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The manager of Le Petit Syrah in Nice imposed a cost on rudeness. Demand "a coffee," and it's $9.50, in dollars. Say "please," and the price drops to $6. And if you greet the waiter with a friendly "bonjour," the bill comes to $2.

Officials say it's difficult to account for shifts caused by factors related to the holidays and separate them from the trends more closely linked to the economy's underlying strengths and weaknesses.

California health officials say bottles of the popular condiment shouldn't be shipped right away so that any micro-organisms inside can be controlled. The producer has also been told to partially shut down its factory to keep smells from irritating neighbors. Will this lead to a "srirachapocalypse?"

Though they may seem still and inert, blocks are constantly evolving.

Loretta Fuddy was director of Hawaii's Health Department. In 2011, she verified the authenticity of President Obama's birth certificate. So-called birthers had questioned where he was born. Fuddy was killed Wednesday in the crash of a small plane off the island of Molokai.

The world needs new antibiotics because so many of the existing drugs are losing their punch. Some people are already talking about a "post-antibiotic era," when bacteria can defeat all the drugs doctors have at their disposal. Two scientists are crowdfunding a campaign to get everyone digging for new antibiotics.

A budget bill is making its way through Congress, after leaders agreed to a deal. But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle aren't completely sold. Host Michel Martin talks with NPR Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving, and Callie Crossley, host of Under The Radar in Boston.

The communications agency's commissioners voted 3-2 to consider new rules allowing voice calls while jetliners are in the air — something that's been forbidden on U.S. flights. But the head of the Department of Transportation says he's "concerned" by the prospect of such calls.

Part discount grocer, part social service agency, the supermarkets limit membership to those who can prove they receive some form of welfare benefits. These stores, which are flourishing in Europe, sell food that's been rejected by grocers but is still perfectly edible and would otherwise end up in landfills.

Problems persist on the back end of HealthCare.gov, which must process accurate enrollment information so insurers can receive premium payments and start coverage for consumers. Reconciliation of the data just started this week, as time to fix problems is running out.