There's an upside to cold, snowless New England days — great skating
Maine Public reporter Ari Snider heads out on a couple of Maine's lakes to explore the burgeoning sport of "wild ice skating." (Story aired on All Things Considered on Jan. 16, 2025.)
Gnomes Allowed To Stay On Utility Poles
About 2,300 tiny painting of gnomes have appeared on utility poles all over Oakland, Calif. Since the little guys showed up last year, full-sized residents got into the spirit — blogging and tweeting new sightings. Pacific Gas and Electric was going to evict the bearded figures but when the anonymous artist appealed, PG&E backed off.
Peace Dove Fights Off Sea Gull At Vatican March
The Caravan of Peace is an annual march at the Vatican. As Pope Benedict looked on, two doves, symbolizing peace, were released into St. Peter's Square. It was beautiful until a sea gull assaulted one of the doves. But the dove fought off the much larger gull.
Competition, High Bills Hurt Cable Companies
It's called cord-cutting when people give up their cable TV subscriptions because they feel they get enough to watch over the air and the Internet. Cord-cutting is a big fear for cable TV companies. But there's something new for them to worry about: Young people who never get cable subscriptions in the first place.
Latino Voters Help Push Immigration Changes Forward
President Obama told a friendly audience in Las Vegas Tuesday that the prospects are bright for an overhaul of immigration laws, now that bipartisan congressional leaders are on board. The new sense of urgency comes after Latinos turned out in large numbers last fall to help re-elect the president.
Fourth-Quarter Reports: Boeing Profits Up, Amazon Down
Despite the groundings of its 787 because of battery trouble, the aerospace company plans to deliver dozens more Dreamliners this year. The cyberspace retailer, meanwhile, reported a big drop in profits.
Apple Trademarks Its Interior Store Design
The U.S. Patent and Trademark office recently granted Apple's request to protect pretty much every single thing you see in its stores. This includes "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and "an oblong table with stools set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."
Rising Postal Rates Squeeze Small Record Labels
When postal rates went up this week, labels who ship CDs and LPs saw rates jump. They say the costs will make their way to music fans.