Word of Mouth

Icons of creativity like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are romanticized as lone wolves, toiling alone deep into the night on ideas that one day change the world. Truth is, most get help along the way. Even Thomas Edison had a crew: 40 or so scientists helped him invent the light bulb. So is it the 'I' or the team that matters most?

The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by obscure author EL James, has been described as “mommy porn” and “twilight for grown-ups,” owing to hyper-viral sales among women over thirty. Released just six weeks ago, the three titles hit 10 million in sales last week.

Recent dispatches from the trial of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik have stirred politicians and online groups to urge Norway’s justice system to re-examine its maximum sentence of twenty-one years, given the severity of the charges.

If grandparents paying for potential grandchildren to be put on ice sounds a little strange, how about the emerging legal field of trust and estate rights for frozen embryos, eggs, and other, well biological material? When word of mouth senior producer Rebecca Lavoie read a Bloomberg Business Week article about a Manhattan lawyer representing frozen embryos in trust cases, she went right to the source to find out more.

We begin with a new strategy for wanna-be grandparents. There’s a growing trend among women in their thirties and forties to freeze their eggs in many cases, to increase the chances of becoming a mother later in life, after establishing a career, say, or finding the perfect partner. The procedure is still considered experimental, and the cost is staggering. However, doctors are reporting a new wave of underwriters supporting egg-freezing patients, their parents.

The words of Thomas Jefferson ring in the ears and characters of Americans, yet his actual voice remains unknown. Likewise, visitors to Monticello get a window into his daily life and genius, but can only imagine the mix of pastoral and industrious sounds of the farm operating at full tilt.

If you’re scanning registries for a friend’s baby shower or prepping for your own bouncing new arrival, one thing is clear…baby stuff ain’t cheap. Jamie Page-Deaton is managing editor of US News Best Cars, and she's got a rundown of some pretty unbelievable gadgetry new moms are coveting: 

The self-folding stroller.

The robotic baby chair. 

A note to listeners: This interview was supposed to include Jim Gorant, a Senior Editor for Sports Illustrated, and author of The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption. Unfortunately, we lost our connection with him shortly after his part of the interview began.  /RL

Part 1: Trophy Wives/Old Lady Style

In those gin-soaked days of yesteryear, a beautiful woman on the arm was an executive’s secret weapon for landing the deal.  A young knock-out by your side signaled power, style, and proof that you had it all. Just ask all those Mad Men...That was then.

Airs May 28 at Noon

Recently CNET reported that the FBI had been lobbying congress for a law that would require social networking companies and other web-based communication systems to make sure their systems are surveillance-compatible. FBI director Robert Mueller seemed to confirm that in an appearance last week before the senate judiciary committee.

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