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Most Talked About NPR Stories

This One's For The Chicken: A Super Bowl Party With A Purpose

npr.org — This Sunday will mark the 16th annual installment of "Chicken Bowl," my Super Bowl party, which doubles as a grand fried-chicken-eating contest. As many as 80 friends, coworkers, enablers and hangers-on will cram into my long-suffering house for this noble occasion.
My 2011 #ChickenBowl victory, forever enshrined in 1s and 0s (and a photo of me in a tiara), by @idislikestephen http://t.co/tJhYXIrO
The NPR food blog asked me to write about Chicken Bowl, my eating-contest-themed Super Bowl party. What could go wrong? http://t.co/4cGUqhgI

What The People Want Out West

npr.org — As the primary season pushes westward, voters in big Western states share what they like and want, plus why they feel they're a different kind of electorate.

Vermont Inmates Hide Image Of Pig On Police Decals

npr.org — It took Vermont officials four years to notice a little creative editing by one or more inmates. Look at this police decal: Look at the cow underneath the tree. Embedded within the cow's spots is an image of a pig, which as the Burlington Free Press reminds us is the '60s-era epithet used by protesters to refer to police.
One of the downsides to prison labor: they sneak pigs onto police seals. Hilarity ensues. http://t.co/VnH6yuKS

Down And Out Escape To 'Slab' In California Desert

npr.org — Slab City is a 600-acre chunk of California desert on an abandoned WWII artillery training range, home to long time residents, newcomers and transients. There is no running water, no sewers, and no other comforts of modern day civilization, and the folks of Slab City like that just fine.

Vintage View: 1920s Pacific Northwest In Color

npr.org — When Johnson and Ellen Sheriff Curtis moved their family from Minnesota to Seattle in 1887, two of their teenage sons developed a burgeoning interest in photography. One of them, Edward Curtis, would go on to become famous for his photographs of Native Americans.

Military Judge Denies Request To Delay Sept. 11 Case At Guantanamo

npr.org — A request for a delay in the Sept. 11 case at Guantanamo has been denied. Two lawyers close to the proceedings tell NPR that a military judge denied their request to delay the arraignment of the Sept. 11 suspects at Guantanamo until the summer.
RT @nprnews: Military Judge Denies Request To Delay Sept. 11 Case At Guantanamo http://t.co/wqIS4Bjy

Susan Stam-Bag

shop.npr.org — Susan Stamberg is the first woman to anchor a national nightly news program, and has won every major award in broadcasting. She has been inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the Radio Hall of Fame. An NPR founding mother, Stamberg is a pioneer at NPR and has been on staff since the network began in 1971.

Winklevoss Twins May Reap $300 Million From Facebook IPO

npr.org — Before we finish the week, we have to pass on at least one more story related to Facebook's plan to raise about $5 billion with its first sale of shares to the public. It seems that Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss - the "Winklevii" twins - could get up to $300 million worth of Facebook shares when the deal goes through.
Ka-ching RT @nprnews: Winklevoss Twins May Reap $300 Million From Facebook IPO http://t.co/1Rn2Yf1o
RT @nprnews: Winklevoss Twins May Reap $300 Million From Facebook IPO http://t.co/lTCrlTyI

3 Hidden Themes Of This Year's Super Bowl Ads

npr.org — Come Sunday millions of Americans will be watching Super Bowl XLVI. This year's NFL championship football game features New versus New - England and York. There will be dens of thousands swilling and spilling beer and pontificating about play action passes, blind-side sacks and franchise quarterbacks scrambling in and out of pockets.

Republican Contenders Take Pitches To Nevada

npr.org — Republican candidates are campaigning across the state ahead of Saturday's caucuses. The state looks much different than it did four years ago — today it leads the country in home foreclosures, personal bankruptcies and unemployment.
First time I've ever (knowingly) put a prostitute on the radio.-More at http://t.co/9t4kzZ7X

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Smash' Talk And Getting Serious About Reading

npr.org — We kick off this week's show (our 75th!) exactly where you'd expect to find us: having a thorough debate about the merits and demerits of NBC's heavily hyped new series Smash, which will debut on regular television on Monday night, but which you can find on Hulu or iTunes right now, if you're curious (and if those services are available to you).
Now with 40% less Stephen and a lot more @parul_sehgal: Pop Culture Happy Hour! Featuring Smash, books and more! http://t.co/msiZrhrH #PCHH
PEOPLE! Here is your newest Pop Culture Happy Hour, featuring @parul_sehgal, the best new #PCHH voice in forever: http://t.co/U5EW36r3

Federal Prosecutors Drop Doping Case Against Cyclist Lance Armstrong

npr.org — Federal prosecutors say they have dropped its doping case against seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. For two years, prosecutors looked into allegations that Armstrong and his United States Postal squad used performance-enhancing drugs. "In a press release, United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.

Freddie Mac's Regulator 'Completely Puzzled' By Allegations Of Conflict

npr.org — Saying he is "completely puzzled by the notion that there was something immoral that went on here," the man at the top of the agency that regulates Freddie Mac has explained why he believes the taxpayer-owned mortgage company did nothing wrong when one of its arms, as NPR and ProPublica have reported, "placed multibillion-dollar bets against American homeowners being able to refinance to cheaper mortgages."
In response to great work by @eisingerj RT @NPRinskeep Freddie Mac regulator Ed DeMarco defends firm's investments http://t.co/yuOSuQeX
Audio is up: Freddie Mac regulator Edward DeMarco defends firm's investments @MorningEdition http://t.co/xsXbGe0q

First Listen: Air, 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune'

npr.org — Air has recorded its share of soundtracks - some of the French duo's best work has accompanied the films of director Sofia Coppola - but Le Voyage Dans La Lune is different.
RT @emiliawrites: NPR has the new Air soundtrack to Meliere's Le Voyage Dans La Lune streaming http://t.co/4d3wBlgU
Today in "Stephen Writes Things": an essay accompanying NPR Music's full-album stream of Air's Le Voyage Dans La Lune! http://t.co/ZO302biI

All Songs Considered Blog

npr.org — Below are six drum intros and fills. Match the intro or fill to the album it's from. If you get it right, the artist and song names will appear. Hear a sneak preview of Bird's new record and some albums we played solely for the cover art.

Unemployment Rate Edges Down To 8.3 Percent

npr.org — The nation's unemployment rate dipped to 8.3 percent in January from 8.5 percent the month before as private employers added 257,000 jobs to their payrolls, the Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported. We'll add more from the report momentarily. Update at 8:48 a.m. ET.

Russian Communists Court Discontented Youth

npr.org — A snazzy new Communist Party poster shows two young, tech-savvy and attractive Russians. Both are smiling and dressed in red: The woman holds a red iPhone; the man holds a red laptop, his T-shirt emblazoned with a hammer and sickle. The slogan: "For the victory of the majority."
Russian Communists Court Discontented Youth: Two decades after communist rule ended in Russia, dissatisfaction w... http://t.co/V1CQkiLq

INFLUENCE GAME: Big Donors And What They Want

npr.org — WASHINGTON February 3, 2012, 03:51 pm ET WASHINGTON (AP) - The millionaires, billionaires and companies giving big sums to political committees supporting Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Barack Obama have important business with the next president. Some are already in trouble with the government.
The AP investigates the biggest #superPAC donors and what they want for their money: http://t.co/qjZn2LiC

What The FBI Wants In A Social Media Monitoring App

npr.org — The FBI has raised eyebrows in the tech world with a public document that asks for advice on how to harvest information from social networking sites. According to the document, the bureau is looking for a mapping app - or a "geospatial alert and analysis mapping application" - that, among other things, helps it search "publicly available" sources like Facebook and Twitter for national security threats.
Rand Waltzman cites FBI: http://t.co/hhzdBXLi …"whatever you do, spectre of TIA comes up & you're blocked from doing anything." #techatstate

Khmer Rouge's Chief Jailer Gets Life Sentence

npr.org — A U.N.-backed tribunal's Supreme Court lengthened the sentence for the Khmer Rouge's chief jailer to life imprisonment on Friday because of his "shocking and heinous" crimes against the Cambodian people. The surprise ruling increased a lower court's 19-year sentence for Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch.

Boom Town, U.S.A.

npr.org — by Robert Smith and Zoe Chace In the small-town of Elko, ambition looks like high-heel suede booties on the floor of the auto shop at the local high school. Brandi and Kaylee look like the Olsen twins. And they're the best auto-shop students at Elko High. The girls have a plan.
As Romney speaks in Elko, NV, here's a fascinating story about the town from my colleagues at @planetmoney: http://t.co/wTfNV1kk

It's All Politics, Feb. 2, 2012

npr.org — Newt's momentum is halted in Florida, and now Mitt has what looks to be a good month ahead of him, starting with Nevada on Saturday. Plus: women's health turns (more) political, Gov. Bev Perdue becomes the latest North Carolina Democrat to bow out, and we say goodbye to Boston's Kevin White.
The new podcast is up: Romney heads into a very friendly February. Plus: women's health becomes political. http://t.co/6R9dMTKc

The Ultimate NPR Workout Mix

npr.org — Everybody has that one song that pushes you into a sprint for your last half-mile. That urgent, four-on-the-floor beat that begs your feet to pound your bike's pedals up a killer hill.
The Ultimate NPR Workout Mix continues Monday @MorningEdition w/ @Equinox spin teacher @JustinRubin. Suggest your own http://t.co/uCjVJOwr

Spy Satellite Engineer's Top Secret Is Revealed

npr.org — Every day for decades, engineer Phil Pressel would come home from work and be unable to tell his wife what he'd been doing all day. Now, Pressel is free to speak about his life's work: designing cameras for a top-secret U.S. government spy satellite.
Old spy satellites sent film back to Earth in parachuted return capsule, which a C-130 plane would grab midair http://t.co/0nLv4T9E

After A Tepid Start, Cities Like Rome, Denver Receive Winter Battering

npr.org — Denver and Rome could not be farther apart. But today one city used to massive snow storms is facing a blizzard so big it cancelled 310 flights, even though the Denver airport has 500 workers clearing the snow. The other one hasn't seen this much snow since the '80s.
After A Tepid Start, Cities Like Rome, Denver Receive Winter Battering http://t.co/DDagSU7H

Have Economists Got It Wrong About The U.S.?

npr.org — Five years ago, Federal Reserve head Ben Bernanke said the housing sector wasn't a major economic concern. In fact, most experts failed to see the looming subprime mortgage crisis that sunk the U.S. economy. If they were so wrong about the Great Recession, it's possible they could also be blind to a "Great Recovery."
Is the Great Recovery underway? If so, how did economists miss it? http://t.co/SpjrNceA

NPR.org " Why Don Cornelius Matters

npr.org — The significance of Don Cornelius to American culture - and to the American culture business - is told nowhere more eloquently than in one brief exchange between Cornelius and singer James Brown, a story that Cornelius himself recalls in VH-1's excellent 2010 documentary Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America.

If Romney Misspoke About 'Poor' Why Did He Later Repeat Statement?

npr.org — In an interview Thursday, Mitt Romney said he "misspoke" when he infamously said earlier in the week that he was not concerned about the very poor because they had a safety net, and the very rich but, instead, was focused on the middle class.

First Listen: Air, 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune'

npr.org — Air has recorded its share of soundtracks - some of the French duo's best work has accompanied the films of director Sofia Coppola - but Le Voyage Dans La Lune is different.

Rights Group Says Syrian Security Forces Detained, Tortured Children

npr.org — Human Rights Watch has a harrowing report out today about what it says is the targeting of children by Syria's government forces. "Children have not been spared the horror of Syria's crackdown," Lois Whitman, children's rights director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
This is just disturbing. RT @nprnews Rights Group Says Syrian Security Forces Detained, Tortured Children http://t.co/ZXZUFfrJ

Could Healthier School Lunch Rules Hurt District Budgets?

stateimpact.npr.org — Critical though they may be in the Obama administration's effort to combat childhood obesity, some smaller school districts worry new federal health guidelines for school lunches could come at a high cost. From Indiana Public Media: Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation spokesperson Nancy Millspaugh says the district has already been working to make school meals healthier.

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

npr.org — Readers of 13.7 may have noticed headlines this past week trumpeting the latest "brain reading" breakthroughs coming out of UC Berkeley's neuroscience laboratories. I've written about related work before, here, here, and here. This latest research is dazzling.
RT @mocost: Philosopher of mind Alva Noë on reconstructing words from brain activity http://t.co/MnOYsHif My news story http://t.co/AsvpGiZN

Komen Foundation Now Says It Will Continue Grants To Planned Parenthood

npr.org — The Susan G. Komen Foundation just announced it will be providing grants to Planned Parenthood for that organization to use in basic screening and educating women about breast cancer. "We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities."

In Reversal, Komen Reinstates Funding For Planned Parenthood

npr.org — After days of controversy, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation has said it will reinstate funding for Planned Parenthood. Earlier this week, the foundation moved to discontinue funding of breast cancer screening by Planned Parenthood. The Associated Press reported the change came because of a new Komen policy forbidding grants to organizations under official investigation.
In Reversal, Komen Reinstates Funding For Planned Parenthood http://t.co/9XtQIUew

Komen Foundation Now Says It Will Continue Grants To Planned Parenthood

npr.org — The Susan G. Komen Foundation just announced it will be providing grants to Planned Parenthood for that organization to use in basic screening and educating women about breast cancer. "We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities."
Via @nprnews: Komen Foundation Now Says It Will Continue Grants To Planned Parenthood http://t.co/RHqqUEVN

Reports: Two American Women Freed In Egypt

npr.org — NBC News and al-Jazeera are reporting that police in Egypt say two American women and an Egyptian tour guide have been released by gunmen who kidnapped them earlier today near the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Billboards Slather On The Guilt With Anti-Cheese Campaign

npr.org — Yes, we're a nation of cheese-eaters. We load it onto pizza, layer it in burritos, sprinkle it on salads, and slap it on sandwiches. In fact, we eat about 31 pounds of it per person each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's estimates. That's nearly triple the amount Americans were eating in 1970.
Albany now more famous: Via @nprnews: Billboards Slather On The Guilt With Anti-Cheese Campaign http://t.co/Jc7a0JMS

Billboards Slather On The Guilt With Anti-Cheese Campaign

npr.org — Yes, we're a nation of cheese-eaters. We load it onto pizza, layer it in burritos, sprinkle it on salads, and slap it on sandwiches. In fact, we eat about 31 pounds of it per person each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's estimates. That's nearly triple the amount Americans were eating in 1970.

Mountain Man: A Choir Of Angels

npr.org — Standing amid hundred-year-old rubble, the Vermont trio fit an awful lot of moony harmonies into this all-too-brief performance of "Sewee Sewee."
Please spend 2 1/2 minutes soaking up this swoonily gorgeous Field Recordings session we shot with @we_are_mtn_man: http://t.co/L92zW75I

How Data Can (And Can't) Help Schools Get Ready For High-Stakes Tests

stateimpact.npr.org — How Data Can (And Can't) Help Schools Get Ready For High-Stakes Tests Imagine taking a test with some of the highest stakes of your academic career at the age of 8 or 9. That's what every Indiana third grader will do this March when they take the IREAD-3, a standardized test of their reading abilities.
RT @StateImpactIN: How student data can (and can't) help schools get ready for high-stakes tests: http://t.co/p4zjpZyp #edchat #edreform

Monkey See : NPR

npr.org — With the Super Bowl looming, three questions are buzzing around America: Who are you pulling for; who's singing at halftime; and where are you watching the game? And if you're hosting a party, you're also asking yourself: What am I going to feed these people?
Via @nprnews: In Match-Up Of Beer And Cheese, Everybody Wins - http://t.co/72iBudbM stout w/ stilton; goat cheese w/ saison; cheddar w/ IPA

All Songs Considered Blog

npr.org — Below are six drum intros and fills. Match the intro or fill to the album it's from. If you get it right, the artist and song names will appear. Hear a sneak preview of Bird's new record and some albums we played solely for the cover art.

Why Millions of Americans Have No Government ID

npr.org — Several states have tightened voting requirements, making it mandatory to show a form of government-issued photo ID before casting a ballot. But millions of Americans don't have a government ID. Host Michel Martin talks with NPR's Corey Dade about who is least likely to have one and why.

Axelrod Argues Obama Economic Policies Worked, Though There's More To Do

npr.org — David Axelrod, President Obama's political strategist, has what appears to be - from outside the president's re-election campaign, at least - a problem. Back in early 2009, when the Obama presidency was still brand new, the president gave that NBC News interview in which he talked about his administration being a "one-term proposition" if the economy didn't snap back in time for his re-election.
David Axelrod @MorningEdition on swing states, negative campaigns, and God Bless America http://t.co/uVT0ysi5

Egypt Roiling: Deaths At Protests; Two Americans Reportedly Kidnapped

npr.org — The news from Egypt is grim again today: - "At least two people have been shot and killed in the Egyptian city of Suez, as police used live rounds to hold back crowds during a protest over security forces' failure to prevent a deadly football riot," al-Jazeera reports.
Via @nprnews: Egypt Roiling: Deaths At Protests; Two Americans Reportedly Kidnapped http://t.co/qe4839JN

Regulator: Freddie Investments 'Nothing Unusual'

npr.org — Senators on Capitol Hill have criticized Edward DeMarco for the investment practices of Freddie Mac. DeMarco heads the federal agency that controls Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. NPR and ProPublica reported that certain trades at Freddie Mac amounted to bets against homeowners being able to refinance their mortgages.

Iran Defiant Amid Talk Of Israeli Attack On Its Nuclear Sites

npr.org — "We have our own threats to impose at the right time" and "I have no fear of saying that we will back and help any nation or group that wants to confront and fight against the Zionist regime (Israel)," Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today after reports surfaced that Israel could soon mount air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Via @nprnews: Iran Defiant Amid Talk Of Israeli Attack On Its Nuclear Sites http://t.co/ax3KCEAt

Freddie Mac's Regulator 'Completely Puzzled' By Allegations Of Conflict

npr.org — Saying he is "completely puzzled by the notion that there was something immoral that went on here," the man at the top of the agency that regulates Freddie Mac has explained why he believes the taxpayer-owned mortgage company did nothing wrong when one of its arms, as NPR and ProPublica have reported, "placed multibillion-dollar bets against American homeowners being able to refinance to cheaper mortgages."
Via @nprnews: Freddie Mac's Regulator 'Completely Puzzled' By Allegations Of Conflict http://t.co/isE9Osxj

The Mona Lisa's Twin Painting Discovered

npr.org — The Mona Lisa is one of the most enigmatic and iconic pieces of Western art. It has inspired countless replicas, but one such replica at the Madrid's Museo del Prado is attracting attention in its own right: conservators say that it was painted at the same time as the original - and possibly by one of the master's pupils, perhaps even a lover.

30 Years Later, Photos Emerge From Killings In Syria

npr.org — When Syrian ruler Hafez Assad brutally crushed an uprising in the city of Hama in 1982, details emerged slowly and there were virtually no photos. Now, Syrians are marking the event three decades later amid a new uprising. And a few photos from 1982 crackdown are now appearing, though their origins are hard to trace.

Operator, Can You Help Me Call The Love Of My Life?

npr.org — Peter and Jacqueline Headen's courtship story is one of ups and downs - spanning one war, three countries and four decades. It all started in 1958, at a roller-skating rink on the Indian Head naval base in Maryland. "I was there one night, and I saw this young lady skating around," Peter says.
RT @nprnews: StoryCorps: Operator, Can You Help Me Call The Love Of My Life? http://t.co/ajPJ0UGS

Defiant Syrians Speaking Out About 1982 Killings

npr.org — Thirty years ago, one of the bloodiest episodes in modern Middle East history unfolded as an anti-government uprising began in the Syrian city of Hama, and was met almost immediately with overwhelming government force.

30 Years Later, Photos Emerge From Killings In Syria

npr.org — When Syrian ruler Hafez Assad brutally crushed an uprising in the city of Hama in 1982, details emerged slowly and there were virtually no photos. Now, Syrians are marking the event three decades later amid a new uprising. And a few photos from 1982 crackdown are now appearing, though their origins are hard to trace.

US Marine Fights Conviction For Suicide Attempt

npr.org — HAGERSTOWN, Md. February 2, 2012, 02:37 pm ET HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - A discharged Marine private who slit his wrists in a suicide attempt is fighting his military conviction for deliberately injuring himself, arguing the punishment is inconsistent with the armed forces' efforts to battle a rise in suicides during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

First Listen: Air, 'Le Voyage Dans La Lune'

npr.org — Air has recorded its share of soundtracks - some of the French duo's best work has accompanied the films of director Sofia Coppola - but Le Voyage Dans La Lune is different.

Is That CEO Being Honest? Tone Of Voice May Tell A Lot

npr.org — The conversation earlier today between Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep and NPR's Shankar Vedantam about software that can reportedly detect when a CEO might be trying to hide something during a conference call with investment analysts sent us off on a search for more about the research that Shankar was discussing.
NPR: Is That CEO Being Honest? Tone Of Voice May Tell A Lot// Holy cow! Can I get this for interviews? #vegas-More at http://t.co/O5dMZG2z

NPR.org " A List Of Things Which Are More 'Jazz' Than Bad Jazz Music

npr.org — A List Of Things Which Are More 'Jazz' Than Bad Jazz Music For non-playing participants, jam sessions can be difficult musical experiences. As "hangs," or social gatherings, they aren't so bad - sometimes you learn a lot by talking to the musicians there. But the quality of the music itself often varies.
I hate the spirit of this. I'll take a bad session over half of the junk on the radio. http://t.co/NLpmNvJh » http://t.co/tiN5sZYR

Why Don Cornelius Matters

npr.org — The host and creator of the long-running TV show Soul Train died Wednesday morning. His show proved a truism about America and race that so few people, even today, understand: Black culture, expressed in undiluted form and unapologetically, will by virtue become accepted by the American mainstream.

New Donations Help Planned Parenthood Make Up Most Of Komen's Funding

npr.org — Planned Parenthood says a flurry of new donations over the past couple of days has essentially made up the funding gap left by Susan G. Komen for the Cure's decision to discontinue funding for the organization. Bloomberg reports that as of Wednesday afternoon, Planned Parenthood had received $400,000 in pledges from 6,000 donors.

How One Hospital Entices Doctors To Work In Rural America

npr.org — Instead of offering big salaries and other perks, the CEO of tiny Ashland Health Clinic, in southwest Kansas, lures physicians with "a job that matters." In addition to meeting a real need on a daily basis in Ashland, doctors also get eight weeks off to do missionary work overseas.
Top story in Health Care Today (http://t.co/RdV2odBs) also a great case study for luring someone to a job that matt…http://t.co/GLsFJrLi
This was a terrific story on NPR this morning about how to use the mission to recruit docs to rural hospitals: http://t.co/8yDcjiki

New Mix: Blistering Punk, Campy Rap And Some Great Unknowns

npr.org — This week on All Songs Considered: Bob Boilen drops a party-rap track direct from Canada; Robin Hilton explains what he loves so much about Thomas Patrick Maguire, the songwriter he recently named his favorite new artist; and a surprise guest busts up the proceedings with some good old-fashioned California punk.
Great chat about @ItsYoungMagic in last week's @allsongs New Mix. Listen to the talk + song 'Slip Time' http://t.co/SjGcN6Ef

Lana Del Rey: The Self-Made Pop Star As Target

npr.org — Lana Del Rey appeared on Saturday Night Live recently, giving two rather tentative performances that, depending on your point of view, were awkward and amateurish or shrewdly restrained and vulnerable. Del Rey, in her mid-20s, attracts polarizing opinions. Her appearance on SNL was only the most high-profile example of the extreme reaction Del Rey provokes.
My Lana Del Rey radio review today http://t.co/q92L6J1k She says she has a "tar-black soul." I hear a red romantic heart @nprfreshair

Senate Passes Ban On Insider Trading

npr.org — Trying to restore lawmakers' sagging image with voters, the Senate has passed a bill to explicitly prohibit members of Congress, top aides and senior administration officials from insider trading. It requires them to publicly disclose financial transactions within 30 days instead of once a year. The bill, which passed 96-3, now goes to the House.

Freddie Mac's Conflict Is 'Unsavory,' 'Shocking,' 'Stunning,' Key Senators Say

npr.org — Two senators who have taken the lead on legislation aimed to help homeowners refinance at historically low interest rates were blunt this morning about how concerned they are by the news NPR reported earlier this week that Freddie Mac "has placed multibillion-dollar bets against American homeowners being able to refinance to cheaper mortgages."
RT @eisingerj "Worst meeting of my life" Sens Boxer & Isakson on Ed Demarco http://t.co/ELHjzjOc Reax to our story http://t.co/r1mun0cD
"Worst meeting of my life" Grt @NPR get w/ Sens Boxer & Isakson on Ed Demarco http://t.co/NfbMIBpo Reax to our story http://t.co/DXJMOBFy

Trump Endorses Romney In Surprise Shift

npr.org — In Las Vegas today, Mitt Romney picked up the endorsement of multimillionaire businessman Donald Trump. Trump's endorsement comes one day after the former Massachusetts governor stirred up controversy — on the left and the right — by saying he's "not concerned about the very poor." Host Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Ari Shapiro.
If Romney's trying to get beyond the elitism accusations, a Trump endorsement may not be the best way to do it: http://t.co/IGvHew4U

Researchers Say Malaria Deaths Are Twice The Official Count

npr.org — The World Health Organization estimates that 655,000 people died of malaria in 2010. But a new report says no, the real total is twice as high - 1.24 million people. If the new numbers are right, it means there's little chance that malaria deaths can be cut to near-zero by 2015, just three years from now.

Senate Passes Ban On Insider Trading

npr.org — Trying to restore lawmakers' sagging image with voters, the Senate has passed a bill to explicitly prohibit members of Congress, top aides and senior administration officials from insider trading. It requires them to publicly disclose financial transactions within 30 days instead of once a year. The bill, which passed 96-3, now goes to the House.

Lawmaker Leading Probe: 'Someone Needs To Go' At Justice Over Fast And Furious

npr.org — The Republican lawmaker who has been leading a yearlong investigation into the failed gun-trafficking operation known as Fast and Furious acknowledged Thursday that the probe has turned up no evidence that Attorney General Eric Holder approved the idea. Yet Rep.
RT @johnson_carrie: NPR: Lawmaker Leading Probe: 'Someone Needs To Go' At Justice Over Fast And Furious-More at http://t.co/U6LXCyYQ

As Komen Defends Itself, Planned Parenthood Rakes In Substitute Funds

npr.org — Leaders of the breast-cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure tried in vain Thursday to contain the controversy stemming from its decision to end its grants to Planned Parenthood. But it's becoming clearer that Planned Parenthood has the upper hand in the battle.
As Komen Defends Itself, Planned Parenthood Rakes In Substitute Funds http://t.co/g9qvKVtT

Soon Facebook Growth Will Be About Users Clocking In More Time

npr.org — The number of new American Facebook users is going down and eventually the same will happen in every other market. Soon, Facebook's growth is going to depend on each user spending more time logged in, playing games, watching movies, planning trips and the list goes on.
Facebook wants u in it's universe. that's the plan if it wants 2 keep shareholders happy. piece airs now on NPR/ATC http://t.co/f4xvlr8I
Facebook's IPO means they will work hard 2 get u 2 spending more time w. them: Enter the Facebook Universe,never leave. http://t.co/f4xvlr8I

Iceland's Stoic, Sardonic 'Independent People'

npr.org — I'd like to introduce you to the most maddening person I've ever encountered in my life: Bjartur of Summerhouses. I've known him for 15 years, and he never fails to infuriate me; he is querulous, contrary, hard-hearted and stubborn. And yet, I find myself drawn to him again and again.
Halldór Laxness: Independent People http://t.co/wBJketE3 I also read his The Fish Can Sing, translated by Magnus Magnusson, lovely & odd

Interactive: 2012 Campaign Cash, Week By Week

npr.org — While President Obama outraised each of his potential Republican rivals in the last three months of 2011, the latest Federal Election Commission reports show that Mitt Romney's campaign pulled in more money in most weeks from those giving more than $200 each. The figures also show how the new superPACs supporting each candidate performed across the three-month period.
D'accord. RT @stereogab nicely done! RT @peteroverby: Compare presidential & #superpac fundraising week-by-week: http://t.co/4shSQpmn
Compare presidential & superpac fundraising week-by-week: http://t.co/T2r9XFhx

Are You Really A Musician?

npr.org — We've come a long way from banging a couple of rocks together to make music. Apple's version of Garageband for the iPad, for example, includes "smart" instruments that play all the keyboard, bass, guitar and drum parts for you with the push of a button. It's pretty cool.

Wislawa Szymborska, Poet Of Gentle Irony, Dies At 88­

npr.org — Czarek Sokolowski/Associated Press The surest path to international fame as a poet probably doesn't involve writing short poems about sea cucumbers. Yet for the Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska (pronounced vees-WAH-vah sheem-BOHR-skah), who won the Nobel Prize in 1996 and died yesterday, the little things - onions, tarsiers, and yes, sea cucumbers - turned out to be very big indeed.
RT @tomforemski: Wislawa Szymborska, Poet Of Gentle Irony, Dies At 88­-More at http://t.co/fmGPgx7O

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Nice chat with @sharonvanetten in advance of her 2/14 @wexarts show. Love her music...stream via NPR: http://t.co/oKmJpXz1

From Shipwrecked Concordia, A Treasure Beckons

npr.org — In the chaotic evacuation of the Costa Concordia, passengers and crew abandoned almost everything on board the cruise ship: jewels, cash, champagne, antiques, 19th-century Bohemian crystal glassware and thousands of art objects, including 300-year-old woodblock prints by a Japanese master. Now, a veritable treasure lies beneath the pristine Italian waters where the luxury liner ran aground last month.
RT @nprnews: From Shipwrecked #Concordia, A Treasure Beckons http://t.co/wlV1QtKA Once bodies are out, "a mad dash for valuables."

Honda Owner's Win In Small Claims Court Could Start A Trend

npr.org — What happens next now that Heather Peters has won her case? She's the California woman who took Honda to small claims court because her hybrid Civic wasn't getting as the 50 miles per gallon she'd been promised. Well, she may never collect the $9,867 she was awarded.
RT @nprnews: Honda Owner's Win In Small Claims Court Could Start A Trend http://t.co/PrTsKOiD

Honda Owner's Win In Small Claims Court Could Start A Trend

npr.org — What happens next now that Heather Peters has won her case? She's the California woman who took Honda to small claims court because her hybrid Civic wasn't getting as the 50 miles per gallon she'd been promised. Well, she may never collect the $9,867 she was awarded.
Via @nprnews: Honda Owner's Win In Small Claims Court Could Start A Trend http://t.co/zLcaPtF8

RuPaul: Half A Century Of Pure Glamour

npr.org — RuPaul is known for his dazzling dresses, sky-high wigs and even higher stiletto heels. His latest accomplishment is hosting "RuPaul's Drag Race," a modeling competition for drag queens, now in its fourth season. Host Michel Martin speaks with 51-year-old entertainer, singer and model RuPaul.
As a professional gay, I have known about @RuPaul for ages. But I did not know that RuPaul started out in a punk band. http://t.co/eVRQMBgZ

Tell Me More : NPR

npr.org — "Nothing is assumed." That's the unofficial motto of Tell Me More, the Monday-Friday talk show with host Michel Martin. Grounded in lively interviewing and compelling storytelling, the program seeks to present diverse new voices, cross borders, challenge conventional wisdom and discover how other people think.

Will 'No Child' Waivers Leave Behind At-Risk Students?

stateimpact.npr.org — Will ‘No Child' Waivers Leave Behind At-Risk Students? Congressional Democrats and civil rights groups have been waving red flags over the Obama administration's plans to waive key requirements of the No Child Left Behind act for states, and it looks like federal education officials have noticed.
RT @NPRStateImpact: Will No Child Left Behind waivers leave behind at-risk students? http://t.co/yoBzHLiF via @stateimpactIN

A Scientist's Appeal: Data, Language and Men's Hats

npr.org — Most of us remember from science class that data, a plural noun, should appear with a plural verb. But in every day usage many of us, myself included, are apt to say "the data is" instead of "the data are."
RT @StevenJCrowley: NPR ombudsman gives OK to "data is" http://t.co/HuHBG6Oe < oh hells bells how much crap I've heard about this. #relief

Romney Tries To Dig Out From 'Poor' Comment

npr.org — Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney likely planned to spend yesterday basking in the glow of his victory in Tuesday's Florida primary. Instead, he struggled to explain his comment that he's "not concerned about the very poor." The comment was made in an interview on CNN. Critics on the left and the right pounced.

Hospitality, Compact Downtown Make Indy A Super Bowl City, Mayor Says

npr.org — Lots of folks are obviously very excited in Indianapolis as Sunday's Super Bowl at the city's Lucas Oil Stadium approaches. Just check the front of the Indianapolis Star's website from earlier this hour. The newspaper was leading with this news: "Sources: Madonna Holds 5-Hour Rehearsal For Super Bowl Show."
Via @nprnews: Hospitality, Compact Downtown Make Indy A Super Bowl City, Mayor Says http://t.co/pb4D2Bg6

How One Hospital Entices Doctors To Work In Rural America

npr.org — Instead of offering big salaries and other perks, the CEO of tiny Ashland Health Clinic, in southwest Kansas, lures physicians with "a job that matters." In addition to meeting a real need on a daily basis in Ashland, doctors also get eight weeks off to do missionary work overseas.
Via @nprnews: Enticing Docs To Work In Rural America. Or: how this reporter lasted 3 whole days without Starbucks. http://t.co/OtsURCai

NYPD Document: Gather Intel Info At Shiite Mosques

npr.org — NEW YORK February 2, 2012, 11:45 am ET NEW YORK (AP) - A secret police document shows that the New York Police Department recommended increasing surveillance of thousands of Muslims and their mosques based solely on their religion. The Associated Press obtained a copy of a May 2006 NYPD intelligence report on Iran.

Wislawa Szymborska, Poet of Gentle Irony, Dies at 88­

npr.org — Czarek Sokolowski/Associated Press The surest path to international fame as a poet probably doesn't involve writing short poems about sea cucumbers. Yet for the Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska (pronounced vees-WAH-vah sheem-BOHR-skah), who won the Nobel Prize in 1996 and died yesterday, the little things - onions, tarsiers, and yes, sea cucumbers - turned out to be very big indeed.
My wife and I had Wislawa Szymborska's "Nothing Twice" quoted on our wedding program. All hail. http://t.co/zuTJU1oV via @nprbooks

Komen Says Efficiency, Not Politics, Drove Planned Parenthood Change

npr.org — The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation said it regretted the effect of its new funding policy on groups such as Planned Parenthood. But the group denied politics played any role in its decision and said such allegations were a distraction from the search for cancer cures.
Via @nprnews: Komen Says Efficiency, Not Politics, Drove Planned Parenthood Change http://t.co/k5zWURNf

Fired And Foreclosed: Unemployment Lit

npr.org — Stewart O'Nan is an unfailingly smart and affecting novelist, but never more so, I think, than when he writes about the economic struggles of ordinary folks. His great 2007 novella, Last Night at the Lobster, is about the last shift at a closing seafood restaurant in a crummy New England mall.

Gingrich? Romney? Neither?

m.npr.org — Trump's Announcement Set For Mid-Afternoon: Gingrich? Romney? Neither? As the never-shy Donald Trump prepares for what he says will be "a major announcement ... pertaining to the presidential race" at 3:30 p.m. ET in Las Vegas, there's word from CNN that its sources say the Donald will endorse Newt Romney's bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
NPR: "the Donald will endorse Newt Romney's bid for the Republican presidential nomination." http://t.co/zq2tUZDs

Punxsutawney Phil Sees Six More Weeks Of Winter

npr.org — Time for Americans to pause and watch as a Pennsylvania groundhog supposedly tells us whether we will or won't have six more weeks of winter. Punxsutawney Phil is due to emerge from his "burrow" at 7:20 a.m ET. As everyone knows, "if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather.
Amost a dead-ringer for Bill Murray pulls Punxsutawney Phil from his burrow. #sixmoreweeks #groundhogday http://t.co/GE4xQVF4

Trump's Announcement Set For Mid-Afternoon: Gingrich? Romney? Neither?

npr.org — As the never-shy Donald Trump prepares for what he says will be "a major announcement ... pertaining to the presidential race" at 3:30 p.m. ET in Las Vegas, there's word from CNN that its sources say the Donald will endorse Newt Romney's bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Via @nprnews: Trump's Announcement Set For Mid-Afternoon: Gingrich? Romney? Neither? http://t.co/pcVejNjs

¡Metal! 9 New Latin Metal Bands You Should Be Listening To

npr.org — Language Advisory: This audio contains lyrics that some listeners may find offensive. With music, as with so many other things in this life, when you go to great lengths to avoid something for fear of not understanding it, your apprehension can snowball. I have to confess this happened to me with heavy metal.
It's official, the Black Twilight Circle has invaded NPR. Or, at least, Tukaaria. http://t.co/yx16YiWY
RT @SearchyDestroy: Ahora sí! 9 Bandas Latinas que DEBERÍAN estar escuchando! http://t.co/gl2FJ94w ACRANIA, MAJESTIC DOWNFALL, THE ARKIT ...
In which @searchydestroy and I take over the @AltLatino podcast and spin our favorite Latin American metal bands. http://t.co/yx16YiWY

Dog-Gone Genetics: A Few Genes Control Fido's Looks

npr.org — Humans are complicated genetic jigsaw puzzles. Hundreds of genes are involved in determining something as basic as height. But man's best friend is a different story. New research shows that almost every physical trait in dogs - from a dachshund's stumpy legs to a shar-pei's wrinkles - is controlled by just a few genes.

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ODD @npr story on Romney "very poor" comment -- suggests his gaffes taken out of context. Source? Sage/loon @ewerickson http://t.co/16ueJOjY

Baratunde Thurston Explains 'How To Be Black'

npr.org — It's no coincidence that Baratunde Thurston's new memoir and satirical self-help book How To Be Black was slated for release on the first day of Black History Month. "I feel great about that," Thurston tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross.
Read this. @nprbooks: Baratunde Thurston Explains 'How To Be Black' http://t.co/hieuOvjc

Prokofiev And The 'Fourth Orange'

npr.org — Earlier this week via a fellow music scribe's blog, I came across a very beautiful animated short about Prokofiev. Director Julia Titova's Fourth Orange is a wistfully brilliant little film now making the film festival rounds. It includes generous doses of Prokofiev's music and imaginative evocations of iconic pictures of the composer.
RT @cbcr2opera: RT @nprclassical: Watch a beautiful & bittersweet animated short about Prokofiev's life and work: http://t.co/Zow2Kqpb

Angelo Dundee, 'Savvy Cornerman' For Ali And Others, Has Died

npr.org — We should pause to note the death of Angelo Dundee, the "genial trainer" of 15 world champion boxers, most notably Muhammad Ali. Dundee, 90, died Wednesday night at his home in Tampa. His son Jimmy tells The Associated Press that Dundee was hospitalized last week for a blood clot.
Via @nprnews: Angelo Dundee, 'Savvy Cornerman' For Ali And Others, Has Died http://t.co/QPP6DjNl

Jobless Claims Fell By 12,000 Last Week

npr.org — The number of Americans filing first-time claims for jobless benefits fell by 12,000 last week, to 367,000 from 379,000 the week before, the Employment and Training Administration just reported. The agency also said that "the 4-week moving average was 375,750, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average of 377,750."

Actor Bill Murray

npr.org — He's nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in the film Lost in Translation. Murray, originally a Second City alum, got his start as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Notable film appearances include The Royal Tenenbaums, Kingpin, Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters and Caddyshack. Hear two interviews from 1991 and 1999.
RT @nprfreshair: In honor of Groundhog Day, here's two interviews from the archives with Bill Murray: http://t.co/mfHYZMSI

Planned Parenthood Vs. Komen: Women's Health Giants Face Off Over Abortion

npr.org — Two of the nation's most iconic women's health groups are engaged in a nasty fight that's raising a lot of eyebrows. The breast-cancer charity Susan G Komen For the Cure is pulling about $700,000 in breast cancer screening and service grants from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
NPR: Planned Parenthood Vs. Komen: Women's Health Giants Face Off Over Abortion-More at http://t.co/GVZhKB0p