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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin begins her vice presidential campaign as a self-proclaimed reformer. But as a mayor and as governor, she defended the pork brought home by Alaska's congressional delegation, and even hired a lobbyist to get more.

Confirmation hearings are scheduled Thursday for Dr. James Holsinger Jr., the Kentucky cardiologist nominated by President Bush to be the nation's 18th surgeon general. Holsinger is likely to face tough questioning — not only about his own qualifications, but about whether he can stand up to the political meddling that his predecessor, Richard Carmona, says hampered his ability to do the job.

Federal regulators seized IndyMac Bank Friday, one of the nation's largest lenders, because of questions about its viability. The bank is now being run by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Karen Shaw Petrou, managing partner at Federal Financial Analytics, about what that means for the financial sector, speaks with NPR's Liane Hansen.

Andrea Seabrook offers a montage of some of the work of this year's 30th Annual Kennedy Center honorees, who receive their awards Sunday in Washington. They include Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, singer Diana Ross, pianist Leon Fleisher, comedian Steve Martin and film director Martin Scorsese.

Families who don't share meals at home are missing something. And they're not much fun at a restaurant, either. Chef Gillian Clark, who runs the Colorado Kitchen in Washington, D.C., shares her thoughts on family dining.

Former graphic designers Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay met by chance and discovered a shared love of dance music. Together, they put down their design tools, picked up skills at remixing and audio editing, and created their own sound.

Regulators and food manufacturers were caught off guard when a deadly food additive from China turned up in U.S. pet food. Experts say it's a consequence of globalization and America's growing dependence on China for food ingredients.

The Senate has passed a new version of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. National security expert Suzanne Spaulding says the new bill adds to the old law and is a dramatic departure from the legal framework the old law set up.

There are many gifted jazz singers, and there's no shortage of accomplished acoustic bass players. But 23-year-old Esperanza Spalding's new album features both her soaring, flexible vocals and the low-end thump of her double bass.

Washington, D.C. visitors coming for the presidential inaugural have a host of luxury hotel packages to choose from. Vivian Deuschl of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel talks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about some extravagant offerings.