Morning Edition

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Steve Inskeep, Renee Montagne

Every weekday for over three decades, NPR's Morning Edition has taken listeners around the country and the world with two hours of multi–faceted stories and commentaries that inform, challenge and occasionally amuse. Morning Edition is the most listened–to news radio program in the country.

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Shots - Health Blog
12:37 am
Wed October 3, 2012

Medicare Dings Hospitals For Too Many Repeat Customers

Credit Denver Health
Denver Health has a network of clinics to keep track of patients discharged from its hospital.

Originally published on Wed October 3, 2012 7:14 am

A paradox of American health care is that hospitals are sometimes rewarded for doing things badly.

Patients who are discharged, for example, shouldn't have to come right back because they got worse after getting home. But if they do come back, hospitals benefit because they can fill an empty bed and bill for more care.

The federal government says, in fact, that Medicare alone pays $17.4 billion a year for unnecessary return visits.

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All Tech Considered
12:35 am
Wed October 3, 2012

Calif. Green-Lights Self-Driving Cars, But Legal Kinks Linger

Originally published on Wed October 3, 2012 2:56 pm

James Bond At 50
12:34 am
Wed October 3, 2012

The Sound Of James Bond: Vic Flick's Surf Guitar

Originally published on Thu October 4, 2012 10:36 am

The 007 theme is one of the most famous themes in movie history. The infamous guitar riff that gives the theme its secret agent feel was performed by Vic Flick, who spoke to Morning Edition about the day he played it, 50 years ago.

In 1962, Flick was a 25-year-old studio guitarist who was asked to help give the James Bond theme more of a punch. Composer Monty Norman, who wrote the theme, was scrambling to complete the score for the first Bond movie, Dr. No. He'd scratched out a rough draft of the theme, but Flick says it fell a little flat.

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It's All Politics
12:26 am
Wed October 3, 2012

Colorado Voters Get Revved Up Over Energy Policy

Originally published on Wed October 3, 2012 5:17 pm

The presidential debates are expected to cover a wide range of topics, from the economy to foreign policy to health care. Wednesday night's debate will focus on domestic policy — and one topic that's likely to come up is energy.

It's a subject that is certainly on the minds of voters in Larimer County, Colo. Last week, in a rural area outside Fort Collins, Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan held a campaign event in a warehouse at Walker Mowers, a family-owned manufacturer of lawn mowers and tractors.

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The Salt
12:25 am
Wed October 3, 2012

In Washington State, Picker Shortage Threatens Apple Boom

Originally published on Wed October 3, 2012 2:57 pm

In western Michigan, there aren't enough apples to pick because bad weather decimated 85 to 90 percent of the crop. But Washington state has the opposite problem — there's an abundance of apples, but not enough pickers.

This should be the happiest, busiest time of year in Washington apple orchards. But now — just as the peak of apple harvest is coming on — Broetje Orchards manager Roger Bairstow is wincing.

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Sweetness And Light
7:03 pm
Tue October 2, 2012

The NFL's Lesson: There's No Replacing Good Refs

Credit Ronald Martinez / Getty Images
Referee Walt Anderson makes a call in the Chicago Bears game against the Dallas Cowboys Monday, ending the NFL's first full slate of games with its regular officials.

Originally published on Wed October 3, 2012 7:14 am

So, we found out that the National Football League is too big to fail. But not so big that it couldn't make a complete fool of itself and show to the world that its owners are stingy, greedy nincompoops.

Not so big that it couldn't make its commissioner, Roger Goodell, stand out in front, looking lost and small, so that their erstwhile tough-guy commander suddenly became an errand boy, losing respect and dignity that will be hard to regain the next time he needs it.

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Law
10:08 am
Tue October 2, 2012

Judge Postpones Pennsylvania's Voter ID Law

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

A judge in Pennsylvania has blocked a key part of that state's new voter ID law, a law that's caused controversy. Now, come Election Day, voters showing up at the polls can still be asked to show a government-issued photo ID, but they will not be prevented from voting if they don't have one. NPR's Pam Fessler has been covering the story and she joins us now. Good morning.

PAM FESSLER, BYLINE: Good morning.

MONTAGNE: So, remind us what this Pennsylvania law is - you know, why it's been making national news.

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Around the Nation
4:56 am
Tue October 2, 2012

'Fearless Felix' To Try To Break Sound Barrier

Originally published on Tue October 2, 2012 10:08 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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Around the Nation
4:47 am
Tue October 2, 2012

Survey: Bald Man Are Perceived As Manlier

Originally published on Tue October 2, 2012 10:08 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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Asia
3:44 am
Tue October 2, 2012

Okinawans Protest Deployment Of U.S. Osprey

Originally published on Wed October 3, 2012 5:21 pm

A new deployment of U.S. military aircraft to Okinawa has sparked protests and reignited residents' long-simmering resentment of America's military presence there. Opponents say the vertical takeoff Osprey has a poor safety record and poses a danger to inhabitants of the densely populated Japanese island.

U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is surrounded by the city of Ginowan. At Futenma No. 2 Elementary School, 200 yards outside the base, the roar of rotor blades can be so deafening that classes can't be held without keeping heavily reinforced windows shut.

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