NPR Story
3:36 pm
Sun December 11, 2011

Remembering Jerry Robinson, Creator Of The Joker

Jerry Robinson, creator of Batman's iconic enemy the Joker, died this week at 89. Guy Raz has this appreciation.

NPR Story
3:36 pm
Sun December 11, 2011

Baylor's Griffin Wins Heisman

Robert Griffin III is the first Baylor player to ever win the Heisman. In a year full of scandals in college sports, the win for Griffin — a dean's list student and son of two retired Army sergeants — delivers a much-needed shot in the arm to the public image of the NCAA, says Dave Zirin, sports editor of The Nation.

Environment
1:00 pm
Sun December 11, 2011

In Pa., Drilling Comes Into Focus

The vast, untapped natural gas reserves in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale are the subject of much debate. Scientists who are trying to shed light on the safety of drilling are facing a host of obstacles, including lack of funding and data. Susan Phillips Scientists who are trying to shed light on the safety of drilling are facing a host of obstacles.

Author Interviews
12:57 pm
Sun December 11, 2011

Shimon Peres' Book Honors Israel's Founding Father

Shimon Peres, the Nobel Peace laureate and President of Israel, was just 23 years old when he became a trusted aid to his country's founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.

He's not sure why Ben-Gurion put so much faith in someone so young. "Maybe he was wrong, maybe it was a mistake," Peres tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz.

Read more
Credit Mito-Habe Evans

Tom Huizenga is a music producer, reporter and blogger for NPR Music. He hosts NPR's classical music blog Deceptive Cadence.

A regular contributor of stories about classical music on NPR's news programs, Huizenga regularly introduces intriguing new classical CDs to listeners on the weekend version of All Things Considered. He contributes to NPR Music's "Song of the Day."

During his time at NPR, Huizenga spent seven years as a producer, writer and editor for NPR's Peabody Award-winning daily classical music magazine Performance Today, and for the programs SymphonyCast and World of Opera. He produced the live broadcast of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess from Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, concerts from NPR's Studio 4A and performances on the road at Summerfest La Jolla, the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and New York's Le Poisson Rouge.

Huizenga's radio career began at the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1986. During his four year tenure, he regularly hosted several radio programs (opera, jazz, free-form, experimental radio) at Ann Arbor's WCBN. As a student in the Enthnomusicology department, Huizenga studied and performed traditional court music from Indonesia. He also studied English Literature and voice, while writing for the university's newspaper.

After college Huizenga took his love of music and broadcasting to New Mexico, where he served as music director for NPR member station KRWG, in Las Cruces, and taught radio production at New Mexico State University.

Huizenga lives in Takoma Park, MD, with his wife Valeska Hilbig, a public affairs director at the Smithsonian. In his spare time he writes about music for the Washington Post, overloads on concerts and movies and swings a tennis racket wildly on many local courts.

Deceptive Cadence
11:40 am
Sun December 11, 2011

Clouds, Concertos And A Trip To Fiji: New Classical Albums

Originally published on Fri February 10, 2012 1:07 pm

With all the chatter about the death of the compact disc, anxiety in the recording industry and the domination of downloads, the flood of CDs overflowing my mailbox never seems to recede. Need a new Bruckner 4th, an Adès anthology or piano music by Pärt? How about Azerbaijani concertos, Schubert sonatas or a new Midsummer Night's Dream?

Read more
Presidential Race
10:20 am
Sun December 11, 2011

Former Spokesman: 'Newt, If I Let You Down, I'm Sorry'

Credit Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul look on during the ABC News GOP presidential debate on Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa.

Judging by the attacks on Newt Gingrich at Saturday's GOP debate in Des Moines, Iowa, the former House speaker is the man to beat in the Republican presidential field.

The past few weeks have seen a remarkable turnaround for Gingrich's campaign. It wasn't long ago when his bid was all but left for dead. This summer, nearly his entire campaign staff resigned on a single day. One of those staffers was Gingrich's longtime communications aide Rick Tyler.

Tyler explains that he left because he lost perspective, but is now open to rejoining Gingrich's campaign.

Read more
Technology
6:00 am
Sun December 11, 2011

Big Cash Prize For Untangling Shredded Paper

California software developer Octavio Good and his team won $50,000 for reassembling shredded documents. Host Audie Cornish talks to Good about the Pentagon-sponsored contest.

Sports
6:00 am
Sun December 11, 2011

What's Major League Soccer Without Beckham?

David Beckham's contract with LA Galaxy ends Dec. 31. Beckham's star power has helped make soccer more popular in America. Host Audie Cornish speaks with football critic David Henry Sterry about the impact Beckham has had on Major League Soccer.

World
6:00 am
Sun December 11, 2011

Youngest South-Pole Skier In Family Of Firsts

Last week, a 16-year-old British schoolgirl became the youngest person to ski to the South Pole. Amelia Hempleman-Adams was part of a nine-person party that slogged 97 miles to the bottom of the world. Host Audie Cornish takes note of Hempleman-Adams' feat.

Pages