Strange Stories Surrounding Street Pianos
Designed to provide pleasure, street pianos in 19th and 20th century America were also magnets for some mischief and malevolence.
History
Belgrade's Ruined Defense Ministry Serves As Reminder Of NATO Airstrikes
After national trauma, some countries build memorials, and others forget. Sixteen years after bombs struck, the defense ministry in Belgrade remains a ruin, serving as a daily reminder of the NATO war against Serbia.
From Medicine To Modern Revival: A History Of American Whiskey, In Labels
During Prohibition, booze was banned, but "medicinal" spirits weren't, a loophole whiskey makers exploited. That's just one of the tidbits a new book tracing the history of whiskey labels reveals.
Lake Mead's Drought Conditions Make Diving For B-29 Wreckage Easier
The lake is home to the underwater wreckage of a B-29 bomber, which crashed on a secret mission during World War II. The drought is making it easier for scuba divers to explore the submerged ruins.
Russia Vetoes U.N. Proposal To Call Srebrenica 'Genocide'
Twenty years ago, the international community failed to protect Bosnian Muslims in what was supposed to be a United Nations safe zone in Bosnia. Russia blocked a UN Security Council resolution on Wednesday that would have condemned the Srebrenica massacre as an act of genocide.
'Vendetta' Recalls The Ruthless Rivalry Between Bobby Kennedy, Jimmy Hoffa
NPR's Robert Siegel talks with James Neff about his new book Vendetta: Bobby Kennedy versus Jimmy Hoffa.
Just A Few Important Words About The Declaration Of Independence
Along with the words and phrases that still ring out 239 years later are less noticed turns of phrase. They say a lot about the messages Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers wanted to send.
Is It All Greek To You? Thank Medieval Monks, And The Bard, For The Phrase
Ben Zimmer, language columnist at The Wall Street Journal, explains the origin of the phrase "it's all Greek to me" — and shares a few variants from other languages.
What Happened To British Loyalists After The Revolutionary War?
Not everyone celebrated when the British surrendered at Yorktown. About a fifth of all colonists remained loyal to the Crown; for them, the American victory spelled exodus and, often, more violence.
When America's Librarians Went To War
During the world wars of the 20th century, librarians played a role worth remembering.