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From the studio that produced 2009's Coraline, ParaNorman is a fun, funny throwback to classic stop-motion animation. The movie staggers a bit under the weight of its many characters and plot twists, but the zombie-filled antics are held up by great character design.

People are taking the New York City's proposed big soda ban to heart because it goes after our food. And cultural anthropologists say we have strong attachments to what we consider food — and we don't like it taken away.

Until recently, if you ordered Japanese beer, there weren't many to choose from. But the domination by brewers such as Asahi, Sapporo and Kirin is ebbing. And some longtime sake makers are now devoting part of their breweries to beer.

http://66.225.205.104/LM20110909.mp3In the ten years since 9/11 military spending has sharply risen to help fund two wars. In North Carolina, that's meant…

http://66.225.205.104/JR20120116.mp3 Janice Black (right) with her care-taker Sadie Long Janice Black doesn't say much, but she has a sly grin that gives…

There's nothing scarier than having someone you love turn on you. For author D.W. Gibson, that someone was Roald Dahl, who, in addition to children's books, wrote short stories that are truly terrifying. Is there a book that haunts your dreams? Tell us about it in the comments.

The Psychopath Test is a fascinating look into the minds of the deranged, but author Carol Rifka Brunt says she read it not to understand the psychology of madness, but to prove she wasn't mad herself. When have you compared yourself to books or characters in them? Tell us in the comments.

The eurozone crisis has led to sharp spending cuts and, with an economy based on public sector wages, Sicily is being called Italy's Greece. The central government fears Sicily's debt of more than $6 billion could further endanger Italy's financial stability.

When a prominent Cuban singer opened a restaurant and cabaret, he believed he was following President Raul Castro's cry for more small business. But local authorities shut it down without warning. What happens next is seen as a test of Castro's commitment to economic changes.

The star of Italy's Euro 2012 team is the Sicilian-born son of Ghanaian immigrants, raised by an adoptive, white Italian family. Mario Balotelli has been subjected to racism on and off the field. Now, his success is prompting a rethink in a country that's notorious for its hostility to immigrants.

http://66.225.205.104/GC20090511.mp3The company Muzak made its mark on American culture by producing generic-sounding songs for office buildings, retail…

http://66.225.205.104/SG20090325.mp3Last year, money spent on sports marketing was estimated at $10 billion. That includes things like stadium rights and…

Elissa Schappell was 13 and in search of a delicious romance novel when she stumbled on Erica Jong's feminist call to arms, Fear of Flying. It didn't resonate with her at the time, but later she appreciated its message. Is there a book you've changed your mind about? Tell us in the comments.

http://66.225.205.104/JR20100407.mp3Bank of America will hold its annual meeting in Charlotte on April 28, and it's not likely to be a friendly gathering.…

Apple and Samsung remained locked in their high stakes patent dispute. A Silicon Valley jury last month ordered Samsung to pay Apple more than $1 billion for infringing on its patents. Samsung is fighting in court and with a new aggressive marketing campaign for its Galaxy smartphones.

Pop. 1280 is the perfect noir thriller, featuring a murderous, corn bread-loving sheriff from a small town in the South. Author Stephen Marche explains why the book is genre fiction at its best. Do you have a favorite tale of twisted justice? Tell us in the comments.

Egypt's minority Coptic Christian community feared a backlash after a Copt was linked to the anti-Muslim film that's provoked violent protests throughout the Muslim world. But it seems the anti-Copt reaction has been limited so far.

Cuba is one of the world's last remaining communist states. Cuba's allies in China and Vietnam also maintain firm one-party rule, but have prospered by introducing market principles to their economic models.

http://66.225.205.104/SO20091022.mp3 In good times or bad, non-profits are challenged just to keep services going, let alone tell the public about their…

http://66.225.205.104/SO20091014.mp3Preserving diversity was a running theme as parents, teachers and students affected by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools…