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As the clock ticks, a resolution to stop steep spending cuts and tax increases seems far away. Republicans and Democrats seemed to be sticking to their guns.

If President Obama and Congress can't make a deal this month, the economy could fall into recession while tax bills go up for nearly every American. On the other hand, it would do a lot to erase the nation's deficit.

On this week's show, we talk about people who have had great second acts and people we'd like to party with — or rather, would like to party with if we were "party with people" kinds of people. Which only some of us are. Oh, we'll explain it.

What you want to know about classical music this week, from our ten must-hear albums to the Grammy nominations to Dave Brubeck's classical music and composer Jonathan Harvey's passing. Plus: New York City Opera selling most of its sets and the jailhouse orchestra that players don't want to leave.

Jim Butcher's Cold Daysresurrects Harry Dresden into eternal servitude. It debuts at No. 7.

Why Even Tragedy Gets A Laugh — When comedian Tig Notaro found out she had breast cancer, she incorporated the grim news into her stand-up routine--and got quite a few laughs from the audience. Notaro and neuroscientist Robert Provine discuss the origins of laughter, what separates the amusing from the truly funny, and why even tragedy sometimes gets a laugh.

Reporting in the journal Biology Letters, Jeremy Goldbogen and colleagues say blue whales perform underwater acrobatics when they're eating: they rotate 360 degrees while they gulp krill. Reaching 90 feet in length, blue whales are the largest animals on the planet. Goldbogen is studying their dining habits to understand what fuels their growth.

It has been an exciting week for planetary scientists, ranging from the discovery of water ice on Mercury to the announcement of a new Mars rover mission in 2020. Jim Green, director of NASA's planetary science division, and scientist Matthew Siegler discuss the latest news.

Julie Rose reflects on the story behind her investigation of the foods processed in Charlotte. Read her full story here.I got mostly blank looks when I…

Host Michel Martin is joined by NPR Senior Business Editor Marilyn Geewax to look at the latest jobs numbers. They talk about why businesses big and small aren't ready to make major hiring decisions yet — and whether that will change if politicians avert the so-called "fiscal cliff."

Detractors of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi breached the security perimeter of the presidential palace in Cairo. Some scrawled graffiti on its walls.

Belk is boosting employment at its Charlotte headquarters by about 10 percent thanks to the popularity of online shopping. The 150 jobs Belk plans to add…

The first married gay male couple featured in Jet magazine marks a cultural breakthrough for African-Americans, many say.

A campaign marked by money, fundraisers (including the infamous one that produced Mitt Romney's "47 percent" moment) and superPACs finished with spending sprees across the board, according to final campaign finance reports. In all, more than $2 billion was spent on the presidential race.

The flu is back early this season. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases

This week President Obama warned Syrian President Bashar Assad not to use his chemical weapons stockpile. Melissa Block talks with former weapons inspector Charles Duelfer about what weapons Syria possesses and how they can be used.

On Saturday night the Heisman Trophy will be awarded to the top individual player in college football. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis talks with Audie Cornish about who is up for the award. They also talk about bowl games, coaching woes, and collegiate realignment.

Audie Cornish talks to Joe Maddalena, who runs Profiles in History. The company is auctioning off a huge collection of historic letters and documents on Dec. 18. Among them are letters by George Washington, John Lennon, Vincent Van Gogh, Lou Gehrig, Louis Pasteur, Sigmund Freud, and Napoleon.

With "classroom flipping," teachers record their classroom lectures online for students to watch at home. Classroom time is then used for problem solving and homework.

With the presidential election decided, doctors and some advocates are calling for the administration to make it easier for teenagers to get the morning-after birth control pill.