Around the Nation

Nail Gun Victim Lives To Tell The Tale

7:04am October 01, 2013

Eugene Rakow is a carpenter who shot himself in the heart with a nail gun. Doctors removed the nail and gave it to him as a souvenir. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the surgeon said Rakow was amazingly lucky. "Nine out of 10 people won't make it," according to the surgeon.

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House GOP Didn't Blink, Focused On Defunding Obamacare

6:36am October 01, 2013

The focal point of the fight over continued funding for the federal government has been the effort by conservatives in the House to defund the Affordable Care Act. Enrollment begins Tuesday. Steve Inskeep talks to Arizona Republican David Schweikert, one of the House members who has supported the effort to defund the law known as Obamacare.

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Examining The Psychology Of Sports Fans

6:35am October 01, 2013

Some sports fans' lives depend on how well their teams are doing. In one theory, sports allow us to deeply identify with the athletes so it feels like we are playing the game.

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National

Marine Generals Forced To Retire A Year After Taliban Attack

6:35am October 01, 2013

Two Marine Corps generals have been asked to resign over an incident in Afghanistan a year ago. Taliban insurgents made their way onto a sprawling base and attacked NATO forces. Two Americans died and six Marine fighter jets were destroyed. The two generals reprimanded in the matter were found to bear responsibility for underestimating the threat to base security.

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Partial Government Shutdown Will Compromise Some Services

6:35am October 01, 2013

by Scott Horsley

Much of the federal government is in the process of shutting down. With Congress unable to agree on a stop-gap spending bill, money for continuing operations ran out at midnight. Hundreds of thousands of government employees have been told to stop working — although President Obama says some vital functions will continue.

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National

Hiking Trail From Mexico To Canada More Popular Than Ever

10:09pm September 30, 2013

by Bellamy Pailthorp

A record number of people are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. This year, more than a thousand backpackers applied for permits to complete the entire 2,650 mile trek between Mexico and Canada, though just about half of them are expected to actually finish as the season wraps up this October.

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An expert FAA advisory committee has recommended that airline passengers be allowed to use most personal electronic devices below 10,000 feet.

National

FAA May Stop Making You Power Off Those Electronics

10:09pm September 30, 2013

by David Schaper

An expert advisory committee recommended Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration allow the use of some personal electronic devices during takeoff and landing. But while many passengers are eager to use their tablets and music players all flight long, it may be months before any rules are changed.

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National

Justice Department Sues North Carolina Over Voter ID Law

5:16pm September 30, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The lawsuit takes aim at provisions that limit early voting periods and require a government photo ID as an illegal form of discrimination against minorities at the ballot box, according to a person briefed on the Justice Department's plans.

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Is Living With Extreme Wildfires The New Normal?

5:02pm September 30, 2013

by NPR Staff

The Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona was deadly in part because of how close a highly flammable forest was to a community. The U.S. once faced a crisis with structural fires, but managed to change regulations to turn the trend around. Experts say it will take a renewed effort to take on this newer fire threat.

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Arts

Writing Noir Poetry, With LA As A Backdrop

2:31pm September 30, 2013

Suzanne Lummis is the granddaughter of a California pioneer, a local legend and a woman who has turned her life's misadventures into edgy poetry. She speaks with host Jacki Lyden about noir poetry set in her beloved city of Los Angeles.

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