Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Future of food: vaccines with a peel and printable sushi
  MPR's Tom Crann talks to futurist Cecily Sommers about how tomorrow's food is being engineered today. Sommers says a banana a day could soon keep both the doctor and diseases away.4:44 p.m.
• BusTales and other transit adventures
  If America is a melting pot then buses are like moving cauldrons. Weird things can happen when passengers from every imaginable walk of life board the bus. Regular riders often have wild stories to tell. A Minneapolis man has created an online repository where these stories can be shared.5:25 p.m.
• Body donors remembered with poetry, music and gratitude
  On average, 38,000 people die each year in Minnesota. About 260 of them donate their bodies to science. Medical students at the University of Minnesota say these body donors are vital to their education. And, every year, they try to thank those who gave the gift of themselves.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• No iPod, Radio or Humming on 'No Music Day'
  For some, it may seem impossible to go a full 24 hours without any music. But that's the dream of Bill Drummond, former musician, artist and founder of "No Music Day."
• Pluses and Minuses of Apple's Leopard
  Apple's latest version of its operating system, Leopard, has been on the market for only a few weeks, but that's plenty of time to deduce its strengths and weaknesses. Michele Norris takes a closer look at Apple's latest with help from Omar Gallaga, who writes about technology culture for the Austin American-Statesman.
• Gazans Begin to Blame Hamas for Troubles
  Five months after the militant Islamist group Hamas violently took over the Gaza Strip, Gazans are starting to blame Hamas for their troubles. Almost nobody can leave Gaza, and an international boycott is taking a toll. At the same time, many in Gaza fear Hamas, and there does not seem to be a serious alternative to Hamas rule.
• No Agenda Yet for Annapolis Peace Talks
  Invitations have started going out for the Bush administration's Middle East peace conference, to be held next week in Annapolis, Md. The meeting is intended to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
• Sleep Helps New Moms Fit into Their Old Jeans
  A new study shows that new moms who get less than five hours of sleep retain their "baby weight" much more than women who sleep seven hours.
• U.N. Revises Global HIV Infection Estimate
  The U.N. is revising downward its estimate of worldwide HIV infections. There are 33 million people living with HIV, down from 39 million last year, according to U.N. AIDS. The revision comes as better surveys and methods for accounting for the infected have led to lower estimates of HIV.
• Obama and Clinton Stop Pulling Punches
  With just a few days left to catch voters' attention before the Thanksgiving holiday, the two leading candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination are in the two states that get the first say, and they're becoming more vocal with their criticisms of each other.
• Stem-Cell Supporters, Critics Weigh In
  Supporters and opponents of embryonic stem-cell research agree that the new development is exciting, but they disagree on whether the findings should spell the end of such research.
• Supreme Court to Review D.C. Handgun Ban
  The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to review the District of Columbia's nearly complete ban on the right to own and use a handgun. The city is appealing a ruling that said the ban is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.
• Musharraf Grips Power Tightly amid Upheaval
  While it appears that Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is easing the state of emergency, he has not loosened his grip on power. On Tuesday, he was in Saudi Arabia, reportedly to dissuade the government from letting an ex-prime minister return to Pakistan.
• Airlines Scramble for Fresh Options for Travelers
  With the holidays closing in fast, many would-be travelers are finding a surprising wealth of airline options, from planes that boast $10 seats to luxury carriers where $10 might not even buy a drink.
• Vendors of Oprah's Favorites Brace for Sales Boom
  When Oprah Winfrey endorses a product from a small company, a phenomenon called the O factor occurs. Vincent Larouche of LAFCO New York, a company of six, is preparing for a make-or-break moment after his soap was featured on Tuesday's episode of "Oprah's Favorite Things."
• Retirements Spark Air Traffic Controller Shortage
  The thousands of replacement air-traffic controllers hired in the early 1980s are now eligible to retire,and they're leaving a lot faster than expected. The government says safety has not suffered, but some worry the friendly skies are simply lucky.
• Art Pepper's 'Straight Life' Goes Straight to YouTube
  Art Pepper was a self-taught jazz legend. He played with Miles Davis and was hailed as one of the greatest alto players to follow in the footsteps of Charlie Parker. He also spent ten years in prison on narcotics charges. Now his widow is turning his life story into a series of short films she's posting on YouTube.
• The Musical Worlds of WOMEX
  Every year, thousands of international music industry folks gather to discuss the field called "world music" at the WOMEX conference. Critic Will Hermes attended the expo this year, and was encouraged by what he heard.

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