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- Commentator Andrew Lam says that when he came to the United States from Vietnam, he began to learn English at the same time that his voice began to change. Still, he says, he liked speaking English -- it made him feel he could be a new person in a new language.

Marine Cpl. Joshua Snyder of Maryland died under enemy fire in Iraq. He was a good friend and high school teammate of Lance Cpl. Norman Anderson, a fallen Marine profiled by NPR last month. Friends and family are mourning the losses in Parkton, the men's hometown.

In December, many families send out annual update letters to all their friends. It's a way to let everyone know who got a new car, who finally retired after 40 years at the same company, who finished kindergarten. Generally, parents write these letters. But what, if given the task, would the kids say? Jeff Horwich of Minnesota Public Radio finds out.

Robert Siegel talks with Tian Tang, author of a Web site dedicated to the misuse of Chinese characters in Western culture. Tang posts photos of Chinese character tattoos that either contain errors or carry no meaning. Tang says as a Chinese American, he felt it was his "duty and honor to educate the public about the misusage of Chinese characters."

From the beginning, race has been part of the story of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans' recovery has also become an issue of black and white. In this majority African American city, some people believe there is a hidden agenda to discourage some of them from returning home.

Maryland lawmakers Thursday overrode Gov. Robert Erlich's veto and approved a measure, directed at Wal-Mart, requiring a certain level of expenditure on employee health care. Unions are vowing to push for similar laws in at least 30 other states.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin has appointed former federal mine safety official Davitt McAteer to head a special state investigation into conditions in the coal industry. The probe comes after an explosion at the Sago coal mine that killed 12 miners. Anna Sale of West Virginia Public Radio reports.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) continue their analysis of Wednesday's hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito.

James Frey is the author whose memoir A Million Little Pieces has come under scrutiny from the Web site TheSmokingGun.com for alleged inaccuracies. The author appeared Wednesday night on CNN's Larry King Live and spoke out about the controversy for the first time.

Jule Styne wrote some of the most popular songs in American history, including "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," and "Three Coins in a Fountain." Saturday, Dec. 31 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth.