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Participation Nation
6:56 am
Thu August 2, 2012

They Take The Cake in Boise, Idaho

Credit Emilie Ritter Saunders for NPR
Sweetness: Kathy Plaisance and about 50 other bakers use their skills to bring sweet treats to people who might otherwise be overlooked.

Originally published on Thu August 2, 2012 1:02 pm

This month we are collecting your stories about the good things Americans are doing to make their community a better place. Some of your contributions will become blog posts and the project will end with a story that weaves together submissions to make a story of Americans by Americans for Americans.

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The Two-Way
6:43 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Psychiatrist Was Alarmed By Aurora Shooting Suspect's Behavior, Media Report

Credit RJ Sangosti / Getty Images
James Holmes, who's accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58.

Originally published on Thu August 2, 2012 11:50 am

A University of Colorado Denver psychiatrist was so worried about James Holmes' behavior that in early June she began the process of getting the school's "threat assessment" team involved in his case, sources with knowledge of the investigation into the movie theater shooting suspect are telling two Denver news outlets.

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House & Senate Races
5:27 am
Thu August 2, 2012

GOP Has Big Hopes For Missouri Senate Race

Originally published on Thu August 2, 2012 9:07 am

Republicans hope to win control of the U.S. Senate from Democrats in November, and one seat they have high hopes for is in Missouri.

Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill is facing a tough re-election fight. Outside conservative groups have already been running ads against her. On Tuesday, Republicans will select their candidate for the fall.

Meet The Candidates

In Neosho, Mo., on the edge of the Ozarks, summertime in an election year can only mean one thing: the Newton County Republican Party's watermelon fest.

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National Security
5:25 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Drones: From War Weapon To Homemade Toy

Originally published on Thu August 2, 2012 3:19 pm

Drones transformed the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan. But their use has been extremely limited in U.S. skies. The Federal Aviation Administration essentially bans the commercial use of drones, and government use is still highly restricted.

But that's changing.

For a long time, drones, which are formally known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, were exotic, expensive and out of reach for all but military users. Today, however, a clever hobbyist can have his own eye in the sky.

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Strange News
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Will You Marry Me? Wait, Where Are You?

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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Destination Art
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Marfa, Texas: An Unlikely Art Oasis In A Desert Town

Originally published on Thu August 2, 2012 5:36 pm

This tiny town perched on the high plains of the Chihuahua desert is nothing less than an arts world station of the cross, like Art Basel in Miami, or Documenta in Germany. It's a blue-chip arts destination for the sort of glamorous scenesters who visit Amsterdam for the Rijksmuseum and the drugs.

"They speak about Marfa with the same kind of reverent tones generally reserved for the pilgrimage of the Virgin of Lourdes," notes Carolina Miranda, a writer who covers the art world.

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Technology
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Amazon Takes Entertainment Step With App Offerings

Amazon is positioning itself to be a bigger player in the digital music and movie market. This week, the company announced that it would be offering its movie and music apps on more devices including Apple's iPad. NPR's Laura Sydell has the story.

Economy
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

The Swing Back After Stock Market Glitch

Federal regulators are trying to piece together what happened in the stock market Wednesday morning. Just after the opening bell, the prices of dozens of stocks began to gyrate up and down. The swings were soon traced to a software glitch at a New Jersey brokerage firm called Knight Capital. NPR's Jim Zarroli joins Steve Inskeep with more.

Business
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

After Revolution, Cinnabon Sweetens Libyan Capital

In Libya, now that the revolution is over, you can have a Cinnabon. That cinnamon smell that flavors the air in food courts and airports around this country is now wafting through downtown Tripoli, Libya's capital.

Middle East
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Syrian Rebels Gain Ground, And Criticsm

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 9:22 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep, good morning.

Fighters for the Free Syrian Army are getting their hands on heavier weapons than normal. They used a captured tank to open fire on a government airbase. That happened outside the country's largest city, Aleppo, where despite a clear advantage in numbers and weapons, the government has not been able to take the city back after five days of intense fighting.

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NPR Story
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Back To The Debt Debacle: A Look At What's Changed

Originally published on Thu August 2, 2012 10:53 am

It was just a year ago that the House rejected a deal with President Obama and threatened to allow the U.S. to default on debt obligations coming due. The Tea Party refusal to raise the debt ceiling led to a downgrade in U.S. credit and a selloff in the markets. NPR's David Welna reports on what's changed since then and what hasn't.

NPR Story
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Breaking Tax Code: Obama Jumps On Romney's Policy

A new study by some prominent tax analysts looks at how much Mitt Romney would have to reorder the tax code in order to make the tax cuts he proposes. As NPR's Ari Shapiro reports, that became a rallying cry for President Obama during a pair of campaign stops in Ohio Wednesday.

Education
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

A Survey Of Families: Grappling With College Costs

Renee Montagne interviews Sarah Ducich, senior vice president for public policy at Sallie Mae. The big student lender just issued a major report on how families are paying for college these days and among the findings, it shows that students are taking on more of the burden of paying for college compared to before.

Sports
4:32 am
Thu August 2, 2012

Medals And Scandals: An Olympic Update

Thursday is day seven of the Summer Olympics. Another big moment is on tap for American swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. The host country looks to add to its suddenly growing tally of medals. And badminton marches on, its image battered by scandal. Renee Montagne talks to NPR's Tom Goldman about all things Olympics.

Music Reviews
6:09 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

The Very Best: A Band's Summer Escape With A Message

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 9:45 am

The high-tech pop intro to The Very Best's song "Kondaine" suggests a carefree summer party. There's Afropop uplift to the sound and Top 40 melodiousness to the vocal.

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Books
5:56 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

Famous For His Hates: The Cool, Witty Gore Vidal

Chris Bram is the author of the novel Gods and Monsters.

Gore Vidal was famous for his hates: academia, presidents, whole portions of the American public and, most notably, Truman Capote. Yet he could be incredibly generous to other writer friends. He wrote beautiful, appreciative essays about Tennessee Williams and Dawn Powell.

He was a man of many facets and endless contradictions.

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It's All Politics
5:15 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

Romney Adviser Defends Candidate's Statements About Palestinian Culture

Credit Jason Reed / Reuters /Landov
Dan Senor, senior national security aide to Mitt Romney, speaks to the press en route to Israel from London on Saturday.

Originally published on Sun August 5, 2012 1:05 pm

A top foreign policy adviser to Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended statements the Republican presidential candidate made in Israel about the cultural differences between Israelis and Palestinians.

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Poetry Games
4:18 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

'The Wrestler' Grapples With Myth, Power And Love

Originally published on Mon August 13, 2012 9:15 am

A Muslim-American poet and novelist of Indian descent, Kazim Ali's work has been featured in Best American Poetry and the American Poetry Review. He teaches at Oberlin College.

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The Torch
3:39 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

U.S. Marine Boxer: 'I'm Proud Of How Far I've Come,' Despite Olympics Loss

Credit Jack Guez / AFP/Getty Images
Jamel Herring of the U.S. departs the ring after his loss to Daniyar Yeleussinov in their boxing match at the London Olympics. Herring, an active-duty Marine, is the U.S. team captain.

U.S. Olympic boxing team captain Jamel Herring lost his light welterweight bout yesterday, but it's not the first setback he's faced — and he says he won't let his team lose its momentum in the London Olympics because of his defeat.

As the AP reports:

"After surviving two tours in Iraq and returning to boxing after the sudden death of his infant daughter in her crib three years ago, Herring knows a bit about composure and focus."

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It's All Politics
3:19 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

In Ohio, Obama Seeks Middle-Class Mantle Romney's Team Would Deny Him

Credit Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
President Obama argued in Mansfield, Ohio, that he was the true defender of middle-class voters.

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 4:38 pm

Asia
3:17 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

India's Blackout: In The Dark About Being In The Dark

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 4:26 pm

This might sound strange, but I was on the streets of New Delhi when the power went out Tuesday and I didn't learn about the biggest blackout in history until I read about it later online.

The roads did seem particularly crowded, even for New Delhi. And it did seem odd that the streets were clogged with children in school uniforms and lines of office workers so early in the day.

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Science
3:12 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

At Old Mine, Hopes Of Striking Gold With Dark Matter

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 4:54 pm

In Lead, S.D., a steel cage drops almost a mile below ground into the Sanford Underground Laboratory. It's formerly the deepest underground gold mine in North America, and when it closed a decade ago, state officials hoped that an underground science laboratory along with on-site university classes could spur economic development.

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The Torch
3:05 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

Nathan Adrian Takes Gold In 100m Freestyle, Defeating France's Agnel

Credit Gabriel Bouys / AFP/Getty Images
Yo Adrian! Swimmer Nathan Adrian (right) celebrates with Canada's Brent Hayden (left) after winning the men's 100m freestyle at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

American swimmer Nathan Adrian's name hasn't been on everyone's mind, the way that Michael Phelps' or Ryan Lochte's has. But he did something that even Lochte couldn't do this week: beat Yannick Agnel in a head-to-head race.

Adrian's time of 47.52 seconds in the men's 100-meter freestyle gave him his first individual gold medal, as he also beat James Magnussen of Australia, who came in second, and Brent Hayden of Canada.

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The Two-Way
2:55 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day Brings Out Supportive Crowds

Credit Travis Heying / Wichita Eagle / MCT /Landov
The line stretched into the parking lot today at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Wichita, Kan.

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 4:13 pm

The call from conservatives such as former Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum to short support for Chick-fil-A and company President Dan Cathy's stand against same-sex marriage has produced long lines at the fast-food chain's restaurants today, judging from news reports:

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Europe
2:50 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

Russia Charges Leading Dissident With Embezzlement

Credit Misha Japaridze / AP
Russian protest leader Alexei Navalny speaks to the media as he arrives for questioning at the headquarters of the Russian Investigation committee in Moscow on Monday.

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 4:54 pm

Government prosecutors in Russia have brought criminal charges against a leading dissident, Alexei Navalny.

Navalny writes a popular blog that points to alleged corruption in the Russian government, and he helped lead the anti-government protests in Moscow this past winter.

He says the charges — that he stole timber from a state-owned company — are part of a campaign to crack down on opposition by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime.

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The Torch
2:40 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

A Medal And Marmite For Team Kiwi

Credit Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Here's a curious little bit of news from the BBC:

"New Zealand competitors who win medals at the London Olympics have been offered an unusual reward — food parcels containing jars of Marmite."

"The spread has been in short supply since March, after the manufacturer was forced to close its only factory because of earthquake damage."

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The Torch
2:32 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

U.S. Flag-Bearer Zagunis Fails To Medal In Sabre

Credit Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images
American fencer Mariel Zagunis (left), the two-time gold medal winner in sabre, shakes hands after losing to Ukraine's Olga Kharlan in their bronze medal match at London's ExCel Center.

Decorated fencer Mariel Zagunis, who carried the U.S. flag into Olympic Stadium as part of the London 2012 opening ceremony, lost in the bronze medal match in the sabre Wednesday afternoon, falling to Olga Kharlan of Ukraine, 15-10.

The loss means that Zagunis, 27, will leave London without a medal — there is no team sabre medal at this year's Olympics (we'll post more about that situation soon).

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The Salt
2:01 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

'Sweet Child O' Mine,' Julia Child Mash-Up Honors America's First Top Chef

Credit AP
Julia Child prepares a French delicacy in her cooking studio on Nov. 24, 1970.

Originally published on Mon October 22, 2012 10:31 am

Julia Child, the woman credited with singlehandedly teaching America how to cook, would have turned 100 years old on August 15 this year.

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NPR Story
1:07 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

Crustacean Adventures — Love at First Crack

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 4:53 pm

Maggie Shipstead just published her first novel, Seating Arrangements.

There haven't been very many. I started late. Until I was 21, I thought I didn't like seafood. Then I got tipsy and ate a whole lobster, and my life changed.

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The Torch
12:26 pm
Wed August 1, 2012

What's A Gold Medal Really Worth?

Credit Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images
Plenty To Smile About: Weightlifter Maiya Maneza of Kazakhstan celebrates on the podium with her new 400-gram gold medal, matching the feat of her compatriot Zulfiya Chinshanlo. The Kazakh Olympians will each receive a $250,000 bonus.

Weighing 400 grams, the Olympic gold medals that are being doled out at the London 2012 Summer Games are the heaviest ever, according to reports. But that doesn't mean they're the most valuable: at an estimated $620.82, they're nearly $590 short of the $1,207.86 value held by a gold medal from the Stockholm Games of 1912.

The discrepancy stems from the fact that the 2012 gold medals contain only 6 grams of gold; the rest is silver and copper. In fact, the London bling contains more copper than gold, which is only used to coat the medals with a plating layer.

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