Books News & Features
5:12 am
Sun July 15, 2012

In 'Red Chamber,' A Love Triangle For The Ages

Originally published on Tue August 14, 2012 1:48 pm

Before most readers in China learned of Romeo and Juliet, they were captivated by a love triangle between a boy and his two female cousins.

It's the "single most famous love triangle in Chinese literary history," says author Pauline A. Chen, who's written the latest retelling of the tale of Jia Baoyu and his cousins Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai. The three characters form the central love story of the Chinese novel Hong Lou Meng, often translated as Dream of the Red Chamber in English.

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Americandy: Sweet Land Of Liberty
5:11 am
Sun July 15, 2012

Don't Cry Over Burnt Milk In South Texas; Savor It

Originally published on Fri July 20, 2012 10:16 am

Stepping into a La Michoacana Meat Market in South Texas is a lot like crossing into Mexico — except you don't need a passport.

This grocery chain caters to the Mexican immigrant population, and it's filled with the sounds, ingredients, brands and products from south of the border.

My wife, Yvette Benavides, and I head straight to the candy.

There are different kinds of leche quemada in Mexico, but in South Texas, one of the most popular forms is known as cajeta, and it's made from goat milk.

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Music News
5:11 am
Sun July 15, 2012

LCD Soundsystem's Final Bash, Relived

Credit Oscilloscope Laboratories
James Murphy on stage at Madison Square Garden last year, during LCD Soundsystem's final concert.

Originally published on Sun July 15, 2012 7:08 pm

For an indie band, it seems almost impossible to achieve massive commercial success without losing credibility. LCD Soundsystem may have figured out the secret.

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Health Care
5:10 am
Sun July 15, 2012

What's A Governor To Do With The Health Care Law?

Originally published on Sun July 15, 2012 10:11 am

As governors from around the country meet this weekend in Williamsburg, Va., health care is near the top of their agenda. Specifically, what to do about the federal health law, now that the Supreme Court has given states new options.

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Presidential Race
1:26 am
Sun July 15, 2012

Green Party Pick Gives Democrats Brunt Of Criticism

Originally published on Sun July 15, 2012 10:11 am

The Green Party nominated a Massachusetts physician and a formerly homeless single mother as their presidential and vice-presidential candidates for 2012 on Saturday. They say they are in it to win it, and — at the very least — to expand the electoral conversation to include people they say aren't represented by either Democrats or Republicans.

Amid waving green and white campaign signs in a conference room at a Baltimore Holiday Inn, the room erupted in cheers as Dr. Jill Stein won the delegate count.

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Europe
11:58 pm
Sat July 14, 2012

Running With The Bulls, But The Fear Is Financial

Originally published on Mon July 16, 2012 4:07 pm

As a journalist, I came to Pamplona to see if Spain's dismal economy would dampen the spirit of the country's biggest summertime festival, the running of the bulls. Spaniards take their partying very seriously, and if there were even a hint of melancholy in their chants of "Viva San Fermin!" it might mean the economy devils had won.

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Sunday Puzzle
11:03 pm
Sat July 14, 2012

Following The Trail

Credit NPR Graphic

Originally published on Sun July 15, 2012 10:11 am

On-Air Challenge: For each category, name something in the category starting with each of the letters in the word "trail." For example, if the category were "books of the Bible," you might say Timothy, Ruth, Amos, Isaiah and Leviticus.

Any answer that works is correct. And you can give the answers in any order.

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Monkey See
11:03 pm
Sat July 14, 2012

The Id, The Ego And The Superhero: What Makes Batman Tick?

Credit Ron Phillips / Warner Brothers Pictures
Christian Bale as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises.

Originally published on Sun July 15, 2012 10:11 am

When you look at Batman with a coldly analytical eye — and he's hard to avoid these days, with The Dark Knight Rises set to come out Friday — a few things stand out as potential red flags: the secrecy, the lair, the attraction to danger, the blithe self-sacrifice, the ... cape.

It's unusual, all of it, you have to admit. Sure, he's handy to have around in an emergency, and you can't beat a fella who can be summoned with a giant light in the sky in the event you've got no cellphone reception.

But is he entirely ... well?

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The Picture Show
6:07 pm
Sat July 14, 2012

Rare Photos: One Of Woody Guthrie's Last Shows

Originally published on Mon July 16, 2012 8:25 am

After the dust of the Dust Bowl settled down, American folksinger Woody Guthrie moved to New York City and played more for the leftist East Coast intelligentsia than for migrant workers. Among these performances, one of the better documented was an informal concert in a remarkable carriage house in Lenox, Mass.

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Economy
5:12 pm
Sat July 14, 2012

A Tale Of Two Cities: Too Many Jobs, Or Not Enough

Maria Arvizu continues to fill out job applications even though she has yet to deposit her last paycheck.

Arvizu, 53, relocated to Yuma, Ariz., to become a bus driver for the local school district last year. After school closed for summer break, she was caught off guard when she was laid off. She had expected to get another driving assignment and was denied collecting unemployment because she was still considered a school employee.

"I just keep looking for a job," Arvizu says.

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