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Forget Horse Thieves, Now They're Stealing Hay
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Thursday, December 13, 2012
Planet Money
Why Legos Are So Expensive — And So Popular
December 13, 2012 Legos often cost twice as much as similar blocks from a rival toymaker. So why are Legos so much more popular than other brands?
The Two-Way
On 'Fiscal Cliff,' Majority Of Public Sides With Democrats, Pew Poll Says
December 13, 2012 Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said President Obama is making a "serious effort" to work with Republicans. Just 32 percent said Republicans are making a serious effort to work with the Democratic president.
Best Books Of 2012
The Year's Best Science Fiction Crosses Galaxies And Genres
December 13, 2012 From post-apocalyptic character studies to speculative paleontology, reviewer Annalee Newitz says this year's best science fiction stretches boundaries and crosses genres. She also sees a strong resurgence in political themes, with a focus on civilizations on the brink of transformation or collapse.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Superstorm Sandy: Before, During And Beyond
Post-Sandy, Newly Unemployed Struggle To Stay Afloat
December 12, 2012 While the storm did not influence the nation's jobless figures as much as expected, there are still thousands of people who are unemployed in Sandy's wake. Many businesses on the East Coast are still making repairs or have closed entirely, leaving many families in limbo.
All Tech Considered
Who Needs College? Young Entrepreneuer Bets On Bright Idea For Solar Energy
December 12, 2012 Eden Full dropped out of Princeton to found a startup company that brings the solar panel technology she invented to developing countries as part of a fellowship. The unusual program, funded by tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, gives young people $100,000 to skip college and focus on their work and research instead.
U.S.
New Policy For Young Immigrants Creates Paperwork Deluge
December 12, 2012 A new law provides a path to temporary legal status for some youth in the U.S. illegally, but families must produce a bevy of documentation to qualify. In California, some school districts have devised new systems to help manage the high demand for data and school transcripts.
Music Reviews
The Boogers And Play Date Make Punk Rock For Kids
December 12, 2012 The kids' music scene and the punk rock movement have a lot in common: Both have a DIY attitude and seem unconcerned with mainstream success. The bands Play Date and The Boogers have combined the genres, making kids' music using the infectious hooks of classic punk rock.
Research News
Land Creatures Might Not Have Come From The Sea
December 12, 2012 Conventional wisdom holds that complex life evolved in the sea, then crawled up onto land. But a provocative new study argues that the procession might be drawn in the wrong direction. The earliest large life forms may have appeared on land long before the oceans filled with creatures.
The Salt
Georgia Town Makes Claim For Fruitcake Capital Of The World
December 12, 2012 Two bakeries in Claxton, Ga., make more than 4 million pounds of the holiday treat each year. The bakeries are finding a new market in young hikers and bikers seeking food that won't go bad on the trail.
