Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'curious'

Orthodox Faith Crowding Out Others In Chelyabinsk

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:29:00 EST

In the early 1990s, foreign missionaries could pack a public hall in Chelyabinsk with hundreds of curious Russians. But Russian Orthodox Church has grown, and meaning other religions may suffer.

Woodward Targets Bush's Lack Of Oversight

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:12:00 EDT

Citing curious absences and an "odd detachment," journalist Bob Woodward argues that President Bush ultimately fell short as commander-in-chief during the Iraq war. Woodward fields questions about this assertion, and about his new book, The War Within.

Nancy Drew: Curious, Independent and Usually Right

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:01:00 EDT

She was born in 1930, but she's perpetually 18 — and always one step ahead of the adults. For NPR's In Character series, Renee Montagne delivers the scoop on the iconic American girl sleuth: Nancy Drew.

Isol / Zypce: 'Mi Formula Para Llorar'

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:38:00 EDT

Argentina probably isn't the first place you think of for groundbreaking electro-pop music, but for the past several years it's been turning out a number of stunning recordings from some of the genre's most inventive artists. The brother-sister duo Isol and Zypce (that's ee-SOLE and ZIP-see) is about to release one of the year's more curious CDs: a spectacular headphone album, with a richly layered world of blips and clicks, called Sima.

Labs Test Dog DNA

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:13:00 EDT

The days of freewheeling speculation regarding the genetic roots of the family mutt may be over. For a fee of about $80, several labs now offer DNA tests for mixed-breed dogs, promising to inform curious families just what breeds of dog make up Fido's heritage. Vets say these pedigree tests are accurate and they're becoming more popular.

Polygamy Cafe Feeds the Hungry and Curious

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:08:00 EDT

The Merry Wives Cafe is owned and operated by members of a polygamist group with a sense of business, humor and public relations. The Utah cafe opened last year to give locals and travelers a place to eat. It also allows owners to gently confront polygamy's battered image.

Laura Gibson Gives 'Tiny Desk Concert'

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:12:00 EDT

Portland, Ore. folksinger Laura Gibson was a good sport when we invited her to play a mini-concert for us at the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. She drew a small crowd of curious office workers while playing a handful of delicately crafted songs from her latest CD, If You Come to Greet Me.

But Will 'We' Like You Sarah Marshall...

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EDT

It's a simple billboard with a simple message: "My mother never liked you Sarah Marshall." The curious road-side sign is one of many marketing ploys to build buzz for the new movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." But can an ad campaign really bring people into the theater?

Study Finds More than 'Truthiness' to 'Colbert Bump'

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:10:00 EDT

It turns out there may be some truth to the curious phenomenon through which Colbert Report guests excel following an appearance on the show. " Political science professor James Fowler found a bump in Democratic campaign contributions.

In 'Bonk,' Mary Roach Explores Science of Sex

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:38:00 EDT

After tackling the science of death and theories of afterlife, Mary Roach takes on the nitty gritty of sexual research. Her latest book takes a curious, funny look at what we do and don't know about coital mechanics.

Hate Your Job... Take a Vocation Vacation!

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:00:00 EDT

Compared to the more loyal baby-boomer generation, today's mid- and early-career professionals are unwilling to log decade after decade with the same company. Now there's a nifty solution: A service offers curious job seekers mini-holidays in a new line of work.

'In the Beginning' a Guide for the Curious

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:08:00 EST

Have you ever wondered who invented the dishwasher? Or who was the first person ever to go on a diet? Those answers and more are part of a new book from mental_floss magazine.

Going Down to R-I-O

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 00:01:00 EDT

In this week's on-air puzzle, every answer is a seven-letter word or name that contains the consecutive letters, R-I-O, somewhere in it. For example, if the clue is, "inquisitive," the answer is, "curious."

Bin Laden's Beard: Color Us Curious

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:00:00 EDT

In a recent video, Osama bin Laden's beard is no longer streaked with gray. It's also shorter than in earlier tapes. Experts who analyze the al-Qaida leader are divided on whether he has dyed his beard or donned a fake one.

Indian Software Firm to Outsource to U.S.

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:00:00 EDT

Indian software firm Wipro plans to open a big software design center in Atlanta. The Bangalore, India-based firm expects to hire around 500 computer programmers in the next three years. It's a curious turnabout from the much more familiar story: a U.S. software company creating jobs in India.

The Harp Guitar's Floating Strings

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 10:32:00 EDT

The strange, yet beautiful harp guitar is typically a six-stringed instrument with any number of bass strings "floating" on its side. Exotic instrument collector Gregg Miner catalogs the history of the harp guitar on his Web site and it is gaining curious interest.

The Curious Incident of the Funnel Cake in the Lawn

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:53:00 EDT

As a 6-year-old, T. Susan Chang experienced her first culinary fiasco: a funnel cake gone horribly wrong. Thirty years passed before she dared once again to make the decadent spirals of deep-fried batter sprinkled with powdered sugar.

N.Y. City Mayor Bloomberg Chauffeured To Subway

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EDT

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg brags about taking the subway to work almost every day. But a curious New York Times reporter followed the mayor and found out that Bloomberg gets a little help each morning from a pair of king-size Chevrolet Suburbans.

Apple's iPhone Gets Mixed Reviews

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 06:00:00 EDT

The iPhone went on sale Friday, after much hype. But by Saturday, the long lines were for people who wanted to try the phones, not buy them. Everybody was curious but slow to buy as there were concerns about the carrier; No. 3 AT&T. Sentiments are mixed as to whether it has lived up to its promise.

'A Patch of Green'

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 13:00:00 EDT

In this series of short stories, a poet shares his experiences living in downtown Los Angeles. Today, he looks at the sometimes curious interaction between the generations in his neighborhood.

Dr. Poe and His Curious Breathing Machine

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 10:34:00 EST

The cousin of Edgar Allan was also fascinated by matters of life and death. Only in the case of George Poe, his obsession led to the invention of an artificial respiration machine.

Does Age Quash Our Sense of Adventure...

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:00:00 EDT

Robert Sapolsky, a distinguished neuroscientist in his 40s, has a young office assistant who plays different music every day. That makes Sapolsky crazy - and curious about why his aging ears still crave the music he loved in college. Could it be we lose our sense of adventure as we grow older?

America's Beatles... Meet the Aerovons

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:02:00 EDT

Ever since Chuck Berry, St. Louis has been producing rock music that defies the prevailing norm. But is it possible that in 1969 it also produced America's Beatles, a band no one ever heard? Rock historian Ed Ward investigates the curious case of the Aerovons.

The Psychology of the Sports Fan

Thu, 08 Jun 2006 14:25:00 EDT

Sports stadiums have long been filled with a curious breed. The sports fan is a strange, sometimes tragic figure who often goes into a frenzy over nothing more significant than a jersey color. An exploration of the psychology of the sport fan.

Three Boys, One Bridge and a Train

Fri, 19 May 2006 19:56:00 EDT

Mary McCormick's father, Dan E. Andrews Jr., grew up during the Great Depression. So she's naturally curious about what his experiences were like, living in America's Dust Bowl region. But the story Andrews shared recently resembles something out of a movie.