Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'foundation'

Bobbie Lee Nelson: Brother Willie's Foundation

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:24:00 EST

Her bandmates have called her the best player in their group. But Bobbie Lee Nelson is content to hunker down in front of her piano, hidden by her big black cowboy hat, backing up her brother Willie. She had to be tricked into recording her solo debut, Audiobiography.

Clinton Foundation Reveals Donor List

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:11:00 EST

A wealth of international contributions totaling at least $46 million has helped fund the William J. Clinton Foundation since its inception in 1996, a donor list released Thursday reveals. The figure represents about 10 percent of all giving to a nonprofit enterprise aimed primarily at reducing poverty and treating AIDS worldwide.

Madoff Arrest Hits Jewish Groups Hard

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:41:00 EST

Many Jewish foundations and charities have suffered large losses through the alleged Ponzi scheme run by Bernard Madoff. Some have already closed their doors. Others are assessing the damage.

Time Capsule Brings Headlines From 1896

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:08:00 EST

In 1896, a small copper box filled with items of the day was placed in the foundation of a church in Novato, Calif. The box was opened Monday. Its damp contents included newspapers and a Bible.

Charities Struggle Just When Needed Most

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST

Just when unemployment and homelessness are spiking, charities are struggling. Companies and foundations that were often big supporters of local charities are among the biggest victims of the economic downturn. In the Washington, D.C. area, the largest charitable donors — to the tune of $47 million a year — were Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty visits one shelter for battered women, where staffers are trying to figure out how to make ends meet.

Milt Hinton: The Ultimate Timekeeper

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:55:00 EST

Bassist Milt Hinton, known as the "Judge," was considered to be the ultimate timekeeper. With his buoyant tempos and fat, booming sound, Hinton provided the rhythmic foundation for many jazz greats.

N.C. Votes Democratic For First Time In 30 Years

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:25:00 EST

Barack Obama's margin of victory in North Carolina was miniscule — only about three-tenths of 1 percent. But along with his more comfortable win in neighboring Virginia, he managed to chisel away at what had been a longstanding foundation of Republicans' electoral strategy: the solidly red south.

These United States: Pop's Particle Accelerator

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:55:00 EST

The Washington, D.C., band These United States writes novelistic songs packed with dense narratives and loose, ragged-edged folk, rock and Americana. While Jesse Elliott is the main creative foundation, the group is known to rotate in any number of musicians it picks up. The band discusses and performs songs from its new album, Crimes.

Wyclef Jean Describes Haiti's 'Painful' Devastation

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Musician and singer Wyclef Jean returned to his native Haiti to see first hand the damage that three hurricanes have done to the country in less than a month. Wyclef describes the devastation he saw, his philanthropic foundation and how the international community can help address Haiti's growing need.

Delta Spirit: A Battle Cry Of 'Sunshine'

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:05:00 EDT

Based in San Diego, Delta Spirit has made its musical home somewhere between indie-rock and alt-country, with a foundation built on battle-cry vocals and unconventional instrumentation, even including trash-can lids. The band performs from its debut CD in a session on WXPN.

New Orleans Residents Raise Houses High

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Friday is the three year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in New Orleans. And now Hurricane Gustav threatens the city again. Some New Orleans residents have decided to "raise" their houses onto a higher foundation to avoid flooding. The problem: neighbors say the high houses change the appearance of the community and at least one has collapsed.

Solzhenitsyn Shook Soviet System's Foundation

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The man whose books on Soviet-era gulags won him international acclaim and years of exile from his homeland has died. Alexander Solzhenitsyn died Sunday of heart failure. He was 89. Although Solzhenitsyn continued to write through his last years, it is largely his early work that he is remembered for today.

Bush Says Economic Foundations Strong

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:35:00 EDT

President Bush says he is confident of the long-term foundations of the economy despite the credit crunch. He says mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would remain in private hands and should have access to Treasury credit lines.

Myth and Magic Infuse Chilean Island

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:08:00 EDT

Belief in the supernatural permeates the island of Chiloe, a remote spot where volcanoes rumble to life, earthquakes rock the foundations and tales of sea goddesses, warlocks and trolls abound.

In Gulf, the Cost of Rebuilding Homes Soars

Fri, 23 May 2008 08:42:00 EDT

The small Gulf Coast town of Cameron, La., was destroyed by Hurricane Rita in 2005. Fewer than half of Cameron's 2,000 residents have returned since the storm. Many rebuilding efforts are stalled by high prices. "The average cost for a 2,000-square-foot home has jumped, probably, to the $80,000 range just for foundation work."

Bill and Melinda Gates Name New Foundation Head

Mon, 12 May 2008 13:14:00 EDT

Jeff Raikes, a 27-year veteran of Microsoft, will take over the $37 billion Gates Foundation in September. Bill and Melinda Gates tell NPR that they picked Raikes because he shares their passion to try to help minimize poverty around the globe.

Web Site Pays for People's Modest Needs

Tue, 06 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Keith Taylor started ModestNeeds.org to help people with small, immediate needs and prevent a single overdue gas bill, for example, from leading to financial ruin. The foundation provides $100,000 dollars a month to help regular people stay afloat.

Ga. Program Pays Low-Income Students to Study

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:27:00 EDT

Some kids in Fulton County, Ga., are earning a paycheck just for doing their homework. A pilot project sponsored by a local foundation offers a group of low-income students $8 an hour to go to after-school study sessions twice a week. The kids say the program is helpful, but some educators are troubled by it.

'Butterfly Effect' Theorist Lorenz Dies

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Meteorologist Edward Lorenz has died. He laid the foundations for the field of scientific study called chaos theory. He famously suggested that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil could ultimately produce a tornado in Texas.

Long-Term Pact with Iraq Raises Questions

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:01:00 EST

A "declaration of principles" that sets the foundation for the future of America's involvement in Iraq is raising questions on Capitol Hill about how long the U.S. commitment there will last.

Gates Foundation Teams with China to Fight AIDS

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:43:13 EST

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation forms a partnership with the Chinese government to fight HIV-AIDS. It comes with a grant of $50 million. The effort is aims to help identify at-risk populations so they can be referred to counseling and testing centers.

Three Americans Earn Nobel Economics Prize

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:58:00 EDT

Leonid Hurwicz of the University of Minnesota, Eric Maskin of Princeton and Roger Myerson of the University of Chicago share the prize. They were honored for laying the foundation of mechanism design theory.

Gore, U.N. Panel Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 07:19:00 EDT

Former Vice President Al Gore and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Friday for their efforts to spread awareness of man-made climate change and lay the foundations for counteracting it.

Gore, U.N. Body Win Nobel Peace Prize

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 06:07:00 EDT

Former Vice President Al Gore and the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to spread awareness of man-made climate change and lay the foundations for counteracting it.

Foundation Helps War Vets Buy Homes

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:00:00 EDT

The nearly 30,000 troops wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are starting to seek help in large numbers. The Wounded Heroes Foundation, a non-profit group in Illinois, helps provide financial assistance to war veterans. Its assistance recently allowed two veterans to buy homes.