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To marks California's 150th anniversary as a state , Bob looks back at the early years of the Gold Rush. The Gold Rush "jump-started" California, made it grow faster than anyone could have expected. We learn how disappointing those early years were for many of the people who went west. This story features commentary from historian Kevin Starr, and dramatic readings from diaries and other documents of the time. (8:15) Kevin Starr is the state librarian of California and author of 8 books about the state, including Americans and the California Dream: 1850--1915 by Oxford University Press (Trade); ISBN: 01950

NPR's Sarah Chayes reports from outside Paris that an Air France Concorde jet crashed just after takeoff today from Charles de Gaulle airport. All 109 people on board and four on the ground are believed dead. A German tour company had chartered the flight, so most of those on board were Germans.

Linda speaks to Rob Broomby, Berlin correspondent for the BBC, about reaction in Germany to today's Concorde crash in Paris. The flight had been chartered for a German tour group. Broomby discusses what's known about the passengers and the cruise they were scheduled to take, as well as plans for relatives and comments by German authorities.

Commentator Lis Wiehl explains that tribal courts, which operate on many Indian reservations, function separately from the federal court system. These courts have not had to apply the U.S. Constitution directly, leaving out Constitutional guarantees like the right to free legal counsel. But one of the problems with suspending Constitutional protections, is that convictions obtained in tribal courts can be used against defendants later in federal and state courts.

Linda talks with Jon Proctor, editor of Airliners Magazine, about the Concorde airplane. He says that Air France has not put as many miles on the planes as British Air, and that until now, the planes had a good service record.

NPR's Jon Hamilton reports on public health efforts to combat sexually transmitted diseases using the internet. The focus is on people who make connections through chat rooms and other meeting places on the web - studies show that these people have a higher risk of having syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.

Texas Governor George W. Bush made it official today: former Defense Secretary Richard Cheney is his choice for vice president. Cheney joined the Texas governor for a press conference today in Austin. NPR's Steve Inskeep was there.

Robert talks with Janet Hook, Chief Congressional Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times about Richard Cheney's record as a member of Congress.

Robert discusses Cheney's experience as Secretary of Defense with Michael Gordon, a reporter for the New York Times.

NPR's Cheryl Corley reports from Chicago on the questions being raised about the way the 2000 Census was conducted. Republican Congressman Dan Miller of Florida chairs the House Subcommittee on the Census. He says that irregular procedures and fraud may have increased the head count in several cities, where there was initial resistance to the Census. The cities include Chicago, West Atlanta, Las Vegas, Florence, Alabama, and Hialeah, Florida.