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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Shots - Health News

Patients With Online Access To Doctors May Make More Office Visits

New research suggests that doctors who communicate online with their patients may not see a drop in office visits.

November 21, 2012 CPRPrevious research has found that patients with online access to their doctors made fewer trips to the doctor's office. But a large, just-published study shows just the opposite: Patients who can email their physicians may schedule more visits.

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Business

To Lure Shoppers, Wal-Mart Tries Same-Day Delivery

Like many other brick-and-mortar retailers, Wal-Mart is trying to attract shoppers increasingly accustomed to online shopping. In one experiment, it's offering same-day delivery in four select markets.

November 21, 2012 Like many other brick-and-mortar retailers, Wal-Mart is trying new strategies to serve customers whenever they want to buy. In one new experiment in four select markets, the retail giant is promising to deliver eligible items ordered online in just a few hours.

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The Salt

Why Greek Yogurt Makers Want Whey To Go Away

Most of the gleaming steel tanks outside Fage's yogurt factory hold milk. One, however, holds the yogurt byproduct whey.

November 21, 2012 That extra-thick, rich taste of Greek yogurt is popular, but you get it by creating lots of waste. For every pound of authentic strained Greek yogurt, there are 2 or 3 pounds of liquid whey. And getting rid of it can be expensive.

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All Tech Considered

For Holiday Road Trips, Apps That Promise Diversions For Kids

November 21, 2012 For many parents, Thanksgiving means it's time to entertain the kids during a road trip. With that in mind, NPR spoke with 9-year-old Jane Frauenfelder, who hosts the podcast Apps for Kids with her father, Mark.

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Sweetness And Light

What's Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander

Jockey Rosie Napravnik sponges off Shanghai Bobby after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile horse race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

November 21, 2012 Rosie Napravnik is America's leading jockey — and a woman in a male-dominated sport. Commentator Frank Deford reflects on women's sports, competing with men, and fans.

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Kitchen Window

Frozen Meals Soothe The Sick And Shut-In

Dal

November 21, 2012 A fresh hot meal is a thing of beauty when you're having a tough go of things, and can literally bring tears to people's eyes. But a full freezer? That's money in the bank. So when it comes to feeding people in need, an extra meal for the freezer can be the best gift of all.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Two-Way

San Francisco Supervisors Vote To Expand City's Nudity Ban

Hanging out in San Francisco's Castro district; Nov. 3, 2010.

November 20, 2012 An earlier law requiring nudists to place a towel between their parts and other things like park benches or restaurant chairs did little assuage those who complained. The city's supervisor said San Francisco was a place of acceptance but it should have standards.

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The Two-Way

A Grand Bargain Could Bring Good New Year For U.S. Economy, Says Bernanke

November 20, 2012 Bernanke also said that the central bank doesn't have the tools to cushion the blow of driving off the fiscal cliff.

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It's All Politics

Obama Campaign Machine May Be Turned Loose On Fiscal Cliff Climbing Congress

Jim Messina, President Obama's 2012 campaign manager

November 20, 2012 President Obama's campaign operation apparently isn't going to be totally retired just yet. Instead, the Obama team is considering deploying some of its grass-roots elements to push Congress to solve the fiscal cliff problem and help pass the president's agenda.

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Intelligence Squared U.S.

Should We Legalize Drugs?

Theodore Dalrymple (left) and Asa Hutchinson argue against legalizing drugs in an Intelligence Squared U.S. debate.

November 20, 2012 Colorado and Washington recently voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Supporters say that will generate tax revenue and free up law enforcement resources. So would the United States be better off legalizing all recreational drugs? A panel of experts debates for Intelligence Squared U.S.

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ListenPlaylist

Shots - Health News

Making Sense Of Colors And Shapes In The Toilet

A physician examines a patient's urine flask in this 17th century print by Isaac Sarrabat.

November 20, 2012 No one really wants to think about what goes down the drain when you flush. But sometimes, you've got to look to see what your bowels are telling you about your health. Doctors have been decoding our pee and poo since medieval times. They've even developed handy visual guides.

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The Two-Way

So What Did The Mars Rover Find On Mars? You Tell Us

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity cut a wheel scuff mark into a wind-formed ripple at the "Rocknest" site to give researchers a better opportunity to examine the particle-size distribution of the material forming the ripple. The rover's right Navigation camera took this image of the scuff mark on the mission's 57th Martian day.

November 20, 2012 One scientist said it has found something "earthshaking" but wouldn't say what. We're asking you guess.

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Europe

In Berlin, A Boar Of A Story

Some 3,000 wild boars are estimated to roam Germany's capital. This 2008 picture provided by the Berlin Forestry Commission shows a sow and her offspring that decided to make their home outside an apartment building. Recently, a wild boar attacked and injured four people in a Berlin neighborhood.

November 20, 2012 More than just Germany's capital, Berlin is home to an estimated 3,000 wild boar. They have been tearing up green spaces, and recently a 265-pound boar attacked four people. The streetwise swine like the city, where food is plentiful but hunters are not.

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Law

Scandals Call Into Question Crime Labs' Oversight

Greg Taylor holds up his release papers after he was unanimously exonerated by a three-judge panel in Raleigh, N.C., in 2010. Taylor, who had been in prison since 1993 for murder, is now suing several people who worked at a crime lab, claiming their  erroneous findings landed him in jail.

November 20, 2012 A report three years ago found serious problems in the nation's forensic science community, but since then, little has changed. In many states, lab employees report to law enforcement, potentially undermining their impartiality. And only a few states require labs to be accredited.

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Superstorm Sandy: Before, During And Beyond

Thousands Of Trees Gone, Ripped Out By Sandy

Ken Chaya created a map that charts every single tree in New York's Central Park. He stands next to one of the thousands of trees uprooted by Sandy.

November 20, 2012 Nearly 10,000 trees in New York City — many healthy and hefty — were lost to the winds of Superstorm Sandy. Natural scenery aside, they affect the environmental quality of the city.

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