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NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: IRS (Almost) Testifies?
Lois Lerner, who oversees tax exempt organization operations at the IRS, invoked her Fifth Amendment rights in refusing to testify before Congress this week. Jeff Parker has no qualms about the treatment IRS officials have received, while Nick Anderson thinks Lerner owes Americans an explanation.
NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: Tacky Tech?
May 23, 2013 Two of America's most imaginative businesses are getting mixed reviews. Ed Hall thinks Apple should use its creativity on something more customer-friendly than tax loopholes, while Dave Fitzsimmons is less than thrilled by the privacy implications of Google Glass.
13.7: Cosmos And Culture
The Inevitable Question?
May 22, 2013 Confronted with the amazing advances made by science, why do so many still cling to God as a creator? Could the answer be that we need to be created in order to be special? Or are we afraid of our own unique place in the Universe? Marcelo Gleiser knows what he thinks.
NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: Moore, Oklahoma
May 22, 2013 The Oklahoma City suburb of Moore was devastated by a tornado for the second time in a generation. Dario Castillejos and Randy Bish express their sympathy.
13.7: Cosmos And Culture
Let's Get Creative And Redefine The Meaning Of Religion
May 21, 2013 Religion is often organized in terms of a god, or gods. It's a system of beliefs embodied in a being or beings. But that's not always the case. It can mean more, a lot more, says Adam Frank after finding inspiration in the writing of Ronald Dworkin.
NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: Second Term-inal?
May 21, 2013 President Obama's recent run of controversies is seen by some as the result of a second-term curse. John Deering points out that when you're "cursed" even the simplest things can cause a stir, while J.D. Crowe thinks that the President's troubles are being overblown by partisanship.
Book Reviews
Black In America: A Story Rendered In Gray Scale
May 20, 2013 Chimamanda Adichie's Americanah is about a young Nigerian woman who moves to the U.S. It's a story of relocation, far-flung love and life as an outsider. But reviewer Rosecrans Baldwin says that despite the author's talent, much of the storytelling feels flat.
13.7: Cosmos And Culture
'Cheating' Can Be An Effective Learning Strategy
May 20, 2013 It's the end of the academic year and students everywhere are taking tests. What for? Commentator Tania Lombrozo suggests we should shift our focus from testing for assessment to testing for learning.
NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: Syria, What's Next?
May 20, 2013 The visit of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan brought the crisis in Syria into focus. Daryl Cagle wonders whether President Obama can resist the GOP's call for action, while Osama Hajjaj thinks the conflict already has enough participants.
You Must Read This
Ghost Ships, Murders, Bird Attacks: Stories To Keep You Awake
May 19, 2013 Author Ethan Rutherford started reading Daphne du Maurier's collection of stories, Don't Look Now, while it was still light out and didn't move from his chair until dark. Each one features characters who endure the strange and the extreme, and who are forever changed by the events that befall them.
NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: Graduated Pain?
May 19, 2013 As the Class of 2013 enters the "real world," they'll be shouldering their share of $1 trillion in student loan debt. Nate Beeler wonders how diplomates will remain afloat, while Joel Pett points to the salaries of college presidents as one reason why the cost of higher education is so high.
The Changing Lives Of Women
She Works: Standing Up And Speaking Out
May 19, 2013 For our series on the Changing Lives of Women, we're asking NPR women about their careers — and inviting you to join the conversation. We asked Weekend Edition host Rachel Martin to recall an instance where she stood up to stand out.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield's Most Excellent Adventure
May 18, 2013 Hadfield just spent 146 days up at the International Space Station, during which time he performed rock concerts and shared his dazzling photographs with nearly a million Twitter followers.
Books
Author Elliott Holt Says: 'Go West, Young Woman'
May 18, 2013 In this Q&A, author Elliott Holt discusses her six favorite novels about expatriates. She also talks about what it's like to be in your 20s, and the importance of travel and exploration.
NPR Double Take
Double Take 'Toons: A Hillary Too Far?
May 18, 2013 Has the controversy over Benghazi damaged Hillary Clinton's reputation? Bob Englehart believes the former secretary of state's image is headed for a fall, while Mike Smith thinks the issue is much more about Nov. 8, 2016, than what happened in Libya on Sept. 11, 2012.