I love NPR too. I used to be a member, but stopped when my income dropped--which coincided with losing my radio reception at home. I should listen to more of the programs online. I sometimes do that with "Fresh Air" and "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me."

I love it, too, but it sounds like your NPR has more interesting programs than mine.

I love it too. I can listen to it all day. Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me is my favorite! I love This American Life too.

They always have such interesting stories/programs.

Right around Thanksgiving, they had a program where they were doing all these stories about birds, and it was so funny. They had a really long story about a pet Turkey named Tom that wreaked havoc on the little town he lived in and terrorized all the neighbors. He would literally attack them and hold them hostage in their houses and cars and people started having to carry around brooms and weapons to defend themselves. Wild turkeys started coming to the town and joined Tom's gang of turkeys that he was the leader of! Things ended badly for Tom after he attacked a cop, but the story was told in such a dramatic way it had me in stitches.

The same program had an interesting story about man who has found a non-torturous way to produce foie gras. He made a goose sanctuary where they are free to come and go as they please. They live wildly (as they won't eat too much if they are confined), but stay there and eat to their hearts content. They even call to other geese flying over to come join them. Due to this perfect storm of living conditions and care, their livers will enlarge naturally while they go about living happy lives instead of the horrible conditions usually inflicted to get the foie gras. The man even had all these intersting types of grasses/plants for the geese to eat so their livers would naturally take on the flavor of these spices and plants so cooks don't even have to spice the foie gras. The reporter/food critic didn't believe it so he went to visit himself. He said it was the best foie gras he had ever tasted. He was so amazed he tried to recreate the same thing here in the states but kept doing things to screw it up so it wouldn't work. It was fascinating!

Great topics, Jenn. I didn't hear either of those, but I would be fascinated too. I also love the People's Pharmacy program. It's on in my state at 2:00 on Saturday. I have learned so much from that program. I remember they once talked about near-death experiences, and had some of the doctors and patients who had experienced this on, with their stories. It was actually very comforting to hear that it was a beautiful experience. They also did a show on vertigo and it's causes. Doesn't sound too interesting, but it was. I had always thought people who suffered from vertigo were anxious little old ladies, but it can affect anyone. They gave ways to alleviate the symptoms. Even though the show is called the People's Pharmacy, it's more a show about interesting medical topics. I love Click and Clack, and here in Wisconsin we have Dr. Zorba. He might be national, but he practices in Madison.

Another NPR lover here. I download their podcasts onto my MP3 player and listen to them. I subscribe to Fresh Air, The Moth (is that NPR)?, All Things Considered, This American Life (love that)some Health podcasts and others. I heard the podcast about the turkey in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. I was laughing out loud in bed.

I heard a great one about ants. Did you know if you put all the ants in the world together they weigh more than all the people?

I also heard the fois gras one and another about a guy who tried to learn Spanish by listening to tapes while driving cross country. In the end he didn;t know that salsa means sauce!

Great stuff, especially when it seems that most media is contributing to the dumbing down of America.

Though CBC and NPR do some interchanging, I think that you'd find www.cbc.ca interesting, as well ... also on Sirius 159.

ole joyful ... CBC radio addict (can do something else while half-listening, listen when s.g. interesting appears)

dedtired, you should look for the NOVA special called "The Little Creatures Who Run The World". It's all about ants and it is amazing.

My ex-boyfriend was obsessed with ants, ant books, ant movies, we had an ant farm that he built, LOL.

Another devoted NPR listener. I listen while in my sewing room & also when I take walks alone. Also download the Podcasts to my iPod. Besides some of the ones mentioned above, I really like Diane Rehm show. She has such interesting guests. If it is a political topic she always has a person from each side defending their position. And best of all... there is NEVER, EVER any raised voices! No talking over one another, either.

Sleeper, I just went to my local library website & they have a Kindle version of The Tiger by John Vaillant. So, I am 2nd on the waiting list for it.

Yes, it's great. I donate every month. I often listen at night if I cannot sleep, and in the car it's good too. A lot of regular commercial radio is just so obnoxious and full of awful commercials and political bias. Some music stations are ok, but I'd rather listen and learn something. I'm also on the volunteer list for our local station but I have yet to volunteer because the only two jobs they offered me I would not do. (One job--Call people at home to thank them for their donations is not a job I'll do.)

Here's something interesting I learned on NPR: The Makah Native Americans who live in western Washington will be getting help from the federal government in how to deal with all the debris which will eventually be making its way to the Olympic Peninsual area from Japan. This is the stuff washed to sea in the tsunami. I thought that was interesting!

Thank goodness for NPR! It is such a relief to hear news reported as news, and their features are always well done.

I think it is like The New Yorker, where you see a topic that may not catch your fancy at first glance, but the writing is so good that you end up reading every word.

As DH learned in college (MS in Journalism), "There are no dull stories, just dull writers."

I hope you like it, Bee. Try and remember to post about it after you get it, and let me know.

Ok, I give up. What is NPR? and is it on satalite radio and where?
Marie

I couldn't live without it.

I'm nosy, chisue. Are you a girl named Sue in Chicago? Is your hub a Chicago journalist? Mine is a retired Milwaukee journalist. What an interesting lot journalists are, eh?

Marie, it is National Public Radio. Usually found on the lower end of the radio dial ... somewhere in the 88-91 range.

I will try to remember to let you know, Sleeper. It might be awhile tho.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a link for N. Dakota NPR

Thanks beeohio
I listen to Prairie Public alot on the TV, but will check out the radio (after I buy a radio for the house).

Hi Marie from near that (formerly) undefended border,

Check the yard sales: I've found some good radios for a dollar or two ... and even got my latest free when helping my friend move from one apt. bldg. to a different apt . (in a home).

You might want to wait till nearer spring before you stoked the fires of your enthusiasm for such a project too high, however.

ole joyful

sherrmann -- I once was a gril named Sue! Now I'm an old lady, called Mom, Grandma and Sue. Both my DH and I have always lived in suburbs of Chicago.

I started college as a J-school major. I was on my HS newspaper and yearbook and was 'Society Editor' (AKA 'Girl of All Work') on my hometown weekly newspaper. DH has his BS and MS from Medill. He worked AS a journalist right after college, then 'sold out' (LOL) and was in PR for his career.

So... you and I both have live-in critics of current day 'journalism' -- and the world in general!

I'm late, but wanted to chime in, too. Another NPR lover and supporter here. Chisue, you are exactly right with your description. I listen to all sorts of pieces on subjects in which I have little or no interest, simply because they're so well-done. And I often end up further interested in the subject.

My daughter and I share a car. She keeps the radio on NPR and I listen whenever I drive. My husband was a huge NPR fan when he was in college. He listened all night.

I try to be sure to catch "Wait, Wait..." every Sat. morning and just keep the radios tuned to npr the rest of the time. It's soooooo much better than commercial radio.

Hi sleeperblues,

I love NPR with all my heart, all my soul and all my might! I listen to it every day. It is on my car radio and on every radio I have in the house. I have listened to NPR so exclusivly for the past 25 years that I have no idea what other radio stations are out there or what they have to offer. Where would I be without a Prairie Home Companion?

Our current, local NPR, is a talk and information format. Morning Addition, Diane Rehm, Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation and others during the week with great entertainment as well as informational shows, Car Talk, Wait, wait don't tell Me, etc. on the weekends. We have been members for years and I even listen during the pledge drives. When we lived in CT we had a choice of 2 NPR stations, one being mostly a music format. I liked them both.

I would be lost and ill informed without it.

sooey

I love Car Talk and I don't even have a car! hahahaha

We've had an interesting discussion on advertising by an ad executive for a few years - was called, "The Age of Persuasion", now "Under the Influence" and the other day had a program, on several business agencies that have never advertised: a well-known provider in the food game, Lululemon, Body Shop, Ferrari ... and a big box store (just so that I don't spoil the etory entirely) ...

... get it at www.cbc.ca/undertheinfuence.

ole joyful ... another national public radio type of broadcasting addict.