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The Salt
12:34 pm
Tue December 6, 2011

Here Come The Food Trend Lists

It's that time of year when media organizations, consultants and marketers try their hands at summarizing and forecasting the past year and the coming year's food trends. It's a tricky business, because it really depends who you're talking about and where they actually eat (home, work, out?).

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The Two-Way
12:27 pm
Tue December 6, 2011

U.S. Unveils Virtual 'Embassy' To Iran

Days after angry Iranian students overran the British embassy in Tehran, The U.S. has opened its new "embassy" for Iranian citizens. Senior U.S. diplomats haven't returned to Tehran after more than 30 years - this department is web only.

The front page features a welcome video from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the seal of the State Department, with the banner "Virtual Embassy of the United States, Tehran - Iran" set at the very top.

But as the welcome message reads,

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Around the Nation
12:00 pm
Tue December 6, 2011

Snail Mail May Arrive More Slowly. Will It Matter?

The U.S. Postal Service has announced it will move forward with plans to close some 250 processing centers and lay off workers. The cuts may help save $3 billion a year by 2015, and could add a day to the delivery time of many shipments. The USPS is also reviewing post offices for possible closures.

Law
12:00 pm
Tue December 6, 2011

Court Rules Bone Marrow Donors Can Be Paid

A federal appeals court ruled that most bone marrow donors can be paid. The decision has sparked debate among advocates who believe compensation will create incentives for people to donate bone marrow, and the Justice Department, which argues compensation may compromise patient safety.

From Our Listeners
12:00 pm
Tue December 6, 2011

Letters: NPR's New CEO And Becoming A Poet

NPR's Neal Conan reads from Talk of the Nation listener comments on previous show topics, including advice for NPR's new CEO, Gary Knell, and the moments when a writer realizes he or she has become a poet.

Opinion
12:00 pm
Tue December 6, 2011

Manjoo: Making Facebook Private Is 'Oxymoronic'

Facebook has developed new privacy features and agreed to 20 years of independent audits of its privacy practices. Google and Twitter previously settled similar cases with the Federal Trade Commission. Farhad Manjoo argues that Facebook, or any social network, can never be truly private.

The Two-Way
11:56 am
Tue December 6, 2011

Next Muslim Radicalization Congressional Hearing Will Focus On Military

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images
Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) listens during a hearing on Muslim radicalization before the House Homeland Security Committee in March.

Rep. Peter King is set to continue his series of controversial hearings on the radicalization of American Muslims with a fourth one tomorrow. King, a New York Republican along with Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, will explore how radicalization threatens the military.

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The Two-Way
11:35 am
Tue December 6, 2011

Egypt And Tigerblood Top Twitter's List Of Hashtags This Year

Credit Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Charlie Sheen turned #tigerblood into a hashtag of note.

Yet another sign of the very diverse interests of the world's webizens:

Twitter says the top two hashtags this year have been #egypt and #tigerblood.

Egypt went to the top of words to search and post thanks to the Arab Spring and the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. As for No. 2, its popularity is all due to actor Charlie Sheen and his famous claim to have "tiger blood."

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It's All Politics
11:10 am
Tue December 6, 2011

Give Immigration Reform A Chance, Say Nation's Most Conservative Voters

When new GOP presidential front-runner Newt Gingrich recently advocated a "humane" approach to addressing illegal immigrants in America, some conservatives questioned whether it would fatally damage the former House Speaker's campaign.

After all, Texas Gov. Rick Perry saw his bid for the GOP nomination falter in part because of his support for a program that allows children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities.

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Shots - Health Blog
10:52 am
Tue December 6, 2011

Bedbug Infestations Are A Family Affair

Bedbugs don't mind sleeping with their sisters and brothers, if you know what I mean.

And bedbugs' eagerness to mate with their kin is one reason their populations have taken off so dramatically. Inbreeding comes naturally to them, and it doesn't seem to hurt their offspring much, as is the case with most other creatures.

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