NPR News

Pages

All Tech Considered
8:31 am
Wed October 17, 2012

The Brain Of The Beast: Google Reveals The Computers Behind The Cloud

Originally published on Fri October 19, 2012 10:09 am

Behind the ephemeral "cloud" of cloud computing, the network we use for everything from checking our email to streamlining our health care system, there lies a very tangible and very big computer infrastructure.

Read more
The Two-Way
8:26 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Top Stories: Post-Debate Analysis; Mild Earthquake Surprises New England

Happy post-debate day! Here are our early stories:

Along With Sparks, Errors Fly In Second Debate.

Rare Earthquake Rattles New England.

And here are other morning headlines:

Read more
The Two-Way
8:23 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Report: Lance Armstrong Stepping Down As Livestrong Chairman

Credit Steve Ruark / AP
Lance Armstrong competes in the Rev3 Half Full Triathalon Sunday in Ellicott City, Md. Armstrong joined other cancer survivors in the event, which raised funds for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 4:43 pm

Cyclist Lance Armstrong is stepping down from his role as chairman of the cancer-awareness charity Livestrong, the organization said in a press release today. (Update at 8:34 a.m. Separately, Nike dropped its sponsorship of Armstrong.)

Read more
The Two-Way
7:56 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Rare Earthquake Rattles New England

Credit USGS
A map from the USGS. The yellow represents the areas that felt the earthquake the most.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 8:37 am

A rare 4.0 magnitude earthquake rattled New England, last night. While some of our readers on the West Coast would barely even blink with such a shake, it caused confusion and consternation for many around the epicenter about 30 miles outside of Portland, Maine.

The Bangor Daily News reports that the largest earthquake to strike the region measured 5.1 and it happened in 1904.

Read more
It's All Politics
7:49 am
Wed October 17, 2012

A Stronger Showing At Hofstra, But Ghost Of Denver Still Haunts Obama

Credit Charles Dharapak / AP
President Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney participate in the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., on Tuesday.

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 12:42 pm

President Obama beat at least one of his adversaries on the stage at Hofstra University last night. He easily outperformed that guy — whoever he was — who debated against former Gov. Mitt Romney two weeks ago in Denver.

That much was obvious — and necessary for the president. The question now is whether it will be sufficient to restore his momentum in the race itself.

Read more
World
7:32 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Mongolia To Sell Last Lenin Statue

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 8:31 am

In 1990, a bloodless revolution brought down the Communist government of Mongolia,and their memorials to communist heroes were destroyed or sold for scrap. But one remaining statue of Lenin is being sold at auction.

Around the Nation
7:25 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Birth Control Pills For Squirrels?

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 8:31 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Read more
Book Reviews
7:03 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Collaboration Leaves Couple 'Drawn Together'

What happens to underground artists after they step, blinking, into the harsh, flat light of the upper world? If they are Robert and Aline Crumb, not a whole hell of a lot — at least, not in their approach to their art. As amply demonstrated in Drawn Together, which collects comics the two cartoonists have created together since the late '70s, their specific subjects may change, but how they go about depicting those subjects — their shared impulse for autobiographical, self-deprecating logorrhea — remains constant.

Read more
First Reads
7:03 am
Wed October 17, 2012

First Read: Barbara Kingsolver's 'Flight Behavior'

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 11:05 am

  • Listen to the Excerpt

Dellarobia Turnbow, the smart-mouthed heroine of Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior, is frustrated by her marriage to Cub, the boy who got her pregnant in high school, and by the grinding privation of life on her in-laws' failing farm. Kingsolver mixes a story of personal awakening with themes of environmental stewardship and climate change as a freak natural phenomenon begins to transform Dellarobia's life. This exclusive excerpt exhibits one of the book's pleasures — Kingsolver's closely observed depictions of rural life — as it introduces the main characters.

Read more
Election 2012
4:47 am
Wed October 17, 2012

Take-Charge Obama Shows Up For Second Debate

Originally published on Wed October 17, 2012 8:31 am

Two weeks ago, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney was seen as the clear winner of that debate. A very different President Obama showed up for the second debate. He went hard after his Republican opponent from the very start.

Pages