Monkey See
10:01 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Snow White Rising: Why This Princess, And Why This Moment?

Originally published on Tue April 3, 2012 12:44 pm

Snow White is having a moment.

The new movie Mirror Mirror stars Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen. In June, another Snow White movie opens starring another Oscar winner, Charlize Theron, in the same role. And Disney is working on a new animated film loosely based on Snow White set in 19th-century China. So what makes Snow White so right for right now?

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Middle East
6:20 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

To Keep Protesters Away, Egypt's Police Put Up Walls

Middle East
5:07 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Israel, West Bank Settlers Brace For Showdown

Credit Sebastian Scheiner / AP
Israel's Supreme Court has ruled the West Bank Jewish settlement outpost of Migron must be destroyed by August 2012.

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 8:33 pm

Just two months ago, Aviela Deitch was proud to show off what residents had built on the hilltop outpost of Migron, just a few miles away from the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the West Bank.

At that time, the Israeli Supreme Court had already ruled that Migron was sitting on private Palestinian property and had ordered Migron settlers to evacuate.

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All Songs Considered Blog
4:04 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Bensh's 'Doubt': This Song Was Made For Walking

Credit Courtesy of the artist

Originally published on Fri March 30, 2012 3:22 pm

There's a point near the start of Bensh's "Doubt" where lead singer Benjamin Zombori ponders that "Maybe if I keep on walking you won't find out / that I'm so full of doubt." If he really wants to go on his nervous walkabout, he won't have to look far for his soundtrack. Bensh, a trio of Zombori (a.k.a. Bensh), Severin Zoolord and Sion Trevor, has created a great, street-stomping tune.

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Shots - Health Blog
3:49 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Scientific Journals Plan To Publish Contentious Bird Flu Research

A government advisory committee has reconsidered its advice to keep certain details of bird flu experiments secret.

Revised versions of manuscripts that describe two recent studies can be openly published, the committee now says. The decision could help end a contentious debate that has raged within the scientific community for months.

In response, the editors of two journals immediately said they planned to publish the research soon.

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The Salt
3:26 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Is That A Crushed Bug In Your Frothy Starbucks Drink?

Credit Flickr via Wikimedia Commons
The tiny white insects that feed on cactus turn into red cochineal when crushed. Starbucks uses the dye in some of its products.

Call it the tempest in the Frappuccino. Some Starbucks patrons have been distressed to learn that the chain's Strawberry and Creme Frappuccino owes its pink coloring to crushed insects.

The coloring in question, cochineal, is made from a tiny white insect, Dactylopius coccus. When crushed, its body exudes a brilliant red color. Cochineal has been used as a coloring for foods and makeup for centuries.

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The Two-Way
3:18 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Current TV Fires Keith Olbermann

Credit Current TV
Keith Olbermann hosted a commentary show on Current TV.

Less than a year after he was hired, Current TV said it was ending its contract with lead anchor Keith Olbermann. Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who had an ill-fated run on CNN, will replace him.

Current announced the move in an open letter to its viewers from Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, Current's founders.

The letter reads in part:

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Jazz
2:56 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Reviving James Booker, The 'Piano Prince Of New Orleans'

Every day in New Orleans, Lily Keber rolls out of bed and walks to a flat, minor office building to meet her muse. Keber makes a cup of coffee with chicory, hooks up her computer and waits for what sounds like a dozen spiders to crawl across a piano.

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Asia
2:50 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

Myanmar Hurriedly Prepares For An Election

Originally published on Fri March 30, 2012 3:33 pm

In Myanmar's capital, Yangon, there's an unremarkable old building that's drawing people from around the world.

It's the headquarters of the National League for Democracy, the political opposition party headed by pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi. This weekend, she is running for elective office for the first time, and the humble house has become the focus of even greater attention.

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Planet Money
2:49 pm
Fri March 30, 2012

On Tour With Nancy Pelosi, Fundraising Rock Star

Credit J. Scott Applewhite / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nancy Pelosi has raised $300 million for Democrats.

This story is part of a Planet Money series on money in politics. Also see our story, "Senator By Day, Telemarketer By Night, and listen to us this weekend on This American Life.

Democrats love Nancy Pelosi. Republicans hate Nancy Pelosi.

One key reason for both the love and the hate: Nancy Pelosi is incredibly good at her job. And a huge part of that job is raising money.

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