To The Best of Our Knowledge

from Wisconsin Public Radio

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There's an old joke from the former Soviet Union. Roughly translated it goes like this. The communists were liars. Everything they said about communism was untrue. Unfortunately, everything they said about capitalism was true. Next time on To the Best of Our Knowledge, considering capitalism. Meet the antithesis of Kenneth Lay, a capitalist with a conscience. And P.J. O'Rourke's take on the being the CEO of the sofa.

Pierre Ferrari is one of the founders of TeamX, a clothing company with a social conscience. He tells Jim Fleming that the company limits executive salaries to eight times the salary of the lowest paid worker, makes its workers owners of the company, and still turns a profit. TeamX markets their products under the brand name SweatX. More Information is available at www.sweatx.net.

Mark Rectanus is the author of "Culture Incorporated: Museums, Artists and Corporate Sponsorship." He tells Steve Paulson that corporate sponsorship can create conflicts of interest for museum curators and can turn art exhibits into "tarted_up trade shows." Also, in 1992, Alexander Blakeley graduated from college with a degree in economics and headed for the newly capitalist Siberia. He tells Anne Strainchamps he found a wilderness of greed, theft and exploitation. His book is "Siberia Bound: Chasing the American Dream on Russia's Wild Frontier."

Lendol Calder says being in debt is a good thing. He's the author of "Financing the American Dream: A Cultural History of Consumer Credit." He tells Steve Paulson that consumer credit drives the world economy and that private vices (like over_consumption) can result in public virtues, like a sound economy that employs a lot of people.

Books:

• Alexander Blakely, Siberia Bound: Chasing the American Dream on Russia's Wild Frontier (Sourcebooks, Inc.)
• Lendol Calder, Financing the American Dream: A Cultural History of Consumer Credit (Princeton)
• Mark W. Rectanus, Culture Incorporated: Museums, artists, and corporate sponsorships (Minnesota)
  

Music:

• Mitch Miller and the Gang. "We're in the Money." Sing Along With Mitch Miller." Columbia Records.
• George Gershwin. "Rhapsody in Blue." Rhapsody in Blue. Grammophon.
• Dimitri Tiomkin. "Pottersville Cemetery." Soundtrack to "It's a Wonderful Life." Sundance Film Music Series, Volume 1.
• Leonard Bernstein. "Prelude for Brass." National Public Radio's Milestones of the Millennium. Sony.
• Steve Caryle and the Driftwood Blues Band. "Sweatshop Blues." Working Man Blues. IUMA.

Distribution dates:

• week of 09/15/2002 - hour 1