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When The Art Of The Deal Includes Improv Training

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Credit Courtesy of Henry Rounds

According to improv instructor Daena Giardella, "it's not about whether you make the perfect offer, it's about how you rebound if you don't."

Originally published on Wed December 5, 2012 8:09 am

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Some top-tier business schools are offering more than just finance and marketing these days: Duke, UCLA, MIT and Stanford are all teaching improv. Professors say these techniques help students increase collaboration, creativity and risk taking.

In an improvisational leadership class at MIT's Sloan School of Management, instructor Daena Giardella coaches a scene where a hospital administrator is firing surgeons after a horribly botched operation.

Giardella, who does professional improv, boils it down to a rule known as "yes, and."

1:35 am

Wed December 5, 2012

Is A Recess Appointment Valid If The Senate Says It's Not Really Gone?

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The Senate side of the U.S. Capitol.

By Carrie Johnson

Originally published on Wed December 5, 2012 8:09 am

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In a tug of war between President Obama and Congress, a federal appeals court panel in Washington, D.C., will hear arguments Wednesday on the legality of Obama's controversial recess appointments.

The White House says it was forced to install three new members of the National Labor Relations Board in January because of inaction by Senate Republicans. But those lawmakers argue the Senate wasn't really in a recess at the time.

9:03 pm

Tue December 4, 2012

Navel-Gazing: Why Golf Should Embrace Belly Putters

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Carl Pettersson of Sweden putts for birdie on the eighth hole during the final round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, S.C., in April. The long putter he uses is in danger of being banned.

By Frank Deford

Originally published on Wed December 5, 2012 1:20 pm

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When did "issues" become such an all-purpose, often euphemistic word for anything disagreeable? We have issues now where we used to have problems, and concerns, and troubles, and hornet's nests. Like for example: The American and British big wheels who run golf have "issues" with putting.

Now understand, modern golfers have kryptonite drivers with club heads as large as prize pumpkins, and steroid balls that would not pass the drug test, even if the hapless International Cycling Union were doing the random sampling.

6:13 pm

Tue December 4, 2012

Stars On World Cafe

Credit Norman Wong / Courtesy of the artist

Stars

Stars returns to the World Cafe studio to play songs from its latest album, The North. Here, the band sits down with host David Dye to discuss its decision-making process, and how its insistence on being as democratic as possible has helped it stay together over the years.

5:43 pm

Tue December 4, 2012

Crime On The Farm: Hay Thefts Soar As Drought Deepens

Credit Erik S. Lesser / EPA /Landov

That's a valuable commodity: A hay bale at a farm in Eatonton, Ga., earlier this year.

By Mark Memmott

Originally published on Wed December 5, 2012 8:09 am

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Sheriff Bobby Whittington talks with NPR's Renee Montagne

Your crime fodder ... sorry, make that blotter ... news of the day.

From St. Louis:

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