Story of the Day

"Mach 39" is the result of a partnership between Under Armour and Lockheed Martin to create the most aerodynamic speedskating suit for the U.S. Olympic team.

Will Team USA's High-Tech Speedskating Suit Pay Off In Gold?

12:19pm January 17, 2014

by Ted Robbins

On Thursday, Lockheed Martin and the sporting goods company Under Armour unveiled long-awaited photos of the new U.S. speedskating uniform they're calling "Mach 39." Unlike other suits, it's not made entirely of smooth, slippery fabric to reduce air drag.

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National

Months After 'Blackfish' Release, Controversy Over SeaWorld Grows

9:11pm January 15, 2014

by Greg Allen

An anti-SeaWorld movement has unfolded online and on social media in the wake of the documentary about the death of an orca trainer at the park. Musical acts and schoolchildren have boycotted the theme park — but it's still drawing big crowds.

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Comcast is the largest cable company and home Internet service provider in the United States. A recent survey found that many Americans give Internet service providers low marks for satisfaction.

Internet In America: An On Again, Off Again Relationship

6:50pm January 12, 2014

by NPR Staff

For some Americans, getting high-speed Internet can be a challenge. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, consumers rate Internet service providers worse than airlines, the postal service and health insurance in terms of satisfaction.

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Coffee beans are raked to dry in the sun in western Guatemala.

World News

Journey Of A Specialty Coffee Bean, From Cherry To Cup

4:12pm January 09, 2014

by Allison Aubrey

That tasty cup of java from your favorite gourmet coffee shop began life on a farm thousands of miles away. Farmers who cater to the specialty coffee market compete on quality. And some use the higher prices their beans fetch to reinvest in their businesses and improve conditions for workers.

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Chris Guerre has made a number of improvements to the farm while he has lived there including repurposing an air compressor to force water up from the properties well and building a new chicken coop.

National

Here's How Young Farmers Looking For Land Are Getting Creative

8:02pm December 31, 2013

by Dan Charles

Across the country, there's a wave of interest in local food, and a new generation of young farmers wants to grow it. But many aren't buying land. Instead, they're renting it.

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National

In The World Of Pinball, An Underdog Takes On The Giant

6:53pm December 22, 2013

by Francesca Fenzi

For more than a decade, Stern Pinball was the only company manufacturing pinball machines. A New Jersey startup company is trying to shake up that monopoly. But with decreased demand for the games, it's unclear whether the pinball industry is big enough for two.

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The Texas Camel Corps guides camel treks through the Big Bend region of Texas, where such animals once served American settlers in the late 1800s.

National

Camels Trek In The Texas Desert, Just Like Old Times

10:28pm December 21, 2013

by Wade Goodwyn

The Texas Camel Corps leads trips through the rugged Big Bend region of West Texas. Indigenous people lived in the area some 9,000 years ago, and for a while, camels called it home, too. In the 1800s, U.S. soldiers brought the animals in to traverse the distance between water supplies for the first American settlers.

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A lettuce thinner created by an agricultural tech startup uses cameras and sensors to thin lettuce rows. Salinas, Calif., has hired a venture capital fund to help it attract other high-tech agricultural companies to the area.

National

A City Turns To Lettuce Fields To Grow High-Tech Startups

8:46pm December 19, 2013

by Aarti Shahani

Salinas, Calif., is just an hour from Silicon Valley, but production at many local lettuce farms is decidedly low-tech. City officials here decided it's time for an upgrade — and have hired a venture capital firm to help Salinas transition into a high-tech agricultural hub.

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National

A Majority In U.S. Favor Legal Pot, But Will That Stick?

1:49am December 18, 2013

by Martin Kaste

Colorado and Washington state are setting up legalized marijuana markets, and advocates are celebrating. But there are signs of discontent. Even a founder of a marijuana legalization group says there's a possibility of a popular backlash.

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Reed Holway spent 13 months in Iraq. He says PTSD brought on a drinking problem when he returned to the States — and that eventually led to a bad-conduct discharge. Vets with "bad paper" have trouble getting any VA health benefits — even for PTSD.

National

Other-Than-Honorable Discharge Burdens Like A Scarlet Letter

11:21am December 16, 2013

by Quil Lawrence

Since 2001, more than 100,000 troops have left the military with an other-than-honorable discharge. The "bad paper" puts benefits and medical care out of reach, even for those who served in combat. Which raises a simple question: What does America owe those who serve?

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