Arts

Capt. Roger Moseley sits on the wing of an A-37 attack aircraft at Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam in 1971. His call sign in Vietnam was Ramjet — "because I don't have a lot of patience," Moseley says.

Arts

After A Fiery Speech, A Top-Secret Job Offer In The Desert

8:30pm May 11, 2015

by Daniel Hajek

A young Air Force captain thought his career was over. Instead, he was invited to join a stealth program — and told, "You've got 30 seconds and if you don't say yes, this conversation never happened."

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Astronomer Chris Impey examines the possibilities of the universe in his new book Beyond. "I like the idea that the universe — the boundless possibility of 20 billion habitable worlds — has led to things that we can barely imagine," he says. In the 19

The Great 'Beyond': Contemplating Life, Sex And Elevators In Space

4:53pm May 11, 2015

Astronomer Chris Impey discusses the future of space travel, sex in space and the connection between science and Buddhism. Impey is the author of Beyond: Our Future in Space.

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American GIs line up in the street in Troina, Sicily, utensils and dishes in hand, as they wait for a meal from a large pot, July 1943. Oregano grows abundantly in Southern Italy, where many GIs encountered the herb for the first time, and fell in love. M

GIs Helped Bring Freedom To Europe, And A Taste For Oregano To America

4:45pm May 11, 2015

by Nina Martyris

Now ubiquitous, oregano was a rarity in U.S. cuisine before World War II. But the GIs who encountered it in Sicily fell for the herb, especially in pizza, fueling a boom in Italian-American cuisine.

Unlike the comic talent stereotype, cartoonist Matthew Diffee says he had "a wonderful family to grow up with."

Books
Arts

For 'New Yorker' Cartoonist, '90 Percent Rejection Is Doing Great'

3:09pm May 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

It once took Matthew Diffee years of trying — and a push from his mom — to get one beloved cartoon in the magazine. Diffee's new collection is called Hand Drawn Jokes for Smart Attractive People.

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Ryan Seacrest (from left), Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban

Arts

The End Of 'American Idol'

2:23pm May 11, 2015

by Linda Holmes

Fox announced today that the 15th season of American Idol will be the end of the road for what was once the biggest show on TV.

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The limited information of upfronts week: This is John Stamos in the new comedy Grandfathered, coming to Fox. In it, he apparently hangs out with this baby!

Arts

What Is Upfronts Week, Anyway?: 5 Questions Answered

11:16am May 11, 2015

by Linda Holmes

We've reached the part of the year where the broadcast networks (and some cable networks) try to woo advertisers with the promise of new shows.

Arts

Documentary Spotlights Perfectly Accessorized Iris Apfel

10:45am May 11, 2015

by Ina Jaffe

Renowned documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles' last film, Iris, is a portrait of 93-year-old style icon and self-described "geriatric starlet" Iris Apfel.

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Arts

Sculptor Chris Burden Dies At 69

10:45am May 11, 2015

by Mandalit del Barco

The art world has lost a pioneering figure. Chris Burden began as a performance artist and left a public work that's now a symbol for Los Angeles. He died Sunday after a long illness.

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Arts

The Enrichment Center Wins Local Grant

8:36am May 11, 2015

by David Ford

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On pages 68-69 from Mark Danielewski's The Familiar, Volume 1, the main character Xanther looks out the window of her father's car during a rainy drive.

Books
Arts

Danielewski Returns With A Long, Sideways Look At 'The Familiar'

6:46am May 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

The author famous for the cult classic House of Leaves is writing a novel about a little girl who finds a kitten. The book is planned to be epic — 27 volumes total. Volume 1 is more than 800 pages.

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