Story of the Day : NPR

Health Care

All Aren't Happy With Health Insurance For All

Kaiser Health News

May 31, 2009 • Requiring all Americans to have health insurance is one of the proposals now being considered in Washington, D.C. Massachusetts already requires its residents to be insured, but people aren't always able to afford a policy, even when the state helps out.

All Aren't Happy With Health Insurance For All

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Kevin Roose

Religion

Undercover At An Evangelical University

May 30, 2009 • Brown University student Kevin Roose passed himself off as an evangelical Christian to blend in with students at Liberty University — the school founded by the late Moral Majority leader Jerry Falwell.

Undercover At An Evangelical University

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Music Interviews

DC Youth Orchestra: Success On A Shoestring

May 29, 2009 • They rehearse in a ramshackle Washington, D.C., high school. But the young musicians in the DC Youth Orchestra say they're inspired by their teachers and the music they play. Hear how the cash-strapped music program inspires kids from all around the nation's capital.

DC Youth Orchestra: Success On A Shoestring

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News

Roxana Saberi On Her Imprisonment In Iran

May 28, 2009 • In her first in-depth interview, Roxana Saberi, who spent four months in an Iranian prison, talks about the events leading to her arrest, why she gave a false confession to the Iranian authorities that she was a spy, and what ultimately kept her going.

Roxana Saberi On Her Imprisonment In Iran

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Music Interviews

How Benny Goodman Won Over America

May 27, 2009 • By 1926, at age 16, Goodman was already a jazz virtuoso. But when he finally hit the big time, ushering in the swing era in the mid-1930s, his arrival converged with a burst of modernity throughout the U.S.

How Benny Goodman Won Over America

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The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books

'Shanghai Girls' Details A Chinese-American Odyssey

May 26, 2009 • Lisa See describes the lives of Chinese girls who move to Los Angeles during the World War II era in her new novel, Shanghai Girls. As Chinese immigrants, See's characters endure a shifting political climate once they make it to California.

'Shanghai Girls' Details A Chinese-American Odyssey

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Economy

Residents Pitch In To Keep Calif. Town Afloat

May 25, 2009 • Small towns all over the country are feeling the recession's pinch and Gilroy, Calif., is no different. The town faces a cut of at least $2 million in tax revenues and a deficit of $4.7 million. But residents are volunteering to help with police patrols and staff the city's museum. Mayor Al Pinheiro says residents have taken it upon themselves to organize the town's Memorial Day parade.

Residents Pitch In To Keep Calif. Town Afloat

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National

In Civil War, Woman Fought Like A Man For Freedom

May 24, 2009 • Disguised as a man, Jennie Hodgers marched thousands of miles and fought dozens of battles as a Union soldier during the Civil War. Living in drag gave Hodgers access to a life — with better pay and the right to vote — unavailable to women of her era.

In Civil War, Woman Fought Like A Man For Freedom

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Opinion

Simon Says

Real Men Wear Pink Boxers

May 23, 2009 • Army Spc. Zachary Boyd needn't worry about being photographed out of uniform during a firefight in Afghanistan. "Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said this week.

Real Men Wear Pink Boxers

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Food

Microbrews Pay Homage To New Jersey Turnpike

May 22, 2009 • The New Jersey Turnpike may not seem inspirational at first glance. But the Jersey natives at the Flying Fish Brewing Co. have just embarked on a symbolic road trip to brew a unique beer for every exit.

Microbrews Pay Homage To New Jersey Turnpike

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The Science Of Spirituality

Decoding The Mystery Of Near-Death Experiences

May 22, 2009 • Some researchers are exploring whether a mind can operate while the brain has stopped. One neuroscientist says that after a near-death experience, people's brains appear to undergo changes at the neural level.

Decoding The Mystery Of Near-Death Experiences

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The Science Of Spirituality

Can Positive Thoughts Help Heal Another Person?

May 21, 2009 • The idea that positive thoughts and prayer can affect your health has been taught at medical schools for years. But can your thoughts affect another person physically? A few renegade scientists are conducting studies between loved ones to find that out — and they say it's possible.

Can Positive Thoughts Help Heal Another Person?

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National

Backyard Coops Make Chicks Chic

May 21, 2009 • Chickens aren't just for farms anymore. Urban hens are now hip. Across the country, city dwellers — attracted by the idea of fresh eggs, a new hobby or even unique pets — are keeping flocks.

Backyard Coops Make Chicks Chic

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National

Sex Offenders Forced To Live Under Miami Bridge

May 20, 2009 • Sex offenders with few resources who want to stay in Miami have just one option: an encampment of tents and shacks under a causeway. What began as a stopgap solution to a city ordinance limiting where offenders can live has become de facto public policy.

Sex Offenders Forced To Live Under Miami Bridge

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The Science Of Spirituality

Are Spiritual Encounters All In Your Head?

May 19, 2009 • Scientists suspect Moses and other religious figures were epileptic. But that doesn't mean they didn't really hear God. One researcher has created the "God helmet," which uses sensors to reproduce mystical experience by manipulating brain chemistry.

Are Spiritual Encounters All In Your Head?

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