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Ready to deploy on dangerous missions with just a few hours' notice, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit represents the Pentagon's "leaning forward" strategy in dealing with terrorists worldwide. There's a new sense of urgency as the unit trains at Camp Lejeune, N.C. NPR's David Molpus reports for Morning Edition.

The Gorillaz' debut album sold more than 6 million copies worldwide, and the group was nominated for MTV awards, Brit awards, even a Grammy. Their recent tour sold out premier venues in North America. Not bad for a bunch of cartoon characters. NPR's Susan Stone goes behind the curtain, Tuesday on All Things Considered.

Most of America's millions of old computers are shipped to Asia, where rural villagers strip and sell the scrap metal and plastic. The leftover waste -- often toxic -- is piled up around houses and rivers. Environmentalists are crying foul. For Weekend All Things Considered, NPR's Allison Aubrey reports. (5:15)

Republicans say it's now more important than ever to secure the nation's oil supply by opening Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil development. Opponents counter there's still no evidence that the wildlife refuge contains more than a few months' supply of oil. (4:01)

Kim Stanley Robins's new novel The Years of Rice and Salt (Bantam Doubleday Dell; ISBN: 0553109200) imagines 700 years of history, including China's discovery of the new world. Alternative history has long been popular with writers, but as NPR's Neda Ulaby reports, this form of novel writing is a reflection of the times.

Tourists flock to the French Quarter for Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street. But, as Morning Edition's Renee Montagne reports in the latest Present at the Creation segment, they would be wrong to think New Orleans' most famous section is totally French.

Medicaid consumes the second largest share of state money, and its rapidly rising costs are swamping state budgets. Without the federal government's intervention, states say they're heading for a health care catastrophe. For All Things Considered, NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

A majority of likely voters favors the idea of allowing people to invest some of their Social Security taxes in the stock market, according to the results of a bipartisan survey. That surprising result is part of a poll on American attitudes toward retirement security -- the first of several surveys to be conducted for NPR this year by two private polling outfits, one Republican, one Democrat. Mara Liasson reports for Morning Edition.

Christian rockers Jars of Clay have sold 5 million albums since their 1995 debut. Their latest album, The Eleventh Hour, is just as spiritual as their previous efforts, but the message is more complex and subtle. The band talks with Scott Simon on Weekend Edition Saturday. (13:00)

John Biewen of American RadioWorks reports on ALEC - the American Legislative Exchange Council. Companies that profit from the Prison boom sponsor ALEC, which in turn lobbies for tougher sentencing - thus bringing more profits to the corrections industry and its suppliers.