Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'memory'

The Top 'Non-Troversies' Of 2008

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:01:00 EST

They were issues that dominated a news cycle — or many — but, in the end, they just didn't matter. Before they completely fade from memory, commentator John Ridley highlights some of the major "non-troversies" of the past year.

'Waltz With Bashir': A Delicate Dance With Memory

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST

Ari Folman's animated memoir explores the legacy — for a soldier and for his comrades — of Israel's 1982 incursion into Lebanon, which eventually led to the massacre of refugees at the Sabra and Shatila camps.

Ethan Bortnick: Accomplished Pianist At Seven

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:27:00 EST

Seven-year-old piano prodigy Ethan Bortnick's accomplishments are comparable to those of established musicians and entertainers. He plays more than 200 songs from memory, composes his own pieces, and has appeared on several TV shows. Hear Ethan play songs and talk about his music.

After The Forgetting, 'I Love You'

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

What happens to love when there is no memory? An evolution of relationships reveal themselves in these conversations between Gregory Sharrow, his mother Marjorie, and Greg's husband Bob Hooker.

In Fla., A Mystery, Annual Gift To Salvation Army

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

For the third year in a row, a Liberty Eagle gold coin worth almost $1,000 was dropped in a Salvation Army kettles. Each time, the coin has been accompanied by a small note, "In memory of Mimi." Megan Spears, resource management director of The Salvation Army of Lee County, Fla., talks about the donation.

Mind-Sharpening Activities May Calm Anxious Brain

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:29:00 EST

Between job losses, the recession and Ponzi schemes, anxiety could well overwhelm holiday cheer. And tuning into, say, Desperate Housewiveswon't help tune out anxiety. Try a crossword puzzle instead. A new brain imaging study in the journal Nature Neuroscience finds it's when you focus on mentally challenging pastimes that you engage the prefrontal cortex — and its powers of organization and memory. And that allows you to banish bad thoughts.

The Poetic 'Shadow' Of Memory, Mortality

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:02:00 EST

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and essayist William Stanley Merwin was known in the 1960s as an anti-war poet. Now an environmental activist, Merwin has published a new book of poems, The Shadow of Sirius, which addresses themes of memory and mortality.

Remembering Amnesiac Who Shed Light On Memory

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:32:00 EST

Henry Gustav Molaison, known to neuroscientists as H.M., was one of the world's most memorable amnesiacs. He died Tuesday at the age of 82. Suzanne Corkin, professor of Behavioral Neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who worked him, offers her insight.

Migration And Memory: Top Five 2008 Books

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:19:00 EST

Nothing bridges the gap between here and there, then and now like a story. These powerful, personal books examine the exile's life and celebrate lost cities of memory.

From Brain to Plate: Psychology Of Holiday Meals

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

Why is it so important to have turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving? Psychologists discuss how mood, memory and sense of smell can influence what ends up on the dinner table. Find out why aromas trigger vivid memories and how the brain tricks the stomach into overeating.

The Year In Music For Kids (And Moms, And Dads)

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:02:00 EST

One of the best years for kids' music in recent memory includes releases from artists with feet firmly in both kid-friendly and adult-oriented worlds. Old favorites went in new directions, while emerging artists gave a glimpse of the future of a genre as diverse and unpredictable as kids themselves.

A History Of Museums, 'The Memory Of Mankind'

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

Each year, 850 million people visit America's museums. That's more than six times the annual attendance of all major-league sporting events combined. Bob Mondello kicks off an NPR series about museums in the 21st century.

Researchers: New Explanation For Alzheimers

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:24:00 EST

There may be a new explanation for Alzheimer's disease. Researchers think they've discovered precisely what damages brain cells and causes memory loss in people who have Alzheimer's. Brain scientists present the latest evidence at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience this week in Washington.

'Gotta Give 'Em Hope': The Legacy Of Harvey Milk

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:16:00 EST

The first openly gay man elected to major public office was gunned down in 1978, after serving less than a year on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors. A new film tells his story — just as his memory fades among younger gay people.

Vitamin B3 Reverses Alzheimer's In Mice

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:27:00 EST

A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that mice treated with large doses of vitamin B3 performed better on memory tests. Kim Green, one of the authors of the study, explains whether this discovery could have any application for treating Alzheimer's in humans.

Ohio Soldier Demonstrated School Pride

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST

Army Sgt. Nick Casey of Canton, Ohio, was killed recently in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan. The 22-year-old is remembered most for the pride he took in his sometimes beleaguered inner-city high school. Days after his death, family and friends went back to Timken High School in Casey's memory.

How To Avoid Election Day Problems

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EDT

With what could be the largest voter turnout in memory, many are expecting long lines next Tuesday. Several states have already reported huge numbers of absentee and early ballots. Others are making preparations to avoid old problems from recurring.

Zithers: Memory And Music In Davenport, Iowa

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:15:00 EDT

Davenport claims the distinction of being home to America's largest sitting zither orchestra. This homegrown music scene revolves around the city's German-American community, as well as a tradition of hausmusik its ancestors brought to this country.

Wildfires Threaten The Memory Of A Loved One

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:59:00 EDT

For one NPR staffer, personal mementos left behind by her deceased father were the only things that mattered when the Porter Ranch, Calif. wildfires threatened her home.

In Frugal Germany, Shock At Bank Fragility

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Germans have a tradition of being careful with their money. Germany went through two financial meltdowns in the last century and the memory of these events explains why many Germans were shocked to discover the fragility of some of their commercial banks.

Retailers Expect Tough Christmas Shopping Season

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EDT

This year's Christmas could really be dismal for retailers. The National Retail Federation is predicting a tough year and one retail analyst suggests sales could actually drop this season for the first time in recent memory.

Finding A Hero Amid Fading Memories

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:21:00 EDT

In 1938, Nicholas Winton was set to go on a ski vacation when a friend called and asked him to help Jewish children flee the Nazis. The young stockbroker saved 660 children, including the mother and aunts of NPR reporter Kim Masters. Masters visits the 99-year-old Winton, who offers a lesson on memory.

Traveling The Rural Road With Calvin Beale

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:47:00 EDT

Calvin Beale had an encyclopedic memory about rural counties and could rattle off demographic details about every one of them. The federal demographer died Sept. 1. Jim Wildman recounts a trip through Louisiana and Arkansas the two shared in 2003.

Mortgage Market's Impact Analyzed

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:24:00 EDT

How could defaults among a relatively small portion of the overall mortgage market precipitate one of the worst banking crises in modern American memory? Kenneth Rogoff, former chief economist of the IMF and a professor of economics at Harvard University, offers his insight.

Financial Giants Falling: Lehman, Merrill Lynch, AIG

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:41:00 EDT

One of the wildest days in memory on Wall Street took place on a weekend. The investment bank Lehman Brothers is going under, and the brokerage firm Merrill Lynch will be bought by Bank of America. Other big companies, such as the insurance company AIG, are in trouble.