It's All Politics
3:16 am
Sun June 3, 2012

Congress May Not Be As Bad As All That

Originally published on Sun June 3, 2012 2:24 pm

Washington isn't working. With control of the government divided between the parties and every political incentive working against bipartisan cooperation, Congress can barely pass the minimum amount of legislation needed to avoid a government shutdown, let alone address the most pressing issues of the day.

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Sunday Puzzle
9:03 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

That's Jakarta, With A Capital 'J'

Credit NPR Graphic

Originally published on Sun June 3, 2012 7:37 am

On-Air Challenge: Every answer is the name of a world capital. You'll be given clues to its phonetic parts, and you name the capital. For example, given the clues "person from Bangkok" and "salary," the answer would be Taipei ("Thai" plus "pay").

Last Week's Challenge From Listener Jack Lechner: Name two different kinds of wool. Take the first five letters of one, followed by the last three letters of the other, and the result will spell the first and last name of a famous actor. Who is it?

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Music Interviews
2:05 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

The Beach Boys: The Harmony Is Endless After All

Credit Guy Webster / Courtesy of the artist
The Beach Boys' new album — the first collaboration in decades between founding members Brian Wilson (third from left) and Mike Love (second from right) — is called That's Why God Made the Radio.

The Beach Boys are in harmony again. The group is recording and performing together, after years of disputes and estrangement.

Brian Wilson and Mike Love tell Guy Raz, host of weekends on All Things Considered, that they're not surprised at the reunion.

"We've had 50 years' practice," Wilson says, "not just in music but in being guys."

Love says once they got back in the studio and started writing again, it felt like they had never left.

"It was nuts," Wilson says. "It was a nutbuster."

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Remembrances
2:05 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

A Life's Promise, Tragically Broken

Credit AP
Marina Keegan, 22, graduated from Yale University just days before she died in a car crash.

Originally published on Sat June 2, 2012 3:59 pm

Marina Keegan had just graduated from Yale University with a degree in English and was headed off to a job at The New Yorker. On May 26, she died in a car crash near her family's summer home in Massachusetts.

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Middle East
2:05 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

Life Sentence For Ex-Egyptian Leader Hosni Mubarak

Originally published on Sat June 2, 2012 3:49 pm

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison Saturday for his role in killing protesters during the revolution that ousted him from power.

A hushed courtroom listened as the head judge read the verdict: guilty of accessory to murder and attempted murder. Mubarak lay motionless on a hospital gurney inside a courtroom cage, his only noticeable emotion being the slight quivering of his lips.

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NPR Story
1:44 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

Why Do Humans Crave Crispy Food?

Originally published on Sat June 2, 2012 2:05 pm

John S. Allen, a research scientist at the University of Southern California, explores our draw to crispy foods in a new book called The Omnivorous Mind: Our Evolving Relationship With Food. He speaks to host Guy Raz.

NPR Story
1:44 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

'Edible Landscaping' On The Rise

When the economy entered its downward spiral in 2008, most everything related to housing hit the skids, including the lawn and garden industry. But one sector escaped the pinch — food gardening. In fact, sales spiked 20 percent and stayed there. While many households started growing food to be more budget-conscious, some are deciding vegetables and fruits can be beautiful, too. Blake Farmer

NPR Story
1:44 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

New Jobs Can't Keep Up With Population Growth

Originally published on Sat June 2, 2012 2:05 pm

Among the more than 12 million Americans out of work, almost half have been out of work for more than six months. In its latest issue, Bloomberg Businessweek magazine profiles 12 people among these long-term unemployed who have managed to get back into the workforce. Host Guy Raz talks with Josh Green, senior national correspondent with Bloomberg Businessweek.

It's All Politics
12:32 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

Battles Over Voter ID Laws Intensify

Credit Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Attorney General Eric Holder addresses the Congressional Black Caucus Faith Leaders Summit and National Black Churches Annual Consultation on Wednesday in Washington.

As both parties turn to the general election, and the potentially pivotal role of minority voters, battles over voter identification and other new state election laws are intensifying.

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NPR Story
9:27 am
Sat June 2, 2012

Fresh Air Weekend

Fresh Air weekend

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