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Story of the Day

Providers

Doctors Say Costs, Not Care, Have Become Focus

As health care costs have soared, many physicians have struggled to manage the business end of health care and provide quality care for their patients. Two doctors, each with more than 30 years of experience, talk with NPR about the changes they've seen in health care, and where the system might be headed.

Doctors Say Costs, Not Care, Have Become Focus

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Law

High Court Rules For White Firefighters

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the New Haven, Conn., fire department violated the law when it dumped the results of a firefighters promotion exam. Most of the applicants who placed high enough to qualify for promotions were white.

High Court Rules For White Firefighters

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World

Poetry From Iran, One Tweet At A Time

Persians are known for their poetry. So it is not surprising that following Iran's disputed elections, many Iranians have tweeted poetically. Meet 26-year-old Parham Baghestani, whose tweets range from the mundane to the spiritual.

Poetry From Iran, One Tweet At A Time

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Economy

On The Appalachian, Some Hike Off The Recession

Whether recently laid off or just without any job prospects, some people have traded their resumes and interview suits for sleeping bags and hiking boots. They're on the Appalachian Trail for the next four months — and they hope that by the time they're off, the economy will have recovered.

On The Appalachian, Some Hike Off The Recession

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Music News

In Jackson's Birthplace, Shock At Icon's Death

The last few decades have not been easy on the city of Gary, Ind., just outside of Chicago. Crime and high unemployment plague the manufacturing city of less than 100-thousand. But even through the difficult times, Gary residents remained proud to live in the hometown of superstar Michael Jackson.

In Jackson's Birthplace, Shock At Icon's Death

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Planet Money

Taxing Imports, One At A Time

Every time a car or a T-shirt or an apple comes into the U.S., it's taxed. But determining how much is quite complicated. Import specialists, like Bret Ewing in Seattle, use an old, enormous book to figure it out.

Taxing Imports, One At A Time

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Media

One Question To Obama, One Heck Of A Backlash

When President Obama called on Huffington Post blogger Nico Pitney during Tuesday's news conference, he set off criticism from mainstream news organizations. There have been charges that the question was a plant or, at the least, a departure from protocol.

One Question To Obama, One Heck Of A Backlash

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Law

Conservatives Have 'Originalism'; Liberals Have ... ?

Conservative Supreme Court nominees espouse originalism, the theory that the Constitution's meaning remains static. With Sotomayor's nomination, liberals are looking for a way to sell their own view that interpretation must reflect the changing norms of society.

Conservatives Have 'Originalism'; Liberals Have ... ?

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Environment

Ohio's Burning River In Better Health 40 Years Later

Forty years ago, Ohio's Cuyahoga River, which had been compared to "an open septic tank," caught fire. Cuyahoga became a rallying cry for environmentalists and sparked the creation of the EPA and the Clean Water Act. Now the river teems with fish and wildlife.

Ohio's Burning River In Better Health 40 Years Later

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Religion

Conservatives Push For Rival U.S. Anglican Church

Conservative Anglican leaders arrive in Bedford, Texas, this weekend to discuss creating a new Anglican province in the United States. Conservatives split off from the U.S. Episcopal Church, aligning themselves with bishops in other countries, after the ordination of an openly gay bishop.

Conservatives Push For Rival U.S. Anglican Church

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National

Amid Fears Of New Restrictions, Gun Sales Surge

The recession has put the brakes on all sorts of industries, but the upward spike in gun sales that began about the time President Obama was elected continues. The FBI reports a strong surge in applications for background checks — the best available indicator for gun sales.

Amid Fears Of New Restrictions, Gun Sales Surge

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Money And Influence

The Costs Of Health Care: Finding Ways To Save

In Howard County, Md., health care providers are seeking ways to save costs. Howard County General Hospital's CEO says getting people to go to primary doctors instead of the emergency room is one way. Other doctors say costs can be saved through electronic record keeping and a single-payer system.

The Costs Of Health Care: Finding Ways To Save

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Science

Battling Despair: One Mother's Search For A Job

Despite diligently applying for work every day for eight months, Sylvia Martinez still hasn't landed a job. The mother of three struggles to cope with her financial difficulties and the emotional stress — sometimes despair — of being jobless.

Battling Despair: One Mother's Search For A Job

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Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court Nomination

Sotomayor Shaped By Her 'Nuyorican' Roots

Growing up in a largely Hispanic neighborhood in the Bronx, Sonia Sotomayor has said, she never saw herself as a minority. But the culture shock of being one of the first Latinas to attend Princeton helped forge her commitment to community service and social justice.

Sotomayor Shaped By Her 'Nuyorican' Roots

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Health Care Innovations

In New Model, County Offers Low-Cost Health Care

A new program in Howard County, Md., aims to provide the uninsured access to health care. Despite impressive incentives, only 200 of the county's 10,000 uninsured have fully enrolled. Program Director Peter Beilenson says he is learning valuable lessons that could well serve the larger health care debate.

In New Model, County Offers Low-Cost Health Care

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