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13.7: Cosmos And Culture
8:13 am
Tue July 31, 2012

What Do To With A Self Once You Get One

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 12:17 pm

"I don't read self-help books. On any given day my self seems to need so much help that 200 pages of cheerful advice and end-of-chapter exercises miss the core of my dilemma. The real question keeping me up at night is this: What the hell is a self anyway? How did I get one and why is it so damn desperate for help?"

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Strange News
8:04 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Police Use Their Heads To Hem In Runaway Hamster

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Strange News
7:56 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Olympic Volunteers Cash In On Ceremony Souvenirs

The Telegraph reports that props from the Olympics opening ceremony are appearing on eBay — everything from an "Industrial Revolution" costume, to pieces of confetti that erupted as Great Britain's team entered the stadium. Some of the performers are calling it "crass." But a seller pointed out it is in the spirit of the games — because it could "help me achieve my own ambitions."

London 2012: The Summer Olympics
7:52 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Critic Of Olympics Telecast Says Twitter Blocked Him

Guy Adams, a reporter at the British daily The Independent, says his Twitter account was shut down after he urged followers to contact an NBC executive with their gripes about the delayed broadcast. He included the name of the network's Olympics president and his e-mail address. NBC filed a complaint with Twitter, arguing the tweet violated the service's privacy rules because it included personal information.

The Two-Way
7:50 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Reports: GOP Lawmakers Blame Five ATF Officials For 'Fast And Furious'

"Republican congressional investigators have concluded that five senior ATF officials ... are collectively responsible for the failed Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation that was 'marred by missteps, poor judgments and inherently reckless strategy,' " the Los Angeles Times reports.

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Election 2012
7:45 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Controversy Followed Romney On Overseas Trip

Originally published on Sun August 5, 2012 2:02 pm

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, wrapped up a week-long foreign trip today, with a speech in Warsaw, Poland. His trip overseas, which began in London and then on to Jerusalem, was designed to bolster Romney's foreign policy credentials, but instead it's been riddled with gaffs and controversy.

Joining us now from Warsaw, is NPR's Eric Westervelt. Good morning.

ERIC WESTERVELT, BYLINE: Good morning, Renee.

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London 2012: The Summer Olympics
7:45 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Franklin's Backstroke Wins Her First Olympic Gold

American swimmer Missy Franklin is back in the Olympic pool in London Tuesday for her third race in two days. The 17-year-old from Colorado is being cast as America's next great swimming star. She fit the bill Monday with her first gold medal, in the 100-meter backstroke.

London 2012: The Summer Olympics
7:45 am
Tue July 31, 2012

American Men Swimming Upstream In Medal Race

The latest results and what's coming up at the Olympic swimming pool in London — including another shot at Olympic history for American Michael Phelps, and a missed medal for his teammate Ryan Lochte.

London 2012: The Summer Olympics
7:45 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Olympics TV Delay Criticized, But Ratings Are Up

There has been much grousing on social media about NBC tape-delaying marquee Olympic events until its prime-time broadcast. Twitter users say it's a "stone-age" model, but NBC says it needs to protect its $1.8 billion investment. So far, ratings are up.

The Two-Way
7:25 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Massive Failure: 600 Million In India Lose Power; Grid Collapses For Second Day

Credit Raveendran / AFP/Getty Images
Passengers waited for trains Tuesday at a railway station in New Delhi. Another grid failure cut power, causing chaos.

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 2:38 pm

Election 2012
7:19 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Presidential Race Zeroes In On Nevada

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 7:45 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne.

Nevada has just six electoral votes, but it's a state that's much fought over in presidential elections. In 2008, Nevada gave an unexpectedly big boost to Democratic candidate Barack Obama. He carried the state by more than 12 points, thanks to unions and the Hispanic vote.

This year, the contest is shaping up to be much closer, as Nevada copes with both the worst unemployment in the nation and one of the country's highest home foreclosure rates.

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Election 2012
7:19 am
Tue July 31, 2012

NRA Targets One Of Its Own In Tenn. Race

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 7:45 am

On Thursday, voters in Tennessee will decide on a series of ballot issues, including an unusual one that's garnering a lot of attention. The National Rifle Association has turned against one of its biggest supporters and is actively trying to get the Republican booted from office.

Dead Stop
5:07 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Rediscovered Headstones Hold Clues To Earthquake

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 8:55 am

The Gilliam Cemetery, which lies 60 miles north of San Francisco, appears to be gaining residents lately. But it's not only because new people have been interred there. Instead, headstones that wound up being buried a century ago have been found and resurrected.

The cemetery's story begins in 1850, when a wagon train of pioneers left Missouri and settled near what is now Sebastopol, Calif. The Gilliam Cemetery was started in 1852, when Polly Gilliam Sullivan and her husband, Isaac, needed a place to bury their stillborn son.

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Crisis In The Housing Market
5:07 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Is Housing Recovery Real? Not Everyone Is Convinced

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
A construction worker carries lumber while working on new homes in San Mateo, Calif., in March. Homebuilding is at its highest level in nearly four years.

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 5:08 pm

Housing, the sector that led us into the recession, now looks to be one of the brighter spots in the economy. Homebuilding is at its highest level in nearly four years. More homes are selling, and at higher prices.

The question, of course, is whether this is a solid enough foundation to sustain a full housing recovery.

Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, says housing woes are largely behind us.

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Shots - Health Blog
5:06 am
Tue July 31, 2012

Medical Technician Might Have Exposed Hundreds To Hepatitis C

Originally published on Tue July 31, 2012 3:24 pm

After five years of crisscrossing the country as a traveling medical technician, David Kwiatkowski landed at New Hampshire's Exeter Hospital in the spring of 2011. A full-time job in the hospital's cardiac unit soon followed.

It was at Exeter that federal prosecutors say the 33-year-old began to divert syringes of the drug Fentanyl. They say Kwiatkowski, who was arrested July 19, would inject himself with the painkiller, and then refill syringes with a saline solution. He is hepatitis C-positive, meaning those tainted needles might have spread the liver-damaging virus.

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