WNCW

A Surprising Barrier To Clean Water: Human Nature

David Kestenbaum — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:03:00 +0000

In many parts of the developing world, drinking a glass of water can be deadly — especially for young children, who can die of diarrheal diseases contracted from dirty water.

So getting clean water to people in the developing world has been a top priority for aid groups for a long time. But it's been a surprisingly hard problem to solve.

For a while, aid workers largely treated clean water as an engineering problem: If there's no clean water in a village, dig a well.

If Supplies Of Oil Are Up, Why Is Gas Still Pricey?

Marilyn Geewax and Andrew Schneider — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:02:00 +0000

Supplies of oil have been surging this year, and U.S.

How Ted Cruz's Father Shaped His Views On Immigration

David Welna — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:01:00 +0000

As the Senate debates a massive overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, one of its newest members has emerged as a leading opponent of the bill's most controversial feature: a path to citizenship for millions living in the country unlawfully.

The views of that freshman senator — Texas Republican Ted Cruz — have been significantly colored by the saga of his own father, an immigrant from Cuba.

"In my opinion, if we allow those who are here illegally to be put on a path to citizenship, that is incredibly unfair to those who follow the rules," Cruz has said.

And the example he frequently

What Makes Rituals Special? Join Us For A Google+ Conversation

Shankar Vedantam — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Visit this page at 12 noon EDT Thursday to join my live Google+ conversation with Harvard behavioral scientist Francesca Gino and Slate's Human Nature correspondent William Saletan about the role of ritual in human life.

All over the world, people employ rituals. For millions, it's as simple as making a cup of coffee the same way, every day. Books and movies are filled with characters who employ lucky charms and superstitions.

Translated Into Navajo, Star Wars Will Be

Christine Trudeau — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

When Dave Nezzie met his future wife, Amanda, they quickly fell in love over a galaxy far, far away.

"I think that was one of the first things that bonded Dave and I together, was our love for Star Wars," says Amanda Nezzie. "Our children have also caught the Star Wars bug."

The family lives in Albuquerque, N.M., and one of the biggest struggles they've had living off the reservation is teaching Dave's native Navajo language to their kids.

"Rosetta Stone has something, there's an app on the iPad, and having alternatives is what we need," says Dave.

Can This Dominican Factory Pay Good Wages And Make A Profit?

Jackie Northam — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:58:00 +0000

Aracelis Upia Montero bounds through the front door of her wood and cinderblock house, calling out for her children. The bubbly 41-year-old Montero — whom everyone calls Kuki — proudly shows guests around her cramped single-story home in Villa Altagracia in the Dominican Republic.

Montero points out her new living room furniture. In the past couple years, she has added two bedrooms and now has indoor plumbing. She has also built a little apartment at the end of her dirt driveway that she rents out.

"I was able to save money very quickly, and I could get a loan from the bank," she says.

In More Cities, A Camera On Every Corner, Park And Sidewalk

Steve Henn — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:57:00 +0000

This report is part of the series NPR Cities: Urban Life In The 21st Century.

Surveillance cameras, and the sophisticated software packages that go with them, have become big business. Many small- and medium-sized cities across American are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on cameras and software to watch their residents.

These systems use some of the same kinds of technology the New York Police Department has deployed in lower Manhattan to catch terrorists.

Gourmands Through The Ages: 'A History Of Food In 100 Recipes'

Jessica Naudziunas — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:56:00 +0000

Think our current culture has become food-obsessed? Take a look at this wall painting from ancient Egypt.

Long before Food Network, before Michael Pollan, before pop-up restaurants, humans were taking the time to enshrine the art of cooking.

Microsoft Responds To Fan Outcry, Changes Xbox One Policies

editor — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Fans spoke, and apparently Microsoft listened.

In a reversal of the company's previous position, Microsoft announced Wednesday that its forthcoming Xbox One gaming console would no longer require a regular Internet connection and would not restrict used or shared games.

Since the system was revealed in May and at its big presentation at E3 Times-Union Wednesday.