Reports: Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson Won’t Seek Re-Election

The race for control of the Senate just got even more interesting with word from several news outlets that Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) won’t be seeking re-election in 2012. The Omaha World-Herald says “it’s good news for Republicans, but incredibly bad for Democrats who need the equivalent of a Christmas miracle to keep the seat.” [...]

Inhalable Caffeine: Party Drug Or Handy, Pocket-Sized Boost?

If you’ve ever lamented the time and effort it takes to brew or procure a cup of coffee, this might perk you up. “Breathable Energy. Anytime. Anyplace.” That’s the campaign slogan for AeroShot, a plastic inhaler, roughly the size of a lipstick tube, filled with a powdery, calorie-free mix of caffeine, B vitamins, and citrus [...]

Doctors Risk Their Lives To Treat Syrian Protesters

The central Syrian city of Homs is an opposition stronghold now under siege by the Syrian army. It’s also one place where Syrian doctors risk their lives to treat the wounded. Supplying these secret clinics is also dangerous work, carried out by a network of smugglers in Lebanon who get medical equipment into Syria and [...]

Dealing With Dictators: Is Exile Or Trial Better?

The death toll in Syria keeps mounting, as do the calls for the ouster of President Bashar Assad. But in dealing with Assad, should the international community threaten him with prosecution at the International Criminal Court or offer him a comfortable exile? That question is being widely debated, and came up several times earlier this [...]

For Hospitals, There’s No App For Adopting Tablet Computers

Hospitals are often eager to embrace the latest medical technology, but the road to deploying tablet computers has been a little bumpy. iPads have been available since April 2010, but less than 1 percent of hospitals have fully functional tablet systems, according to Jonathan Mack. He’s director of clinical research and development at the West [...]

Sears, Kmart Closings Will Shutter 3 Percent Of Company’s Stores

As you know, numbers can often be looked at several ways. There’s the headline that “dozens of Kmart, Sears stores to close” and the topline news that “between 100 and 120 Sears and Kmart stores” are going to be shut down as the retailer looks to trim costs and move ahead after it endured a [...]

Infectious Fungus Common In Household Drains

What gunk lurks in the bathroom sink drain? A fungus that can cause infections in humans, for one thing. The fungus in question (genus Fusarium) can cause sinus infections and funky toenails. On rare occasions it kills people with weak immune systems. More recently, it has caused serious eye infections in people who wear contact [...]

Margo Martindale: A ‘Justified’ Backwoods Matriarch

This week on Fresh Air, we’re marking the year’s end by revisiting some of the most memorable conversations we’ve had in 2011. This interview was originally broadcast on September 12, 2011. In the FX series Justified, Timothy Olyphant plays Raylan Givens, a U.S. marshal transferred from the sunny skies of Miami to his former home [...]

Aaron Paul: Playing Bad On ‘Breaking Bad’

This week on Fresh Air, we’re marking the year’s end by revisiting some of the most memorable conversations we’ve had in 2011. This interview was originally broadcast on September 19, 2011. Vince Gilligan’s AMC drama Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston as a high school chemistry teacher named Walter White who turns to dealing drugs after [...]

Santorum Goes Hunting For Pheasants — And Votes — In Iowa

With just one week until the caucuses, Republican presidential candidates will be everywhere in Iowa this week. Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney are all riding buses around the state while Ron Paul makes multiple appearances — a last-minute bid to motivate Republicans to come out and vote for them next Tuesday. [...]