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5:03 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Urban Oases: Getting Lost in 'Invisible Cities'

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 11:11 am

Eric Weiner's latest book is Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine.

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The Two-Way
4:37 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Super Bowl Will Be A Family Affair: Harbaugh Brothers' Ravens, 49ers To Clash

Credit Rob Carr / Getty Images
Head coach Jim Harbaugh (left) of the San Francisco 49ers and his brother, head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, before a game on Thanksgiving Day 2011. Their teams will meet again in the Super Bowl.
  • From 'Morning Edition': NPR's Mike Pesca on the Ravens' win

Super Bowl XLVII will be a never-before matchup of teams coached by two brothers.

The Baltimore Ravens, led by John Harbaugh, will play his younger brother Jim's San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 3 in New Orleans.

Maybe it should be called the Harbowl, as they're saying on NFL.com.

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The Two-Way
3:53 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Join Us For Coverage Of Inauguration Day; Here's The Schedule

Credit Joe Raedle / Getty Images
Souvenirs are available in Washington, D.C., as the city celebrates the inauguration.

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:32 am

Good morning.

Though he and the vice president have already taken their oaths of office, President Obama is due this noon to stand outside the Capitol for his ceremonial swearing in and then to deliver his second inaugural address.

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Politics
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Much Has Changed Since Obama's 1st Inauguration

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

President Obama's second inauguration is not expected to have record-setting crowds. Also, the president is not the same man as he was four years ago.

Politics
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

First Lady Also Starts Her 2nd Term

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

A second term for Barack Obama, of course, always means four more years in the spotlight for his wife Michelle. The first lady's time in the White House has involved work focused on children and military families, as well as plenty of focus on her fashion, which was evidenced over the last few days with the reaction to her new hairdo, which included bangs.

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Politics
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

2nd Terms Are Historically Hard To Navigate

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

President Obama is the third president in a row to face the challenges of a second term, on the heels of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. The last time there were three in a row, their names were Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. In the modern era, second terms have become notorious for getting derailed.

To find out what history may teach President Obama about navigating the next four years, we reached presidential historian Michael Beschloss. Welcome.

MICHAEL BESCHLOSS: Thank you, Renee.

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Politics
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Obama, Biden Take Oaths On Sunday

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

President Obama will be sworn in for a second term with fanfare at noon Monday, but the official swearing in was Sunday. Obama's second inauguration is a smaller affair than four years ago. But hundreds of thousands of people have come to Washington, D.C. nonetheless.

Business
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Obama 'Suits Up' For Inauguration Day

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

All eyes will be on the First Lady Michelle Obama's fashion choices at Monday's inaugural events. Presidential fashions do make history — think Ronald Reagan's brown suits, or Jimmy Carter's cardigans.

Business
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

More Year-End Earning Statements Out This Week

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And we're in the midst of year-end earnings announcements. This week, companies including Apple, Lockheed-Martin, Microsoft and Starbucks will announce their final 2012 results. NPR's Yuki Noguchi has a preview of the corporate earnings season.

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Business
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Business News

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with a mega-return.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

INSKEEP: OK, last year, the United States government shut down the file-sharing website Megaupload over charges of copyright infringement. That was a popular place for users to share pirated films and music. Over the weekend, the founder of Megaupload, the New Zealand tycoon Kim Dotcom, launched a successor to the site. It's called simply Mega.

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Business
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

With huge crowds expected in Washington, D.C., dozens of pedicab drivers have come to town to take advantage of the president's swearing in. Mike Kowalczyk of Newport, Rhode Island, told WTOP he's a little worried about directions. He said he got lost his first night in the nation's capital.

Africa
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Nightmare Details Emerge After Siege In Algeria

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

President Obama took the oath for a second term yesterday, on January 20th, as the Constitution requires. The public ceremony takes place today at the Capitol, and we'll have live coverage all day long.

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Africa
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Ambassador Muddleston: U.S. Must Save Mali

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The dead are still being counted from last week's attack and hostage drama at a natural gas plant in the remote desert of Algeria. Among those killed are dozens of foreign workers from Britain, Japan and elsewhere, with at least one from America. To get a better understanding of what is unfolding in the region and America's role in it, we're joined by Vickie Huddleston.

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Asia
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

In 2nd Term, Obama To Pivot To Asia

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The president of the United States, as his title suggests, is the leader of this country, but in many ways is also the leader of the world. And so we're looking at how other countries see the next four years on this Inauguration Day. India enjoyed strong relations with the Obama administration in its first term, but in a second term, NPR's Julie McCarthy reports, the South Asian giant is concerned about the uncertainty seen in American policy toward China and Afghanistan.

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Middle East
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Israel's Move To The Right, Ahead Of Elections

Originally published on Sun January 27, 2013 7:13 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

In his first term, the president sometimes had prickly relations with Israel. Tomorrow, Israelis vote in a new government. That election comes amid the revolutions of Israel's Arab neighbors and soon after an armed conflict with Palestinians in Gaza. And when David Remnick recently visited Israel, he found, in his words, the vivid and growing strength of the radical right.

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Africa
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Egyptians React To Obama's First Term

Originally published on Sun January 27, 2013 7:14 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Nearly four years ago, President Barack Obama was a new face with new promise and a middle name Hussein that resonated throughout the Muslim world. In a speech at Cairo University, he promised a new beginning for relations between the U.S. and the Muslim world. But as Obama begins his second term, the hope that so many in Egypt had for a new direction under Obama is largely gone. NPR's Leila Fadel reports from Cairo.

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Race
1:41 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Myrlie Evers-Williams To Deliver Inaugural Invocation

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 8:01 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And the widow of a murdered Mississippi civil rights leader will help open the inaugural ceremony today. President Obama selected activist Myrlie Evers-Williams to deliver the invocation. She's the first woman and the first layperson to have the honor.

NPR's Debbie Elliott has this profile.

DEBBIE ELLIOTT, BYLINE: Evers-Williams' prominent role in President Obama's second inauguration comes in the 50th year since NAACP field secretary Medgar Evers was shot to death outside his family's home in Jackson, Mississippi.

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Arts & Life
1:22 am
Mon January 21, 2013

Aretha Franklin Was Already Famous, But Her Hat-Maker Wasn't

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 10:54 am

After the first Obama inauguration, everybody talked about three things: the historic moment, the Arctic weather — and Aretha Franklin's hat.

If it is possible for a piece of millinery to steal the thunder of one of the most-watched moments in recent memory, the Queen of Soul's hat managed to do it. Her gray felt cloche was topped with a giant, matching bow, outlined in rhinestones that flashed in the chill sunlight as she sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee."

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It's All Politics
3:42 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

Inaugural Trivia Quiz

Credit Getty Images
Barack Obama arrives at his 2009 inauguration to become the 44th president of the United States.

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 6:51 am

See what you know about the wonkier points of the quadrennial festivities. Scroll to the page bottom for answers and explanations.

1) The Constitution says that a presidency ends and a new one begins on:

a) Jan. 20
b) Jan. 21
c) The third Monday in January following an election
d) It doesn't specify

2) How many presidents have chosen to affirm (rather than swear) to "faithfully execute the office ... "?

a) None
b) One
c) Two
d) Three

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Author Interviews
3:29 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

George Saunders On Absurdism And Ventriloquism In 'Tenth Of December'

George Saunders has been writing short stories for decades.

Saunders, a professor at Syracuse University, was once a geological engineer who traveled the world; he now crafts stories that combine the absurd and fantastic with the mundane realities of everyday life. One story about a professional caveman inspired those Geico commercials.

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Politics
3:08 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

Will The Grass Be Greener In Obama's Second Term?

Credit Jim Urquhart / AP
A grizzly bear roams near Beaver Lake in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. Some environmentalists hope President Obama lives up to campaign promises regarding climate change in his second term.

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 6:02 pm

One of the chief expectations of those who voted for President Obama is that he moves assertively to pass climate change legislation, whatever the political climate in Washington.

"We have a bipartisan common interest in moving away from fossil fuels towards clean energy," says Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club. "The sooner that members of both parties in Congress realize that and develop solutions, the better off we'll all be."

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Environment
3:01 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

Former Anti-GMO Activist Says Science Changed His Mind

Credit ORLIN WAGNER / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Harvest wheat from a field near Wright, Kan. May 10, 2004.

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 3:29 pm

For years, British environmental activist Mark Lynas destroyed genetically modified food (GMO) crops in what he calls a successful campaign to force the business of agriculture to be more holistic and ecological in its practices.

His targets were companies like Monsanto and Syngenta — leaders in developing genetically modified crops.

Earlier this month he went in front of the world to reverse his position on GMOs.

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Food
2:14 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

Distilling Presidential History Into 44 Cocktails

Originally published on Tue January 22, 2013 3:04 pm

As Washington, D.C., gears up for the 57th presidential inauguration, political parties are in full swing. We're not talking about run-of-the-mill partisan bickering. We're talking about inaugural celebrations: balls, galas and cocktail parties. Emphasis on the cocktail.

The Round Robin Bar in the Willard Hotel is just a stone's throw from the White House. Bartender Jim Hewes has been serving up drinks there for nearly 30 years.

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Author Interviews
2:12 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

Connecting With Nature To Reclaim Our Natural 'Birthright'

Credit John Mueller / Yale University Press
Stephen Kellert is a professor emeritus and senior research scholar at Yale University.

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 3:29 pm

"Contact with nature is not some magical elixir but the natural world is the substrate on which we must build our existence," writes Stephen Kellert in his new book Birthright: People and Nature in the Modern World.

In it, he tells stories of the environment's effect on us, and ours on it. His writing builds on the traditions of Thoreau, John Muir and Rachel Carson. Modern society, he argues, has become adversarial in its relationship to nature, having greatly undervalued the natural world beyond its narrow utility.

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Inauguration 2013
1:25 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

An Inaugural Memory: President Lincoln's Food Fight

Credit Smithsonian Institution
Menu for Lincoln's 2nd inaugural ball, March 6, 1865

Originally published on Tue January 22, 2013 10:27 am

A recently-published menu for Abraham Lincoln's lavish second inaugural ball in 1865 provides an interesting look at how different the nation celebrated its new president just seven score and eight years ago.

Smoked tongue en geleé and blancmange (a firm custard) shared room on the buffet table with roast turkey and burnt almond ice cream.

As Yale food historian Paul Freedman told Smithsonian Magazine writer Megan Gambino, the cuisine could best be described as "French via England, with some American ingredients."

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Music Interviews
12:58 pm
Sun January 20, 2013

For Sean Lennon, Music Is Not A Solo Act

Credit Jordan Galland / Courtesy of the artist
Sean Lennon in the studio, during production of the Alter Egos soundtrack.

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 3:29 pm

Sean Lennon, son of John and Yoko, is drawn to musical collaboration and repelled by hydraulic fracturing.

The 37-year-old just released two albums: the improvisational project Mystical Weapons and the score to the independent film Alter Egos.

Writing For Film

Lennon only appears in Alter Egos for a few seconds; the majority of his efforts went into writing the music, which he had to do twice. He describes the film as a "kitsch comedy about superheroes," and his first attempt at the music took a similar vibe.

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The Two-Way
11:13 am
Sun January 20, 2013

Death Toll May Rise After More Bodies Found At Algerian Plant

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 11:15 am

More bodies have been reported found at the gas plant in Algeria where a four-day standoff with Islamist militants came to a bloody end on Saturday. An Algerian security official tells the AP that the state of the bodies makes it difficult to tell whether the dead are hostages or attackers.

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The Two-Way
10:52 am
Sun January 20, 2013

Obama Takes Oath Of Office In White House Ceremony

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 11:04 am

President Obama's second term officially begins Sunday: He took the oath of office in an intimate ceremony at the White House, fulfilling the constitutional requirement to take the oath before noon on Jan. 20.

NPR's Ari Shaprio reported on the swearing-in for our Newscast unit. Here's what he said:

"Family and a few close friends gathered in the Blue Room of the White House. The president placed his hand on a family Bible and recited the oath with Chief Justice John Roberts.

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Africa
6:05 am
Sun January 20, 2013

Repercussions Of Crisis In Algeria Could Be Far-Reaching

Originally published on Sun January 20, 2013 4:22 pm

Algerian security forces stormed a natural gas complex in the Sahara desert Saturday, bringing to an end a four-day siege by Islamist militants who took dozens of foreigners hostage.

You Must Read This
4:11 am
Sun January 20, 2013

Fiction Truer Than Fact: A Haunting Autobiographical Novel

Originally published on Mon January 21, 2013 11:28 am

Sarah Manguso's latest book is called The Guardians.

I like autobiographies that approach their subjects insidiously. My favorite ones begin as a study of someone or something else. Then, partway through, the author realizes he's the subject. And my very favorite autobiographies are the ones, in all their particularity, that might as well be about me — or you, or anyone.

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