3:19pm

Wed November 16, 2011
The Two-Way

Mongolian City Hopes To Cool Off With Huge, 'Artificial Ice Shields'

How do you keep a cold city cool during the summer? Mongolia's capital city — , its average temperature at the peak of summer is 72 degrees Fahrenheit — has an idea that sounds adventurous.

During the cold months, the city of Ulan Bator wants to create artificial glaciers that will then melt slowly during summer, absorbing some of the heat and helping to keep the temperatures down. Here's how Wired explains the process in their piece today:

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2:56pm

Wed November 16, 2011
Europe

Europe's Debt Crisis Moves Toward Bigger Economies

With every day that passes, the troubles in Europe seem to grow bigger, and leaders are still at odds over how to contain the crisis. On Wednesday, just about every country in Europe saw borrowing costs rise.

For a long time the crisis was limited to small peripheral countries like Ireland and Greece, but no longer. Now, countries like Italy, Austria and the Netherlands have seen their borrowing costs rise as well.

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2:49pm

Wed November 16, 2011
Shots - Health Blog

Geckos Threatened By Booming Demand For Traditional Medicines

An Asian lizard that likes to come out at night has become a prime target for hunters looking to make a quick ringgit, dong or Philippine peso.

The tokay gecko is reputed to have HIV-fighting properties, though there is no scientific evidence to support that notion. And it's been an ingredient in Asian traditional medicines for lots of other uses, including cancer.

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1:44pm

Wed November 16, 2011
The Two-Way

Proposed Piracy Legislation Puts Internet Giants On Defensive

Credit Screenshot / Tumblr

The biggest names on the Internet — Google, Facebook, Twitter, AOL and eBay — are banding together to urge Congress to scrap the Stop Online Piracy Act, which they say poses a huge threat to the Internet. The House is set to debate the measure today.

The Christian Science Monitor reports on what Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt had to say about the bill:

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1:15pm

Wed November 16, 2011
The Salt

A Clothing Company Goes Fishing For Change With Salmon Jerky

Credit Patagonia

What does a clothing company that sells high-end products with names like Nano Puff know about the fish business?

"It is a big jump," Yvon Chouinard, the storied founder of Patagonia, admits to The Salt. He's talking about the company's new plan to sell fish — salmon jerky to be exact — at his retail shops around the world.

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1:12pm

Wed November 16, 2011
Politics

How U.S. Tax Policies Increased Economic Inequality

The Occupy Wall Street movement continues to protest policies that have made the top 1 percent of income earners richer, while about 14 million Americans are out of work.

Meanwhile, the Congressional supercommittee only has one week left to come up with a plan that will cut more than $1 trillion from the deficit. Republicans are opposed to raising revenues by raising taxes, even on the wealthiest Americans, who have seen their taxes dramatically cut over the past 14 years.

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12:49pm

Wed November 16, 2011
Book Reviews

A Quaint, Compelling 'Pilgrim' Tale In The New World

I'll admit, it's kind of hokey to be talking about a novel called The Pilgrim right before Thanksgiving. What's even more quaint is the fact that The Pilgrim is one of those straightforward works of historical fiction the likes of which we don't see so much anymore.

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12:48pm

Wed November 16, 2011
The Two-Way

Head-On Collision Kills 18 Kindergarteners In China, Prompting Outcry

Originally published on Wed November 16, 2011 2:12 pm

Credit AFP/Getty Images

A truck carrying coal slammed into a overcrowded bus this morning in the Northwest Chinese township of Yulinzi, killing 18 children and two adults. According to China's official news agency Xinhua, 44 other children were injured. Xinhua reports that "a van with nine seats was carrying 64 people."

Reuters reports that the accident has prompted anger toward the government:

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12:31pm

Wed November 16, 2011
It's All Politics

Wisconsin's Governor: Recall Drive Is About Unions Seeking 'Power'

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Many of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's citizens may be signing petitions for his recall in reaction to the battle he led earlier in the year to weaken his state's public-employee unions.

But Walker doesn't appear to be backing off one inch from his stance that he did what was right for his state.

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12:00pm

Wed November 16, 2011
Politics

Gov. Walker: Recall Effort Wastes Time, Resources

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is fighting back opponents who want him out of office. If organizers gather more than 500,000 signatures in 60 days, a new election will be held in 2012. Host Michel Martin speaks with Gov. Walker, who defends his record and criticizes the recall effort that began Tuesday.

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