Still No Job: Over A Year Without Enough Work
11:01 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Willing To Sacrifice After A Long Time Out Of Work

Credit Tony Tremblay / iStockphoto.com
According to a survey by NPR and the Kaiser Family Foundation, 44 percent of the long-term unemployed and 35 percent of the underemployed are willing to move to another state for a new job.

In the past three years, the ability and willingness of Americans to move across town or to another state have fallen to their lowest level in more than half a century.

An NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation survey examined mobility among the long-term unemployed and underemployed. Of those two groups combined, 40 percent said they would be willing to move to another state to find a job.

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Business
11:01 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

With New Toys, Lego Hopes To Build Girls Market

Credit Courtesy of Bloomberg Businessweek. Photographed by Nick Ferrari
The new Lego Friends toys are not yet public, but the company gave a sneak peek at its "Olivia" minifigure from the set.

Lego doesn't call itself a toy company for boys. But look at the company's website, and its products are clearly geared towards boys' love of combat and action. There's Lego Star Wars, Lego Indiana Jones, Alien Conquest, Racers and Superheroes. One lonely set, called Belleville, is clearly for girls. It's pink-themed and features a horse.

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Law
11:01 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Death Sentences Drop To Historic Lows

Death sentences dropped dramatically this year, marking the first time in more than three decades that judges and juries sent fewer than 100 people to death row, according to a new report from the Death Penalty Information Center.

Just 78 offenders were handed capital sentences, and only 43 inmates were executed — almost half as many as 10 years ago.

American Reaction

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The Two-Way
5:46 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Look Up! There's Still A Chance To Catch Geminid Meteor Shower

Music
5:44 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums Of 2011

Credit Mito Habe-Evans / NPR
All Tech Considered
5:01 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Who's Opposed To .XXX Domain Names? Not Exactly Who You'd Think

Education has .edu, .gov belongs to the government, and now, adult entertainment has .xxx.

Starting last week, anyone can go online and buy a domain name ending in .xxx, but it's not all adult entertainment companies that are rushing to purchase the new addresses.

Colleges and other institutions have purchased .xxx domains preemptively to prevent others from doing so and associating their names with adult content. And many big names in the adult entertainment industry are opposed to the possibility of censorship by places that could block the entire .xxx domain.

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Energy
4:42 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

U.S. Nuclear Agency Suffers Leadership Meltdown

Credit Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Chairman Gregory Jaczko, right, testifies with fellow commissioners, from left to right: William Magwood IV, Kristine Svinicki and William Ostendorff before the House Oversight And Government Reform Committee in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

The government organization charged with keeping nuclear power safe is having a meltdown. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission consists of five commissioners who direct the work of hundreds of nuclear engineers and other experts. They write the rules for how nuclear reactors operate.

Now four of those commissioners say the chairman of the NRC is a bully who's destroying their ability to do their job.

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The Two-Way
4:17 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

As FAMU Fallout Deepens, Ga. District Halts Band Activity

A Georgia school system has suspended all marching band activities after it launched an investigation spurred by the alleged hazing at Florida A&M University.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Dekalb County School System spokesman said they made the decision after uncovering "documented evidence of inappropriate activity that took place over the summer." The AJC adds:

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Around the Nation
4:16 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Experts Question Need For Stronger Cellphone Ban

Credit Robert F. Bukaty / AP
A driver uses a cellphone in Maine, which has laws that ban people under 18 from using cellphones behind the wheel and bar all drivers from texting.

When the head of the National Transportation Safety Board called for states to pass tough new laws banning drivers from using cellphones or hand-held devices, she said: "No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life."

While Tuesday's statement by NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman is undeniable, there are those who question the advisability of such a ban. Some state lawmakers and transportation experts say it could be difficult to enforce and that there's no real evidence yet that existing laws on hand-held devices have significantly reduced accident rates.

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KCCU News
4:08 pm
Wed December 14, 2011

Travelin' Texoma: Leslie Powell Art Gallery

Lawton, OK – The Leslie Powell Art Gallery in Lawton is preparing for another round of fresh art. All through January, two artists will premiere their work.Reporter Mitch Watson finds out what to expect for the premiere, in continuation of KCCU's series Travelin' Texoma.

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