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On Friday the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that February had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the last 4 years. But that's not necessarily good news for everyone... Daniel talks to two brothers, both economics professors, who sit on either side of the issue. Robert Gordon from Northwestern University in Illinois and David Gordon from the New School in New York.

Joe talks with Jon Miller, play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles and for E-S-P-N. Miller is an announcer without a team as his employer, the Orioles, is refusing to field a team of players to replace those who are on strike. The Orioles are the only major league team to not field a replacement team, so Miller is waiting and wondering if he'll be working.

The Didgeridoo is a musical instrument that was invented many thousands of years ago by the Aborigines of northern Australia. A branch of a eucalyptus tree hollowed out by termites, this unusual looking and sounding instrument has become increasingly popular outside of Australia. Daniel talks with Nomad, an Australian musician who has just released a CD in which he combines the digeridoo with other musical forms from Africa and from Native Americans. Nomad introduces us to the digerdioo and tries to explain the specific technique used in playing it. (12:00) (The CD is called "Nomad" and is on the label AMI, Australian Music International, 253 West 18th Street NY NY 10011).

The biggest welfare state in the country turns out to be a commonwealth, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where nearly sixty percent of the population receives some form of welfare. Danny visits the island and examines why welfare is so widespread...it's linked to federal tax breaks that companies receive as an incentive to do business there. And he talks to Puerto Ricans about the impact welfare has had on the commonwealth's psyche.

Shirley Jahad reports on a Chicago ordinance that bans the sale of spray paint and thick markers. The measure was passed in an effort to reduce the city's graffitti problem. The paint industry has been challenging the law, which a Supreme Court justice this month refused to overturn.

LIANE HANSEN EWSCASTERS: SHAY STEVENS & LAURA KNOY

Producer Julian Crandall Hollick returns to the neighborhood f Byculla (BIKE-cuh-luh) in Bombay, where the poor people of Apna Street live n huts built on the pavements. In this installment, he examines why there is so ittle housing for the poor. Even those who work often are foced to live on the treets. A combination of poor city planning, little available land and ndifference seem to be the culprits.

As the end of winter draws near, the signs of spring are verywhere. For many, the change of weather signals the start of a long season f baseball playing. This year is different. Although spring training began this ast week, the baseball strike continues. How good are the substitutes? Will any major league" players show up for the pre-season workout? Will fans pay money o see non-league players in the uniforms of their favorite teams? In Florida, PR's Derek Reveron has some answers.

Puzzlemaster Will Shortz challenges listeners to puzzles and word ames. Also - Will remembers Jordan Lasher, who died on January 31st. Lasher was oth a chemical engineer and author of innovative crossword puzzles. He made uzzles more accessible and modern and was a big influence on young puzzle esigners. 7:23 This week's on-air puzzle player lives in Denver, Colorado and listens to

NPR's Jon Greenberg reports on yesterday's Iwo ima memorial service at Washington's National Cathedral, where the souls of hose killed in the battle were remembered.

Chicago police officer ERIC DAVIS, known as "21" in the rap group the Slick Boys. DAVIS and two other officers founded the group in 1991 to provide positive role models for the inner-city kids they encountered on their jobs every day. The group has received national acclaim for their songs about the importance of getting an education and staying off of drugs and out of gangs. DAVIS grew up in the Cabrini-Green development of Chicago, where the three officers work. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE

DAVID VON DREHLE (VON DRAY-Lee) has written a new book, "Among the Lowest of the Dead: the Culture of Death Row"(Times Books). VON DREHLE reawakens the capital punishment debate using historical and personal observations and accounts of death row inmates, victims survivors, and the people in charge of the executions. He says keeping people in prison is a bargain compared to the price of death row appeals and the fact that only 5% of death row executions actually occur. VON DREHLE is arts editor of the Washington Post