NPR National News

Pages

Technology
2:00 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

A Look At Mobile Technology Used In Retail

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

Here's another challenge for traditional retailers. Companies like Amazon and eBay now offer apps for your Smartphone that take a lot of the legwork out of comparison-shopping. While you're in a store, just take a picture of an item or scan the barcode on the box. You'll find out where else to get it and you might even get an extra discount for buying it on the spot.

Stephen Hoch teaches marketing at the Wharton School of Business and consults for some retailers.

Read more
From Our Listeners
2:00 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Letters: Stilts; 'People's Mic'; Backseat Book Club

Robert Siegel and Lynn Neary read emails from listeners.

Europe
2:00 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Britain Skeptical About Euro

At the E.U. summit in Brussels, Britain was the only nation to rule out treaty changes aimed at saving eurozone countries from default and saving the euro. A look at what's behind Britain's latest show of euro skepticism — and what it means for the Tory Prime Minister David Cameron, who, ironically, is in a coalition with the pro-Europe Liberal Democratic party.

National Security
2:00 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Questions Surround FBI Agent's Disappearance

The case of a former FBI agent who disappeared from an Iranian resort island nearly five years ago has come back into the headlines. His family has decided to tell the media, for the first time, about some developments in the case that occurred last year — including a video of the former agent, Robert Levinson, who is shown asking the government to work for his release. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston talks to Lynn Neary about the questions surrounding the case and the family's efforts to bring Levinson home.

National Security
2:00 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Brennan Discusses Defense Authorization Bill

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Lynn Neary.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 runs hundreds of pages. It authorizes hundreds of billions in defense spending. And as it stands, the version of the bill approved by the Senate is facing a veto by President Obama.

Read more
Politics
1:52 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

New Rules Turn Up Heat On Florida's Redistricting

History shows us that elections can turn on details — a momentary lapse during a debate, the design of a butterfly ballot, who oversees a recount. That's why so much attention is being paid this year in state capitals to redistricting.

Every 10 years, congressional and state legislative districts are redrawn to reflect changes in population.

Although many states have already finished redistricting, Florida is just getting started. And it's turning into a heated political battle.

Defining 'Gerrymandering'

Read more
Latin America
1:51 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Mexico Busts Drug Cartels' Private Phone Networks

Credit Lucas Castro / AFP/Getty Images
Mexican soldiers stand guard behind communication radios seized from alleged drug-cartel members in Veracruz, Mexico, Nov. 23.

The Mexican military has recently broken up several secret telecommunications networks that were built and controlled by drug cartels so they could coordinate drug shipments, monitor their rivals and orchestrate attacks on the security forces.

A network that was dismantled just last week provided cartel members with cell phone and radio communications across four northeastern states. The network had coverage along almost 500 miles of the Texas border and extended nearly another 500 miles into Mexico's interior.

Read more
The Two-Way
1:45 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Total Lunar Eclipse On Saturday, Western States Get Rare View

Credit Chris Hondros / Getty Images
The reddish hue during the December 2010 total lunar eclipse.

The last total lunar eclipse of 2011 — and the last one until April 15, 2014 — occurs Saturday morning.

Read more
Books
1:45 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

At The High Court, A Tribute To A 'Chef Supreme'

Originally published on Sun December 11, 2011 11:01 pm

Walk into the Supreme Court gift shop, and there, among all the books on the history of the court, is a cookbook — yes, a cookbook. Put together by the spouses of the Supreme Court justices, it is a tribute to a master chef, the late Martin Ginsburg, husband of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

By day, Marty Ginsburg was one of the nation's premier tax law professors and parishioners. By night, he was one of the nation's most innovative and accomplished amateur chefs.

Read more
Arts & Life
1:40 pm
Fri December 9, 2011

Bolo Tie Goes High-Brow At Arizona Art Exhibit

Originally published on Fri December 9, 2011 6:42 pm

Arizona celebrates its centennial next year, and to help get folks spruced up for the occasion, the Heard Museum in Phoenix recently opened an exhibition featuring the state's official neckwear — the bolo tie.

The roots of the bolo tie aren't known for sure. But the story goes like this: Back in the 1930s and '40s, when Western swing was in full swing, a cowboy and silversmith in Wickenburg, Ariz., named Vic Cedarstaff was out riding his horse. The wind picked up, and to keep his silver hatband safe, Cedarstaff looped it around his neck.

Read more

Pages