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Germany's Beer Makers Come Against Fracking

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning, I'm Renee Montagne.

Fracking may have met its match in Germany, where beer makers have lined against it. Fracking, of course, is a way of bringing up natural gas by pumping water and chemicals into the ground. Germany's powerful beer industry is concerned fracking would pollute groundwater. Half of Germany's 1,300 brewers have their own wells and say the pure water is the essence of their famous beers. And if there's one thing Germans take seriously, its beer. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NYC Mayoral Candidate Uses Wrong Skyline On His Homepage

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm David Greene. Some photos on Twitter ended Anthony Weiner's congressional career. The latest online image, not quite as damaging. Weiner launched his campaign yesterday to be mayor of New York City, and a gorgeous city skyline showed up on his homepage: the skyline of Pittsburgh, my home town. I'm honored if the Web designer is impressed with our city's skyline.

Still, it's pretty embarrassing for a New York mayoral candidate, although I guess Weiner has been through worse. It's MORNING EDITION.

Insurers Picked For California Health Exchange

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:18:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

More now, on the new federal health care law. States are preparing for that law to take effect. In California, officials have now unveiled plans and prices from millions of residents who will be using a new health insurance exchange two purchase their coverage next year. This is a key test of the federal health law's ability to draw competitive bids from insurance companies.

Sarah Varney reports.

SARAH VARNEY, BYLINE: Perhaps the lesson of California's efforts to keep insurance premiums in check, is carry a big stick.

Iranian Council: Ex-President Rafsanjani Unfit To Run Again

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:49:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Iran's Guardian Council does not hesitate to use its power. That's the legislative body that vets political candidates for their commitment to the Islamic Revolution. Perhaps, no surprise in the upcoming presidential election, voters are able to choose from a very narrow range of candidates - all of whom support the regime. All the high-profile or independent candidates have been eliminated by the Guardian Council.

Wash. State Bridge Collapses, 3 People Injured

Martin Kaste — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:34:00 +0000

The collapse sent people and vehicles into the water Thursday night. Authorities say there were no fatalities. The bridge, about an hour north of Seattle, lost its northernmost span — taking out all lanes in both directions.

Business News

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:34:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a comeback.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MONTAGNE: Procter & Gamble made a surprise announcement last night. It's bringing back its former CEO as the company's new CEO. A.G. Lafley will replace Bob McDonald. Procter & Gamble is behind names like Crest toothpaste and Tide laundry detergent. The 170-year-old company has been struggling to grow in emerging markets. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Obama Tweaks U.S. Vision For Fight Against Terrorism

Dina Temple-Raston — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:34:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene.

President Obama has outlined a new vision for the fight against terrorism. His speech at the National Defense University in Washington yesterday covered a lot of ground. Obama spoke about limiting drone strikes, working more with allies and closing the Guantanamo Bay prison. Broadly, the president said the terrorist threat against America has changed, and so the time has come to take a hard look at how the U.S.

Boy Scouts 'Moving Forward' Vote To Allow Gay Members

Kathy Lohr — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:34:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. Good morning. In a landmark move, the Boy Scouts of America has lifted its long-standing ban on gay members. The organization's national council voted yesterday to allow openly gay youth to join. But the Scouts will continue to exclude gay adults from leadership roles. Gay rights activists are calling yesterday's vote a partial victory. Those who oppose the change say it will irreparably harm the 103-year-old organization.

China's Air Pollution: Is The Government Willing To Act?

Frank Langfitt — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:11:00 +0000

Denise Mauzerall arrived in Beijing this year at a time that was both horrifying and illuminating.

Can This Man Bring Silicon Valley To Yangon?

Robert Smith — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:18:00 +0000

Like a proud father, Nay Aung opens up his MacBook Air to show me the Myanmar travel website he has built. But we wait 30 seconds for the site to load, and nothing happens.

"Today is a particularly bad day for Internet," he says. This is life in Myanmar today: Even an Internet entrepreneur can't always get online.

Guava Paste And Tamarind? What To Do With Weird Food Gifts

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:49:00 +0000

This is an installment of NPR's ongoing Cook Your Cupboard, a food series about improvising with what you have on hand. Have a food that has you stumped? Submit a photo and we'll ask chefs about our favorites.

Harrison Gowdy of Dayton, Ohio, has developed a reputation among friends and family of liking everything and wasting nothing.

"Sometimes I'll even find things like Swiss chard dropped off on my doorstep," she says.

Military Moms: A Bond Borne From Shared Loss

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:46:00 +0000

In 1991, Kentucky residents Sally Edwards and Lue Hutchinson had sons serving in the Gulf War. Sally's son, Jack, was a Marine captain. Lue's son, Tom Butts, was a staff sergeant in the Army. The two men never knew each other, but today, their mothers are best friends.

Both soldiers were killed in February of 1991. Jack was 34. "They were the cover for a medical mission.

Igor Stravinsky's 'Rite Of Spring' Counterrevolution

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:03:00 +0000

As the 100th anniversary of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring approaches, commentator Miles Hoffman reminds us that — as earthshaking as that infamous debut was — the composer soon branched out into a variety of musical styles that would surprise his fans and critics.

Hoffman says that, up until the infamous (and riotous) Rite of Spring debut — on May 29, 1913 — the public had never heard anything like it

Why You Have To Scratch That Itch

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:27:00 +0000

Everybody itches. Sometimes itch serves as a useful warning signal — there's a bug on your back! But sometimes itch arises for no apparent reason, and can be a torment.

Think of the itchy skin disorder eczema, or the constant itching caused by some cancers. "A very high percentage of people who're on dialysis for chronic kidney disease develop severe itch that's very difficult to manage," says Dr.

Octogenarian Rivals Race To Top Of Mount Everest

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:25:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. Five years ago, at the age of 75, a Japanese mountaineer raced a 76-year-old Nepalese climber to the top of Mount Everest. Japan's Yuichiro Miura lost. This morning, in an epic rematch, the now 80-year-old Miura won, becoming the oldest person ever to reach the summit. But that record may not last. Next week, his Nepalese rival, at 81, plans to make the ascent again. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

New Jersey Officials Wrap Up 'Operation Swill'

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:19:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning, I'm David Greene with a story of mistaken identity - at the bar. New Jersey officials have wrapped up an operation called Operation Swill that target bars who are trying to pull a fast one. They'll charge for good booze but actually pour the cheap stuff in your glass. They've caught 29 bars red-faced; 13 of those TGI Fridays. The operation involved confidential informants, gizmos to test out liquor, and more than 100 agents. I would say this was some top shelf police work.

You're listening to MORNING EDITION.

Chicago School Closing Battle Targets Elected Officials

Cheryl Corley — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

A day after school officials approved shutting down 50 schools, the Chicago Teachers Union and community activists say they'll hold a voter registration and education campaign. The union is agitated that Mayor Rahm Emanuel, school board members and some lawmakers failed to listen to parents, teachers and others who called for the schools to remain open.

Before they voted yes on the sweeping school closure plan, school board members faced a torrent of criticism Wednesday.

Attackers Hack To Death Man On London Street

Renee Montagne — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:16:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

London is no stranger to terrorist attacks. But yesterday's events had a peculiar horror. A British soldier was hacked to death on a London street. in broad daylight. His two attackers did not try to escape. They stuck around and made speeches to bypassers, trying to justify the brutal killing. Here's one attacker, addressing a passerby filming on a cellphone.

(SOUNDBITE OF PHONE VIDEO)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I apologize that women had to witness this today. But in our land, our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe.

When Will Fed Officials Ease Off The Accelerator?

John Ydstie — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:48:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with some of the shine off the stock market.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

GREENE: OK, after a big run up in prices, global stock markets stumbled today. Japan's Nikkei dropped more than seven percent. European markets are down two to three percent, and here in the United States the Dow and S&P averages are both down less than one percent. One reason for all this investors selling analysts say, is new indications from the U.S. Federal Reserve and Fed Chief Ben Bernanke about a pull back in quantitative easing.

IRS Official's Silence Riles House Committee Members

Peter Overby — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The IRS has admitted to targeting conservative groups seeking tax exempt status. And yesterday at a House hearing the IRS director of exempt organizations said, quote: "I have not done anything wrong." She then declined to testify.

Obama Group's Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

Ari Shapiro — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:06:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUc0D6_UPA

Living In Two Worlds, But With Just One Language

Michele Norris — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:05:00 +0000

NPR continues its conversations about The Race Card Project, where NPR Host/Special Correspondent Michele Norris asks people to send in six-word stories about race and culture.

Sick Inmates Dying Behind Bars Despite Release Program

Carrie Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:05:00 +0000
Prison is a tough place, but Congress made an exception nearly 30 years ago, giving terminally ill inmates and prisoners with extraordinary family circumstances an early way out. It's called compassionate release.
But a recent investigation found that many federal inmates actually die while their requests drift through the system.
One of them was Clarence Allen Rice.
Rice operated a leasing company in Iowa for decades.

Scientific Tooth Fairies Investigate Neanderthal Breast-Feeding

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:47:00 +0000
When it comes to weaning, humans are weird.
Our closest relatives, chimpanzees and gorillas, breast-feed their offspring for several years. Some baby orangutans nurse until they are 7 years old.
But modern humans wean much earlier. In preindustrial societies, babies stop nursing after about two years. Which raises the question: How did we get that way?

Oklahoma's Gov. Fallin On Life-Saving, Recovery Efforts

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:29:00 +0000
Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene. We now know the tornado that struck the city of Moore, Okla., on Monday was an EF5, with winds over 200 miles an hour. That designation is the strongest possible rating for a tornado. Federal, state and local teams are on the ground this morning, cleaning up debris and tending to survivors.

Boy Scouts To Decide Whether To Admit Gay Youth

Kathy Lohr — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:29:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm David Greene.
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
And I'm Linda Wertheimer.
This week, Boy Scouts of America officials will meet in Texas to consider changing the group's longstanding ban on gay members. The first round of voting starts tomorrow.

Parking Industry Tries To Make Your Life Easier

Kenny Malone — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:29:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Finding a parking space, probably not at the top of the list of things you like to do. Well, experts in parking think they might be able to change that. One key, they say, is for developers to think about the parking experience when they're designing malls or apartment complexes, instead of just treating it as an afterthought.
This came up in Florida this week, at the International Parking Institute's annual conference. Reporter Kenny Malone, from member station WLRN, was there.
KENNY MALONE, BYLINE: Let's go ahead and address this head-on.

Drummer Waits For Gas, Uses Time Along Highway To Practice

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Linda Wertheimer. A drummer in Baltimore pulled off the interstate yesterday, out of gas. So he pulled his drum kit out of the trunk and sat up on the shoulder and played along with traffic. When a state trooper pulled up, drummer boy explained he was just biding his time until help arrived, practicing his chops. He got away without a ticket and with the gift of gas from the highway department. Rock on. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

'Morning Edition' Listeners Get Their Feathers In A Bunch

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Good morning, I'm David Greene.
Well, our wings have been clipped by some listeners. Yesterday, we told you about how some scientists in Canada saw their research crops destroyed by geese. We used the term Canadian geese. Listeners like Frank Kohn said we got that wrong.
FRANK KOHN: They're not Canadian geese. They're Canada geese because they don't hold passports, as far as I know, and it's not a nationality. It's a species name.
GREENE: OK, we learned our lesson. It is still Canadian bacon though, right? You're listening to MORNING EDITION.

Court Rules Vacation Rental Site Illegal In New York

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Here's some news for travelers. If you can't afford - or don't want to pay the price for - a hotel room, maybe you've used the cheap lodging site Airbnb. If so, you have to take New York City off your list. The popular website has suffered a major setback in court.