1:32pm

Mon March 26, 2012
Afternoon News Roundup

Connecting the Dots: Afternoon edition for Monday, March 26, 2012

$1.5 billion of California’s High Speed Rail money has been guaranteed to Caltrain’s rail electrification project. It means progress for building a 1.2 mile tunnel from San Francisco’s Caltrain station to the new downtown Transbay Terminal. San Francisco transportation officials are now requesting $1 billion in federal grants for the Bart extension project to San Jose...

Read more

1:28pm

Mon March 26, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

Reading Between The Lines Of Monday's Supreme Court Arguments

Credit John Rose / NPR

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday opened three days of oral arguments over the constitutionality of the insurance requirement embedded in President Obama's landmark health care law with a simple question and an obscure 1867 law.

The question: Does the court even have the right to hear the health care challenge, given that the Anti-Injunction Act prevents federal courts from taking cases where taxpayers are trying to prevent the government from "assessing or collecting" taxes?

Read more

1:25pm

Mon March 26, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

Weight-Loss Surgery May Help Treat, Even Reverse, Diabetes

Credit Thomas Cain / AP

Surgical procedures that are commonly used to help obese people lose weight can also dramatically improve — even reverse — diabetes, according to two studies released Monday.

Tim Ferree of Macedonia, Ohio, struggled with his weight for years. He knew his out-of-control blood sugar would eventually cause serious problems.

"You're looking at losing your vision, losing your feet, having problems with your kidneys, going blind — you know, heart disease, strokes," Ferree said.

Read more

1:07pm

Mon March 26, 2012
The Salt

'Pink Slime' Maker Halts Production, But Ground Beef Will Still Contain Trimmings

Beef Products Inc., which turns fatty beef trimmings into a lean beef product that ends up in ground beef, announced today it is suspending operations at three of its four plants. But a company spokesman says the fatty trimmings that safety experts admit can harbor pathogens will still end up in the ground beef supply.

Read more

12:57pm

Mon March 26, 2012
Shots - Health Blog

Cat And Dog Take Supreme Court Arguments In Stride

No circus would be complete without a few animals.

So wouldn't you know the big crowd outside the U.S. Supreme Court today included a cat on a leash and an adorable chihuahua mix with health insurance.

Kaiser Health News' Jessica Marcy snapped the shot of the cat, stretched out on the steps leading to the courthouse, as she was rushing to cover the arrival of Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum.

Read more

12:25pm

Mon March 26, 2012
The Two-Way

Did Corzine Know Money Transfer Came From Customer Account?

Credit Mario Tama / Getty Images

On Friday, we reported that former New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine directly ordered $200 million transfered from a segregated customer account to an MF Global account in London, according to a memo from the House Committee on Financial Services.

Read more

12:09pm

Mon March 26, 2012
It's All Politics

GOP Seizes On Obama Open Mic Comment To Russia's Medvedev

Credit Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

When your political opponent hands you a gift, take it.

Read more

12:00pm

Mon March 26, 2012
MY MIX TAPE

"Sara Smile" by Hall & Oates

Sara Johnson's parents named her after this song.

10:58am

Mon March 26, 2012
All Tech Considered

Finding Cheaper Gas With Your Smartphone

Originally published on Mon March 26, 2012 3:35 pm

Credit NPR

Gasoline prices seem to be going up every day, and motorists are looking to squeeze every penny of savings out of each fill-up. Well, as it turns out with so many things these days, smartphone apps can help.

Companies have applications for most smartphones out there to help people find the cheapest gas in town. I tried out six applications on an iPhone and narrowed the selection to two that I found the easiest to use: GasBuddy and Fuel Finder.

Read more

10:42am

Mon March 26, 2012
Judging The Health Care Law

TRANSCRIPT: Supreme Court: The Health Care Overhaul Law And The Anti-Injunction Act

  • Listen to the Supreme Court Arguments

The Supreme Court on Monday heard the first of three days of oral arguments on the fate of President Obama's health care law. A transcript of Monday's arguments, as prepared by the court, follows.


CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: We will hear argument this morning in Case Number 11-398, Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida.

Mr. Long.

ORAL ARGUMENT OF ROBERT A. LONG ON BEHALF OF THE COURT-APPOINTED AMICUS CURIAE MR. LONG: Mr. Chief Justice, and may it please the Court:

Read more

Pages