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Science
8:13 am
Wed July 4, 2012

When It Comes To Invention, This Guy Was No Rube

As we celebrate all things American on the Fourth of July, we often remember the great minds that have shaped our nation's history.

But this afternoon, as you're devising new techniques to get slow-moving ketchup from the bottle to your hot dog, you're also celebrating the birthday of another innovative American: Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Rube Goldberg.

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Around the Nation
5:23 am
Wed July 4, 2012

A Cheesy Twist On This Indpendence Day

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Around the Nation
5:17 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Woman Flees Accident Scene To Chill Her Ice Cream

An Arkansas woman high-tailed it home after she rear-ended another car. It didn't take long for police to find her, and when they did, they slapped her with a citation for following too closely and leaving the scene of an accident. Her excuse: She didn't think there was enough damage to call police, and her ice cream was melting.

Asia
4:26 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Pakistan Will Reopen NATO Supply Lines

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Pakistan and the United States have reached agreement to reopen the strategic land supply routes from Pakistan into Afghanistan. Pakistan closed those routes last November after a U.S. attack left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead. Pakistan had wanted a formal apology from the U.S. but the administration refused because it believed American troops had come under fire first from the Pakistani side. But yesterday, Secretary of State Clinton made comments that finally broke the logjam.

NPR's Mike Shuster has more from Islamabad.

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Business
3:52 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Ex-Barclays CEO To Appear Before British Panel

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a U.K. interest rate probe.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

WERTHEIMER: The former chief executive of Barclays is testifying before a parliamentary committee in Britain. Bob Diamond, who resigned yesterday, is being asked about the rate-setting scandal at the bank. He told lawmakers in the hearing today that it was an unfortunate series of events. Yesterday, Barclays released documents suggesting a Bank of England official may have pressured Barclays to lower its rates. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

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Around the Nation
3:08 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Rain Helps Colorado Firefighters

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 4:37 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

A bit of good news for Colorado. Yesterday, firefighters battling wildfires there got a boost from some much-needed rain.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The fires and drought conditions in the state prompted a firework ban for this 4th of July holiday. But an exception was made last night in Denver, where a giant crowd gathered to watch fireworks and applaud the efforts of those fighting to contain the fires.

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Research News
3:08 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Physicists Find Evidence Of New Subatomic Particle

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 7:29 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne. Good morning.

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Around the Nation
3:08 am
Wed July 4, 2012

'Flipping' Sneakers Is Highly Profitable

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 5:00 am

Maybe you won't pay several hundred dollars for a pair of sneakers, but there are a lot of people who will — providing they are the right sneakers. The demand for certain models has spawned a robust market for re-sellers — people who buy up the available supply and re-sell them for a profit.

Europe
3:08 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Rufus Watches Over Olympics Like A Hawk

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 9:57 am

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

The Olympic Games are now just over three weeks away. NPR's Philip Reeves is tracking preparations. He brings us his latest letter from London.

PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: So it's true then. Surface-to-air missiles really will be stationed on London's rooftops during the Olympic Games.

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The Two-Way
1:54 am
Wed July 4, 2012

CERN Says It's Detected A New Particle, Likely The Higgs Boson

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 1:34 pm

Two teams of scientists using the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, announced in Geneva this morning that they have detected a new subatomic particle that bears the hallmarks of the elusive and highly sought after Higgs boson. In layman's terms, the Higgs is referred to as the "God Particle" because the field it produces gives atoms their mass. Were it not for the Higgs, the world we know would be completely different — there would be no chemistry, no architecture, no us.

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Afghanistan
1:33 am
Wed July 4, 2012

U.S. Troops Become American Citizens ... In Kandahar

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 3:08 am

Forty-four soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan are celebrating this Fourth of July as American citizens for the first time after their naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Air Field.

As the morning sun beat down on the desert base last Friday, hundreds gathered inside the air-conditioned assembly hall for the ceremony. American flags lined the walls, patriotic music played, and smiles were everywhere.

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Religion
1:32 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Feeling Under Siege, Catholic Leadership Shifts Right

Originally published on Thu July 5, 2012 12:05 pm

The Catholic Church is drawing a line in the sand.

Perceiving its core beliefs to be under threat from popular culture, the White House and even Catholics themselves, the Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are pushing back.

In recent months, the church leadership has been cracking down on liberal theologians, disciplining nuns and emphasizing a more orthodox theology.

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Business
1:31 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Office Stress Dogging You? Try Punching In With Fido

Originally published on Thu July 19, 2012 2:11 pm

Most dog lovers will insist a canine friend makes for a happier home. A number of studies back that up, too, touting the health benefits of four-legged companions.

But there's new evidence that dogs can make for a better workplace as well, making employees happier and more productive.

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History
1:29 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Stated: The Declaration Of Independence

Originally published on Sat December 15, 2012 11:45 am

Twenty-four years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.

It was 236 years ago this Wednesday that church bells rang out over Philadelphia, as the Continental Congress adopted Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence.

Below is the original text of the Declaration, alongside photos of the NPR staff members and contributors who performed the reading.

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Those Who Serve
1:29 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Grandfathers' Stories Inspire Military Service

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 8:04 am

A very small percentage of Americans are now serving in the military — fewer than 1 percent. Some are looking for direction. Others are inspired by a sense of patriotism or by a family member who served in an earlier war. On this Independence Day, we continue with an occasional series, Those Who Serve, a look at the men and women wearing their country's uniform during a time of war.

Capt. Jared Larpenteur is from Cajun Country in Louisiana. His family never expected he'd make the military his career.

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Author Interviews
1:28 am
Wed July 4, 2012

A Pie For All Regions: Serving Up The American Slice

Credit Adrienne Kane
A Northeastern Bakewell Pie (left) and Western Chocolate Raisin Pie cool on author Adrienne Kane's Connecticut kitchen counter.

Originally published on Thu November 15, 2012 9:09 am

We hold this truth to be self-evident: America loves pie. We, the people, a nation of bakers and eaters, value the art of creating that crispy, gooey, fluffy, fruity dessert — and each region reserves the right to bake the treat in its own individual style.

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Interviews
1:28 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Jimmy Fallon's Tribute To Neil Young

Credit Virginia Sherwood / NBC
Jimmy Fallon says he spends almost 12 hours each day at the Late Night offices, which makes the rest of his life difficult. "If I want to play video games now, I have to schedule it," he tells Terry Gross.

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 9:08 am

We're replaying a portion of this interview today. Specifically, it's the part where Jimmy Fallon imitates Neil Young. Why? Because we're also playing our Neil Young interview today. If you're like to listen to the full Jimmy Fallon interview, you can do so here.

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Music Interviews
1:13 am
Wed July 4, 2012

Neil Young's Fascination With 'Americana'

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 9:08 am

Sweetness And Light
8:03 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Joe Paterno's Legacy: Protect Players At All Costs

Credit Chris Szagola / AP
Joe Paterno walks the sidelines during warm-ups before a game between his Penn State Nittany Lions and the Temple Owls in Philadelphia last September. Paterno, who died in January, was fired on Nov. 9, four days after Jerry Sandusky was initially arrested on charges of sexually abusing 10 boys.

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 6:39 am

It is not facetious to say that dying may not have been the worst thing to happen to Joe Paterno this past year.

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It's All Politics
5:27 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Did Roberts Flip On The Health Care Decision?

Credit Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
Since the Supreme Court's health care ruling, there's been a lot of speculation about whether Chief Justice John Roberts changed his mind during the course of deliberations.

Originally published on Wed July 4, 2012 12:00 pm

In the days since the Supreme Court's historic health care ruling, there has been a good deal of speculation about whether Chief Justice John Roberts changed his mind in the course of deliberations, deciding late in the game to uphold the constitutionality of most of the law.

Even before the decision was announced, conservative writers railed that liberals and the so-called mainstream media were trying to intimidate the chief justice.

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It's All Politics
5:00 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Michigan's GOP Governor Keeps To Middle Of The Road, Vetoes Voter ID Law

Credit John Flesher / AP
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed voter ID legislation on Tuesday.

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 5:15 pm

At first blush, it seems like a man-bites-dog story: a Republican governor vetoing voter ID legislation decried as voter suppression by Democratic critics of the bills.

But when you consider that the chief executive who wielded the veto pen Tuesday was Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan, the news becomes somewhat less surprising.

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Shots - Health Blog
4:15 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

New Home Test For HIV May Cut Down New Infections

Credit Chuck Zovko / AP
The Food and Drug Administration just approved the OraQuick test, which detects the presence of HIV in saliva collected using a mouth swab.

Originally published on Thu July 5, 2012 8:38 am

No infectious disease has ever been detectable by a test that consumers can buy over the counter and get quick results at home. But HIV isn't just any infection. It's a stubborn pandemic virus that's still making people sick and killing them 31 years after it first appeared – even though infection is easily prevented and effectively treated.

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Planet Money
3:59 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Does Medicaid Make People Healthier?

Credit Karen Roach / iStockphoto.com

Originally published on Wed July 11, 2012 3:08 pm

A while back, Robin Boros lost her job, and she and her husband couldn't afford health insurance.

One time, Boros passed out, and her husband called an ambulance.

"The hospital bill, it was atrocious," she says. "We couldn't pay it."

They never figured out why Boros passed out. But after that, she and her husband avoided going to the doctor. At times, she says, she even bought blood pressure medication on the street.

"That was awful," Boros says. "But you do what you got to do."

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Latin America
3:16 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Colombia Relives Escobar's Reign Of Terror, On TV

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 6:21 pm

A generation ago, he terrorized Colombia with a wave of bombings and assassinations that nearly brought the state to its knees.

Now, nearly 20 years after Pablo Escobar was shot dead following a long manhunt by Colombian and American agents, the flamboyant chief of the Medellin cocaine cartel is being resurrected by Colombian television.

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The Two-Way
3:00 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Proposed California Bill Would Allow For More Than Two Parents

Credit Rich Pedroncelli / AP
State Sen. Mark Leno.

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 3:52 pm

It seems that around the country, the most fervent legal debate around modern families revolves around gay parents.

A California lawmaker is adding to that debate by challenging the notion that a child only has two parents. A bill proposed by Sen. Mark Leno would allow a child to have multiple parents, The Sacramento Bee reports.

Currently California law permits no more than two parents per child.

The Bee adds:

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PG-13: Risky Reads
2:48 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Bordellos, Bandits And One Big Mississippi Adventure

Credit cover detail
cover detail

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 5:06 pm

W. Ralph Eubanks is the author of Ever Is a Long Time and The House at the End of the Road. He is director of publishing at the Library of Congress.

The work of William Faulkner looms as a mountain too high to climb for many readers, with his long, complex sentences and shifting point of view. But Faulkner's famously tangled mix of literary techniques meant nothing when I was about 12 years old and picked up a copy of The Reivers.

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Europe
2:31 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Sarkozy's Home Searched After Loss Of Immunity

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 5:06 pm

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block. French investigators searched former president Nicolas Sarkozy's office and home today. They were looking for evidence of illegal campaign financing. The allegations aren't new, but Sarkozy's loss of presidential immunity is.

From Paris, NPR's Eleanor Beardsley sends this report.

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The Two-Way
2:30 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Woman Sentenced To Read The Bible? Yes, But There's More To The Story

Credit iStockphoto.com

There's news from South Carolina that's beginning to get attention because of headlines like this:

-- "Judge Sentences Woman To Read Bible For Drunk Driving Conviction." (CBS Local in Charlotte)

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Health
2:04 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Treating HIV: From Impossible To Halfway There

Originally published on Fri July 6, 2012 12:20 pm

This story begins 11 years ago. It was a time when many, if not most, experts said it was unthinkable to treat people with AIDS in developing countries using the triple-drug regimens that were routinely saving the lives of patients in wealthier countries.

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Music Reviews
1:49 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Serbia's Markovic Orkestar Breaks Boundaries With Brass

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 5:06 pm

If you're planning a wedding, and looking for music that's fresh, irresistible and completely unexpected, you might want to consider The Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar, a cutting-edge Gypsy brass band from southern Serbia. A new best-of compilation called Golden Horns puts the group's wild, genre-bending flair on full display.

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