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Around the Nation
5:24 am
Sun August 26, 2012

Snakes, And The Snake Wranglers Who Love Them

Originally published on Sun August 26, 2012 11:32 am

Africa
5:24 am
Sun August 26, 2012

Ugandan Gold Medalist Returns To Fame And Fortune

Originally published on Sun August 26, 2012 5:02 pm

On the last day of the London Olympics, a Ugandan runner seemingly came from nowhere during the marathon to pass the favored Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes and win gold.

Stephen Kiprotich is the first gold medalist from Uganda since John Akii-Bua won the 400-meter hurdles at the 1972 Munich Olympics. In the last two weeks, Kiprotich has become an unlikely national hero in a struggling country that rarely has much to cheer about.

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Presidential Race
5:05 am
Sun August 26, 2012

Despite Delay, Republican Stage Is Set In Tampa

Originally published on Tue August 28, 2012 8:32 am

After a year and a half of preparations, Tampa, Fla., is ready host the Republican National Convention.

Some 70,000 delegates, support personnel, media and protestors are gathering for the party's nominating event. Originally scheduled to start on Monday, the convention was pushed back because of Tropical Storm Isaac.

Inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum — a hockey arena that's been transformed into a high-tech political stage — it's a vision in red, white and blue. There's a nod to tradition, placards marking the sections reserved for each state's delegation.

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Remembrances
4:21 am
Sun August 26, 2012

In Just 'One Small Step' Armstrong Became An Icon

Originally published on Sun August 26, 2012 11:32 am

It was the kind of history that ignites the imagination of humanity.

On July 20, 1969, hundreds of millions of people around the world watched or listened as the lunar module Eagle carried astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the surface of the moon. Armstrong got on the radio to let them know "the Eagle has landed."

Almost seven hours later, Armstrong stepped off the ladder in his bulky white space suitand said those famous words: "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind"

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Middle East
4:21 am
Sun August 26, 2012

If Only Briefly, Palestinians Flood Into Israel

Originally published on Sun September 2, 2012 10:27 am

As Palestinian Muslims in the West Bank celebrated the end of Ramadan this past week, many traveled to a place that's usually off limits: Israel.

At the main Israeli checkpoint between the West Bank and Jerusalem, you could hear the taxi drivers offering to take Palestinians to the beach in Tel Aviv.

The drive is no more than an hour from the West Bank boundary to Israel's Mediterranean coast. Yet many Palestinians have not taken a dip in years, if ever.

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Megafires: The New Normal In The Southwest
4:20 am
Sun August 26, 2012

'Torture Lab' Kills Trees To Learn How To Save Them

Originally published on Sun August 26, 2012 5:03 pm

Last of a five-part series

The droughts that have parched big regions of the country are killing forests.

In the arid Southwest, the body count is especially high. Besides trying to keep wildfires from burning up these desiccated forests, there's not much anyone can do. In fact, scientists are only now figuring out how drought affects trees.

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13.7: Cosmos And Culture
12:20 am
Sun August 26, 2012

Making Peace With Our Cyborg Nature

Credit Arnulfo Franco / AP
Lance Armstrong competes in the Ironman Panama 70.3. triathlon in Panama City, Panama.

Originally published on Mon August 27, 2012 7:51 am

I loved the TV show The Six-Million Dollar man growing up. For me, Steve Austin (played by Lee Majors) wasn't less cool because he had bionic implants that enabled him to perform superhuman feats. He was more cool.

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Presidential Race
7:16 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

RNC Shuts Down Monday's Events Due To Storm

The Republican National Convention in Tampa has canceled almost all events for Monday night, citing Tropical Storm Isaac. Convention organizers made that announcement saying safety is their primary concern. NPR's Jeff Brady joins guest host Laura Sullivan.

The Two-Way
6:27 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Storm Forces Republicans To Cancel Monday Convention Events

Credit National Hurricane Center
Tropical Storm Isaac's projected path on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:55 pm

Tropical Storm Isaac has been difficult to track, but its potential to affect Florida has caused the Republican National Convention to change its plans. Events for Monday have been canceled, though the committee will convene briefly. As Alan Greenblatt reported for It's All Politics, this is now the second-consecutive Republican National Convention to be delayed by a storm.

Update at 8:55 p.m. ET. Nomination Delayed:

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Remembrances
4:12 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Astronaut Neil Armstrong Dies

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:16 pm

Transcript

LAURA SULLIVAN, HOST:

It's WEEKENDS on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Laura Sullivan, in for Guy Raz.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

NEIL ARMSTRONG: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

SULLIVAN: Astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. He died today at the age of 82 after complications from a heart procedure. He was the first of just 12 Americans to step on the moon from 1969 to 1972.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

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Remembrances
4:12 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Neil Armstrong: An 'Exemplary Life'

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:16 pm

Transcript

LAURA SULLIVAN, HOST:

James Fallows of The Atlantic joins us as he does most Saturdays. Jim, let me get your thoughts on the passing of Neil Armstrong.

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Presidential Race
4:12 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Tampa Gears Up For RNC And A Possible Storm

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:16 pm

Transcript

LAURA SULLIVAN, HOST:

While some 70,000 visitors are expected for the Republican National Convention, it's not the only big event heading towards Tampa. On Tuesday, another important visitor could be on the way, though perhaps not directly through Tampa - Tropical Storm Isaac. As of now, Isaac is still in the Caribbean. But as NPR's Greg Allen reports from Tampa, it's likely to be a hurricane when it passes near the city later in the week.

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Law
4:12 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Voting As A 'Responsibility': How Hard Should It Be?

Credit Marc Levy / AP
Demonstrators hold signs at an NAACP-organized rally on the steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol to protest the state's new voter identification law on July 24 in Harrisburg, Pa.

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:29 pm

Ana Gonzalez, 63, has gone her whole life without a driver's license or a state-issued ID. That wasn't really a problem, until now.

She was born in Puerto Rico but moved soon after with her adoptive parents for the continental U.S., where she grew up. Her husband drives, and her odd jobs over the years have required only a Social Security card, which she has. She's just never needed a birth certificate before.

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Participation Nation
4:03 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Replanting Trees In New Orleans

Credit iStockphoto.com
City Park in New Orleans.

Originally published on Thu September 20, 2012 10:18 am

More than 100,000 trees — including many beautiful live oaks and magnolias — were lost when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.

In response, Hike For KaTREEna — a nonprofit group dedicated to reforesting the Crescent City — was created.

Since 2006, more than 10,000 volunteers have helped to plant 13,400 trees — including oaks, cypress, red maples, crepe myrtles, magnolias, redbuds, Savannah hollies and citrus trees such as navel orange, satsuma, lemon, lime and grapefruit.

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The Two-Way
3:09 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Neil Armstrong, First Man To Walk On The Moon, Dies

Originally published on Sun August 26, 2012 4:28 pm

Former astronaut Neil Armstrong, known for his words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," has died. The first man ever to walk on the moon was 82.

Update at 5:15 p.m. ET:

Armstrong's family has released a statement, saying he died following cardiovascular procedures. NASA published it here. They say, "Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job."

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The Two-Way
12:48 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

In Killing New York Gunman, Police Also Shot Bystanders

Credit Louis Lanzano / AP
Police investigate a shooting at the Empire State Building in New York on Friday.

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 8:42 pm

The shooting outside the Empire State Building on Friday took a new turn Saturday: New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says all nine bystanders wounded in the deadly incident were "struck either by fragments or bullets fired by the police."

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Participation Nation
12:03 pm
Sat August 25, 2012

Art Of Mentoring In Minneapolis

Credit Courtesy of MPTA
Preparing a wall for a mural.

Originally published on Thu September 20, 2012 10:33 am

Cross the Mississippi River on Saint Paul's Marshall Avenue and it morphs into Minneapolis' Lake Street — a colorful kaleidoscope of cultures.

As Lake Street's collection of murals grows, so does its sense of safety, beauty and community — thanks to groups of artist-activists.

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Music Interviews
11:03 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Chilly Gonzales: Pianist, Rapper, Provocateur

Credit Alexandre Isard
Chilly Gonzales' latest album is Solo Piano II.

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:16 pm

World
9:16 am
Sat August 25, 2012

What's Next For Jailed Pakistani Christian?

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:31 pm

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

There's been international outcry over the arrest of a young Christian girl in Pakistan, who's charged with blasphemy. A Muslim neighbor denounced her for allegedly burning parts of the Quran, a crime that's punishable by death in Pakistan. An Islamic cleric caught word of it and stirred up an angry mob that beat the young girl. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from Islamabad, the girl is now behind bars and unable to see her lawyer or family.

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Sports
9:16 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Armstrong Decision Ripples Outside Of Sporting World

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon and it's time for sports.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

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Simon Says
9:08 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Phyllis Diller: Showing, And Celebrating, Her Age

Credit Charley Gallay / Getty Images
Phyllis Diller attends an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences event in North Hollywood, Calif., in 2008. The comedic legend died this week at 95.

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 9:16 am

When Phyllis Diller died this week at the age of 95, much was made of the way she burst open doors for women in comedy. But she also showed a way for people to make a midlife crisis into a breakthrough.

Diller was an Eisenhower-era housewife in the smokestack-and-factory-whistle suburbs of Oakland, Calif., whose husband worked at the naval air base. They had five children and could use some extra income. Phyllis, who had been an art and music student in her youth, also had extra, unfulfilled ambitions to entertain. She volunteered at veteran's hospitals for the Red Cross.

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The Salt
8:13 am
Sat August 25, 2012

On A Quest To Roll Out The Bourbon Barrel And Fill It With Hot Sauce

Credit Scott Olson / Getty Images
Used bourbon barrels like these at the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago are finding new life by bringing distinctive flavor to beer, cocktails and hot sauce.

Originally published on Mon October 15, 2012 9:39 am

Washington, D.C. blogger Sam Hiersteiner is a hot sauce fan turned maker. He's already harvested two pounds of chiles — serranos, jalapenos, and habaneros — from his 30-plant pepper garden this month, and he's ready to mash them into hot sauce as soon as more ripen. Last year, he mashed fifty pounds total.While he loved the results, he thought it would be even better with a whisper of the flavor imparted by a barrel used for aging bourbon.

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Food
7:25 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Not All Chinese Restaurants Are Created Equal

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 9:16 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Hungry? You might give a listen now to David Chan. Mr. Chan is a Los Angeles tax lawyer who says he's eaten in more than 6,000 Chinese restaurants in North America and knows how to identify the best. David Chan joins us on the line now.

Thanks very much for being with us.

DAVID CHAN: Well, thanks for having me, Scott.

SIMON: So what do you look for?

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Participation Nation
6:03 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Handlebar Help In Rochester, N.Y.

Credit Courtesy of RCB
Dan Lill of R Community Bikes.

R Community Bikes is a grassroots organization in Rochester that repairs and gives away bikes to people in need.

The vision and tireless work of Dan Lill has helped this group grow from a seasonal bike clinic in a soup kitchen parking lot — with two would-be bike mechanics — to a full fledged nonprofit with 50-60 active volunteer bike mechanics and a 6,000 square foot shop-and-warehouse that provides free repairs to the entire population.

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Around the Nation
5:28 am
Sat August 25, 2012

'D'oh!' Simpsons Stamps A Flop For Postal Service

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 9:16 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

There's only one way to begin this item.

(SOUNDBITE OF THEME FROM "THE SIMPSONS")

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Africa
5:28 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Remembering Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia's Champion

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 7:35 pm

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Ethiopia's longtime prime minister died this week. Meles Zenawi was 57. He came to power in 1991 when a rebel army toppled that nation's Marxist dictator and the Ethiopian leader became a trusted U.S. ally in the war against terrorism. As NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports, he leaves behind a mixed legacy.

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Afghanistan
5:28 am
Sat August 25, 2012

New U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Faces Tough Job

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 9:16 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. James Cunningham has taken one of the most difficult diplomatic posts in the world. He is the new U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.

AMBASSADOR JAMES CUNNINGHAM: I, James D. Cunningham...

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Do solemnly swear.

CUNNINGHAM: ...do solemnly swear...

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: That I will support and defend.

CUNNINGHAM: ...that I will support and defend...

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Around the Nation
5:25 am
Sat August 25, 2012

For A Craftsman, Shining Shoes Offers Ties To Home

Originally published on Mon August 27, 2012 12:29 pm

Politics
5:25 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Ahead Of Conventions, Candidates Hone Message

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 9:16 am

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Republicans and Democrats will talk a lot about the economy during their national conventions over the next couple of weeks. And yet, the man who is about to be nominated by the Republican convention, Mitt Romney, briefly strayed from an economic message yesterday, while speaking in the Detroit suburb of Commerce, Michigan.

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Politics
5:25 am
Sat August 25, 2012

Revisiting Conventions Of Elections Past

Originally published on Sat August 25, 2012 9:16 am

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Political conventions used to be dramatic events that made history. They nominated candidates for president. They debated crucial issues under glaring lights. Now, not so much. Presidential candidates win or lose nominations in primaries, and parties tend to see - and use - conventions as what amounts to advertisements for themselves. Our apologies to Norman Mailer.

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