe from the album "The Wilderness Years" (Demon Records)
• "Hobbies"/NRBQ from the album "Tiddlywinks" (Rounder)

Distribution dates:

• week of 09/02/2001 - hour 1