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The Two-Way
2:05 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

IMF Dims U.S. Outlook, Warns Against Dramatic Spending Cuts

Credit Haraz N. Ghanbari / AP
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde speaks during a news conference on Tuesday in Washington.

Like the Federal Reserve before them, the International Monetary Fund lowered its growth projections for the U.S. economy. The Los Angles Times says that in its annual report, the IMF calls the U.S. recovery "tepid" and warns U.S. lawmakers that hitting the brakes too hard on spending and tax cuts could threaten the weak recovery both at home and abroad.

The Times reports:

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U.S.
2:00 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Illinois Services Threatened As Pension Hole Grows

Originally published on Thu July 5, 2012 1:16 pm

Fallout from the recession continues to hobble state finances, particularly in states crippled by pensions they can't afford to pay.

Chief among them is Illinois, which has racked up the largest unfunded liability in the nation. Politicians there pledge to fix it.

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NPR Cities: Urban Life In The 21st Century
1:55 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Oakland Turns A Corner As Calif. Faces Budget Woes

Originally published on Thu July 5, 2012 1:17 pm

The city of Oakland, Calif. has long been associated with crime, poverty, urban decay and, more recently, violent protests tied to the Occupy movement.

So it may have been a surprise to New York Times readers when the newspaper listed Oakland as No. 5 among its top "places to go" in 2012.

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Around the Nation
1:55 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Poll Shows A New Definition Of Optimism In America

Transcript

JOHN DONVAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm John Donvan.

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Shots - Health Blog
1:32 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

True Or False? Elected Officials Interpret The Health Law

Credit Michael Conroy / AP
Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal wants the administration's health care law repealed.

How well do you remember what's actually in the Affordable Care Act?

Last week's Supreme Court decision upholding President Obama's signature domestic achievement has thrust the measure back into the spotlight, where it's likely to remain through the presidential election.

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From Our Listeners
1:29 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Letters: Storytelling, Making Work Work

Transcript

JOHN DONVAN, HOST:

It's Tuesday, and time to read from your comments.

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Planet Money
1:16 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Storm Stimulus Unlikely As Communities Recover

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images
A fallen tree crushes a truck in Falls Church, Va., outside Washington. Storms across the Midwest and East downed trees and power lines and left millions without power.

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 3:40 pm

Once major storms pass, hard-hit communities sometimes discover an unexpected silver lining: a miniature economic boom, as insurance checks pay for homeowners to rebuild and businesses to restock.

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NPR Story
1:09 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

How History Colors Our View Of Presidents

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 4:06 pm

Transcript

JOHN DONVAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm John Donvan in Washington. John Roberts plays the hero and the villain. Charlie Rangel may face a recount in New York. The attorney general is held in contempt, and Chris Christie has something spicy to say to a reporter. Stand by for it, it's Wednesday(ph) and time for a...

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE: Are you stupid?

DONVAN: Edition of the Political Junkie.

PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: There you go again.

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NPR Story
1:08 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

By Any Other Name: Is A Calorie Just A Calorie?

Originally published on Tue July 3, 2012 1:24 pm

Is a calorie just a calorie? Science writer Gary Taubes says no. In a study published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, diet researchers reported that patients on a low-carb diet kept weight off longer than those on a low-fat diet, re-introducing a long-standing debate.

Krulwich Wonders...
12:41 pm
Tue July 3, 2012

Showing Vultures A Little Love

Originally published on Wed August 1, 2012 11:32 am

Think of a giraffe lying on the Serengeti plain. He has just died, maybe of disease, maybe he was killed by a pride of lions, but now he's a 19-foot-long, 4,000-pound mound of meat, which very soon is going to stink and rot and muck up the neighborhood.

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