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Fitness & Nutrition
9:54 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Surgeon General: Don't Let Hair Get In The Way

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 4:00 pm

Dr. Regina Benjamin wants a culture of fitness, and she's asking black women to stop worrying about their hair, and hit the gym. She's promoting a contest for the best gym-friendly hairdos.

Around the Nation
9:54 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Shooter Was On Radar For Years, Expert Says

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 4:53 pm

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. We'd like to take a moment to think more deeply about what seems like a barrage of mass shootings this year alone.

In May, a belligerent man in Seattle shot up a cafe, killing five people after he was denied service. Nearly three weeks ago, 12 people were killed and close to 60 people were wounded in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater. This past Sunday, six people died in Wisconsin after being gunned down in a Sikh temple.

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Around the Nation
9:54 am
Wed August 8, 2012

A Link Between Mental Health And Mass Violence?

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 3:52 pm

Transcript

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Earlier we talked with Dr. Carl Bell. He is a psychiatrist and a professor at the University of Illinois. He's the president and CEO of the Community Mental Health Council in Chicago, Illinois, and we've spoken with him on a number of occasions about issues in mental health, but he has a particular interest in the issue of violence. In fact, he's the founder of the Institute for the Prevention of Violence, has done extensive research in this area, and we caught up with him on Tuesday.

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The Torch
9:53 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Rogue Condoms Appear In Olympic Village; Organizers Take Action

Credit Scott Heavey / Getty Images
London Mayor Boris Johnson picks up a packet of Olympic branded condoms during a visit to the Olympic Village last month. Durex, the official Olympic supplier, has sent 150,000 condoms to the village. A bucket of rogue condoms has created a small controversy.

It should come as no surprise that Olympics organizers take brand endorsements and official suppliers very seriously. That extends beyond logos on shorts and shoes — up to, and including, condoms. That's right, the Olympics has an "official" condom — and organizers want to get to the bottom of how a bucket of rogue condoms reached the Olympic Village.

As has happened before at the London Games, it started with a tweet.

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The Two-Way
9:38 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Wisconsin Teen Looks To Repeat As Texting Champ, FAWC

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 6:02 pm

Update at 5:11 p.m. ET. Back-ToBack:

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The Torch
8:48 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Let's Catch Up: London Abuzz Over Women's Soccer; Alternate Medal Count

Credit Cameron Spencer / Getty Images
Chinese trampoline gold medalist Dong Dong competes in London. An analysis by Yahoo finds that China's Olympians outpace their U.S. counterparts in judged competitions, such as trampoline and diving.

Good morning. Only five days remain in the Summer Games, and China leads the United States in the medal count, with a total of 73 (34 gold) to America's 71 (30 gold). Here's other news that caught our eye this morning:

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The Two-Way
8:48 am
Wed August 8, 2012

For Sikhs, 'Anger Is Not Just Futile, It's A Sin'

Credit Darren Hauck / Getty Images
Mourners gathered Tuesday night in Oak Creek, Wis.

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:06 am

  • Steve Inskeep speaks with Swaranjit Arora.

Sunday's attack on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, which left six people and the gunman dead, has for many of us opened a window on a religion, a culture and a people we know little about.

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The Salt
8:11 am
Wed August 8, 2012

School Lunch Milk Cartons Take A Hit In New Ad Campaign

Credit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
The newest campaign from vegan advocacy group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine targets dairy in school lunches.

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 1:33 pm

Forget the school vending machine fights. An anti-cheese group says that innocent-looking carton of milk on lunch trays is the real culprit for our children's weight woes.

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The Two-Way
7:30 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Flooding In Philippines Forces 400,000 To Evacuate; 16 Deaths Reported

Credit Ted Aljibe / AFP/Getty Images
A man paddled an improvised raft along a flooded street in suburban Manila earlier today.

The scope of the flooding in Manila and other parts of the Philippines due to torrential rains in recent days is daunting.

According to the country's disaster response agency:

-- 1.2 million people are in affected areas.

-- Nearly 400,000 have fled to evacuation centers or homes of friends or relatives.

-- At least 16 deaths have been attributed to flooding or landslides.

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World
6:26 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Cameron Athletes Disappear From Olympic Village

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Around the Nation
6:23 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Nudist Convention Meets In Sunshine State

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep. Tampa will host the Republican National Convention. A big honor, but nothing compared to this week's convention in a Tampa suburb. It's the American Association of Nude Recreation convention. Channel 10 News covered the event from head to toe. Like the GOP, this group nominates someone for president, though they debate issues in a place labeled the Bare Buns Cafe. One attendee said I've never seen so many people with such beautiful eyes. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

The Two-Way
6:21 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Situation In Sinai Is 'Extremely Dangerous' As Egypt Moves Against Militants

Credit Gianluigi Guercia / AFP/Getty Images
In Cairo on Tuesday, Egyptian Army military policemen carried the coffin of one of the 16 border guards killed during an attack on a crossing post in the northern Sinai on Sunday.

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 7:27 am

  • Steve Inskeep speaks with Leila Fadel on 'Morning Edition'

The news that Egypt's military has attacked groups of what it says are "Islamist militants" in the Sinai with missiles from aircraft and shells fired from tanks underscores how "extremely dangerous" the situation has quickly become along that nation's border with Israel, NPR's Leila Fadel said earlier today on Morning Edition.

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Participation Nation
6:07 am
Wed August 8, 2012

A Fantastic Camp In Front Royal, Va.

Credit Courtesy of Camp Fantastic
Tammy Jenkins is the medical coordinator for Camp Fantastic.

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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Around the Nation
4:30 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Sikh Resident Experienced 'No Hatred' In Milwaukee

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Decades ago, there were hardly any Sikhs in the Milwaukee area. After a 1960s change in immigration law made it easier for people to reach the U.S. from Asia, they began flowing in. And one of the earliest arrivals was Swaranjit Arora, who came in the '60s and arrived in Milwaukee in 1972 to teach at the University of Wisconsin. He talked with us about how things have changed.

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Sports
4:24 am
Wed August 8, 2012

U.S. Gymnast Raisman Wins Gold, Bronze Medals

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Good morning.

The Fierce Five have finished their run at the London Summer Olympics. Fierce Five is the nickname given to America's whiz-kid female gymnasts - average age just a bit over 16. They started the Games by winning the most important gold medal, in the team event. They finished yesterday with their team captain finally getting a break that seemed elusive. From London, here's NPR's Tom Goldman.

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Politics
4:14 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Rep. Akin To Challenge Sen. McCaskill In November

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Yesterday was a day for people in some states to vote in primary elections. Kansas Republicans unseated some of their own lawmakers who were seen as too willing to cooperate with Democrats, and we'll have more on that in a moment.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

We'll also report on a primary vote that affects this fall's contest to control the Senate. Democrats hold an advantage in the Senate now. Republicans have many opportunities to gain seats or even win control.

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Election 2012
4:05 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Democratic Field Offices Boost Obama In Colorado

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

Look at the electoral maps put up by political analysts and a few things become clear: President Obama holds an advantage in the state-by-state electoral votes that determine this fall's election.

INSKEEP: But his lead in several key states is narrow, and as of now, the red and blue maps put up by those analysts suggest he is still short of the 270 votes he would need to win.

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Business
3:50 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Chevron Fire May Lead To Higher Calif. Gas Prices

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Here in the U.S., analysts are trying to figure out what affect an oil refinery fire could have on gasoline prices. The fire erupted Monday night at an important refinery in Richmond, California. It's owned by Chevron Corporation. It was extinguished within five hours, but could have a lasting impact.

NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that gas prices are expected to shoot up in an already expensive market.

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Sports
3:50 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Olympic Events Roundup

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The Olympic Games in London have already brought a lot of drama and made some history, as well. And today and tomorrow could bring more memorable moments.

NPR's Howard Berkes is covering his eighth Olympics and he joins us now to tell us about what we can look forward to. Good morning.

HOWARD BERKES, BYLINE: Good morning.

MONTAGNE: I see the decathlon is on your list of events to pay attention to today. Outside of the Olympics, of course, most of us don't pay a lot of attention to that particular sport. Why today?

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Business
3:50 am
Wed August 8, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And our last word in business is: shocking - positively shocking.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Any James Bond fan knows that's a line from (Singing) "Goldfinger."

It's what Bond says after electrocuting a henchmen in a bathtub.

MONTAGNE: Britain has the Olympics, and this fall, it will have a 24-hour James Bond channel. British broadcaster BSkyB is launching the channel for the month of October to mark the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise.

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Around the Nation
3:50 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Police Shootings Put Anaheim On Edge

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

We've been hearing, in recent days, about the city of Anaheim here in Southern California. Violent protests shook that city following police shootings of two Latino men. Tensions there remain high, and tonight the city council will hold a special meeting to hear residents' concerns. But as NPR's Carrie Kahn reports, some community members say their complaints have long been ignored in what they say is a city that cares more about Anaheim's big businesses than about them.

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Business
3:50 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with markets rather optimistic.

Stock market averages in Asia closed higher today for the third day in a row. There's apparently a feeling that the U.S. and Europe are poised to make moves that will help the global economy. Investors are betting that the Federal Reserve will launch new stimulus action. And they're also betting that some decisive action will be taken soon to reign in the fiscal crisis in Europe.

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Architecture
3:03 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Sky-High Design: How To Make A Bird-Friendly Building

Credit Ayodha Ouditt / NPR

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 9:44 am

Shiny glass buildings are a hallmark of modern architecture, but for birds, that shimmer can be deadly. Every year, an estimated 100 million to 1 billion birds die by flying into glass windows. By studying how birds interact with buildings, architects and ornithologists are trying to create special features designed to keep birds alive.

Below, click around to see architectural features that can make buildings safer for birds — or more deadly.

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Sweetness And Light
2:27 am
Wed August 8, 2012

We've Had Enough Of The Wave

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 10:52 am

I always like it when Olympic champions from one sport go to another competition, so I was particularly touched to see Kobe Bryant, with his children in tow, watching as the magnificent Michael Phelps bid adieu to his sport by winning yet one last gold.

Phelps and Bryant are connected these days, too, because both have prompted some historical conversation. Kobe boasted that his current U.S. basketball squad could beat the sainted Dream Team of '92, while Phelps, simply by piling up more medals, opened up the barroom debate about who might be the greatest Olympian ever.

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Books News & Features
2:26 am
Wed August 8, 2012

With 'Last Book Sale,' Lit Giant Leaves One More Gift

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 11:54 am

Larry McMurtry is perhaps best known for novels like The Last Picture Show, Terms of Endearment and Lonesome Dove; but the author also has a career as a bookseller.

His store, Booked Up, spills across four buildings in his small hometown of Archer City, Texas, and houses nearly half a million rare and used books. But starting this Friday, McMurtry is holding an auction to whittle down that number — by a lot.

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First And Main
2:25 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Florida Market Draws Candidates Like Bees To Honey

Originally published on Wed August 8, 2012 6:36 pm

As the presidential election nears, Morning Edition has begun a series of reports from an iconic American corner: First and Main. Several times in the next few months, we'll travel to a battleground state, then to a vital county in each state. In that county, we find a starting point for our visit: First and Main streets, the intersection of politics and real life.

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Business
2:19 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Natural Gas Giant Tries To Shift Gears

Credit Ralph Wilson / AP
Workers move a section of well casing into place at a Chesapeake Energy natural gas well site near Burlington, Pa., in 2010.

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 2:54 pm

A drop in natural gas prices is hurting balance sheets across the petroleum industry. The second-largest natural gas producer in the United States — Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy — has been hit especially hard.

After 23 consecutive years of touting its increasing natural gas production, Chesapeake CEO Aubrey McClendon told investors during a conference call Tuesday that the company projects its gas output will drop about 7 percent in 2013.

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Asia
2:18 am
Wed August 8, 2012

Japan's Nuclear Debate Weighs Safety, Economics

Originally published on Fri August 10, 2012 2:28 pm

At 6 p.m. every Friday — with the kind of precision timing the Japanese live by — the protests in downtown Tokyo begin.

Thousands of Japanese — young, old, in wheelchairs and on skateboards — shout anti-nuclear slogans from behind police barricades that snake around the office of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Over the past four months, the protests have swelled; at least 75,000 people turned out at a recent demonstration.

Nobuyuki Miyazaki, an office worker, says this is the first time he's ever been to a demonstration.

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Environment
2:15 am
Wed August 8, 2012

A Clear And Present Danger: How Glass Kills Birds

Originally published on Tue December 4, 2012 11:05 am

First of a two-part series. Read Part 2.

Modern architecture loves glass. Glass makes interiors brighter and adds sparkle to cityscapes. But glass also kills millions of birds every year when they collide with windows. Biologists say as more glass buildings go up, more birds are dying.

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