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Read and hear statements about President Bush's nomination of U.S. Court of Appeals Judge John Roberts to the Supreme Court.

Are Americans getting dumber or smarter? Author Steven Johnson discusses his book Everything Bad Is Good for You. He argues that the complexity of modern TV shows and video games might make today's media consumer sharper than those of 30 years ago.

Pizza, tacos and onion rings -- just another balanced lunch in many school cafeterias across the Unites States. If given a choice, most kids won't opt for the broccoli. And financial constraints are keeping many school districts from doing away with more popular -- but more fattening -- choices.

Philip Reeves has been reporting in and out of Iraq over the past two years. Steve Inskeep talks to Reeves about his experience there, about the pre- and post-election atmosphere and about how the people of Iraq are slowly adjust to living in a war zone.

David Cronenberg's films consistently confound viewer expectations. Naked Lunch, The Fly and Crash subverted the line between reality and fantasy. Now comes A History of Violence.

Melissa Block and Robert Siegel read from listeners' emails from the past week. They comment on a story out of Iraq about a Muslim man who buries the unclaimed dead, Melissa Block's quest for the elusive Wok Hay, and the reporter in the White House pressroom affectionately referred to as the Goyal Foil. We also share a brief message from sound designer Randy Thom about the progress of our Search for Sound project.

At a facility in Virginia, Customs handlers train dogs to detect explosives, narcotics and potential terrorists. Search-dog advocates say it's a low-tech approach that may be more reliable than costly detection equipment.

Internationally renowned playwright August Wilson died Sunday at the age of 60 after a battle with liver cancer. Wilson achieved success with his plays Piano Lessons, Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Novelist Louise Erdrich returns to the Ojibwe world in her latest work, but The Painted Drum also explores human relationships. The central character steals the title object in order to give it back to its rightful owners.

Katrina's destructive power reached beyond New Orleans into small towns on Louisiana's southern shores. Damage to oyster beds has sunk the regional economy, but not the spirit of the locals.