National

National

Number Of States Allowing Gay Marriage Expected To Grow

7:04pm December 25, 2013

by Richard Gonzales

More than 38 percent of the U.S. population lives in a state in which same-sex marriage is legal. That's a much more revealing number than the figure usually discussed: 18 states plus Washington D.C. In the coming years, that number is expected to increase dramatically.

Queue Listen Now

National

In New Hampshire, Christmas Lights Help Welcome New Immigrants

8:02pm December 24, 2013

by Ibby Caputo

Refugees from Iraq, Nepal and the Congo are being introduced to the way Americans celebrate the holidays — and the way Americans consume electricity.

Queue Listen Now

National

A Late Christmas Tree May Not Be A Beauty, But It's A Tradition

8:02pm December 24, 2013

by Martin Kaste

Stores and families keep putting up their Christmas decorations earlier and earlier each year. But some people still hold out for decorating on Christmas Eve. Martin Kaste has this audio postcard about the difficulties faced in trying to keep Christmas at bay until Christmas.

Queue Listen Now

National

Judge Denies Stay Of Utah Same-Sex Marriages, Unions Continue

5:56pm December 23, 2013

by Terry Gildea

Gay marriages will continue in Utah, for the time being. A federal judge denied a request on Monday to stay his decision that said the state's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The state says it will appeal the ruling to a higher court. Gay couples have been flooding county clerks' offices since the original ruling came down Friday afternoon.

Queue Listen Now

Decades ago, the SAT test was seen as a measure of raw ability, not as something students ought to cram for. Now, test prep is a huge industry. Linguist Geoff Nunberg wonders what exactly students learn when they're flipping through vocabulary flashcards.

Sorry Assiduous (adj.) SAT-Takers, Linguist In Dudgeon (n.) Over Vocab Flashcards

4:01pm December 23, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

Many students prepare for the SAT by drilling themselves on esoteric, arcane and recondite words — like esoteric, arcane and recondite. Linguist Geoff Nunberg doesn't discourage these efforts, but he does have a word of caution: memorizing a definition is hardly the same as learning a new word.

Queue Listen Now

National

In The World Of Pinball, An Underdog Takes On The Giant

6:53pm December 22, 2013

by Francesca Fenzi

For more than a decade, Stern Pinball was the only company manufacturing pinball machines. A New Jersey startup company is trying to shake up that monopoly. But with decreased demand for the games, it's unclear whether the pinball industry is big enough for two.

Queue Listen Now

National

'New Level' Of Scandal With LA Sheriff's Department

5:00pm December 22, 2013

Host Arun Rath talks with Los Angeles Times reporter Robert Faturechi about the troubles facing the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. More than a dozen current and former deputies face federal charges stemming from allegations of abuse and corruption.

Queue Listen Now

Astronauts On Spacewalk Begin Space Station Repair

10:28pm December 21, 2013

Saturday morning, astronauts on the International Space Station carried out the first of three urgent spacewalks to repair a cooling line. They finished the work early, but there's still more to be done.

Queue Listen Now

National

55 Years Later: Commemorating First Space Broadcast

10:28pm December 21, 2013

On Dec. 19, 1958, a pre-recorded message from President Dwight D. Eisenhower was sent out from a satellite via short wave. It offered hopes for peace on earth and goodwill toward men everywhere. Of course, it also let the Soviets know the U.S. was catching up in the space race.

Queue Listen Now

The Texas Camel Corps guides camel treks through the Big Bend region of Texas, where such animals once served American settlers in the late 1800s.

National

Camels Trek In The Texas Desert, Just Like Old Times

10:28pm December 21, 2013

by Wade Goodwyn

The Texas Camel Corps leads trips through the rugged Big Bend region of West Texas. Indigenous people lived in the area some 9,000 years ago, and for a while, camels called it home, too. In the 1800s, U.S. soldiers brought the animals in to traverse the distance between water supplies for the first American settlers.

Queue Listen Now