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It's All Politics
2:25 am
Mon November 19, 2012

In Fiscal Cliff Talks, Higher Taxes Vs. Closing Loopholes

Credit Carolyn Kaster / AP
President Obama, accompanied by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, speaks to reporters at the White House on Friday during a meeting to discuss the fiscal cliff.
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Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 9:38 am

The White House and Congress continue to work on a deal that avoids the fiscal cliff and cuts deficits in the long run. One of the biggest hurdles is President Obama's proposal to raise tax rates for the wealthy.

Republicans think a better course would be to raise revenue by closing loopholes and limiting deductions for high-income people. The question is, could that method raise enough money.

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The Salt
2:23 am
Mon November 19, 2012

At Burmese Dissident's Cafe, A Taste Of Politics And Salad

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Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
Myat Thu, who owns the Aiya restaurant, takes a break at the bar with his chef Ney Minn. They both grew up in the Burmese capital, Rangoon.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
Paintings of Burmese street scenes decorate the walls of Aiya. Patrons who come for the Burmese and Thai food can also find portraits of Che Guevara and Aung San Suu Kyi, and bumper stickers declaring "Peace in Burma Now."
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
Myat Thu, who owns the Aiya restaurant, takes a break at the bar with his chef Ney Minn. They both grew up in the Burmese capital, Rangoon.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
The decor of Aiya includes several portraits of Che Guevara. Thu says the Marxist revolutionary represents for him a symbol of international rebellion.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
Myat Thu's dogs laze about the restaurant, keeping patrons company.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
The restaurant features live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Myat Thu plays percussion during the band's rendition of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind."
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
To prepare Aiya's Burmese and Thai dishes, the kitchen staff use a variety of spices and ingredients, including fish sauce, garlic, chili, bean powder, shallots, mushroom sauce, oyster sauce and soy bean sauce.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
The menu features Indian curries and Thai noodles, but the restaurant's marquee items are fresh Burmese salads. In the foreground is a ginger salad.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
Myat Thu's wife created the Thai dishes on the menu. Thu says chicken panang curry is his wife's best dish. Chili peppers and Thai basil serve as flavorful garnishes.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
The Aiya restaurant in Mae Sot, a small Thai city on the border with Myanmar, is run by Myat Thu, a Burmese dissident.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
One of the restaurant's most popular dishes is the Burmese green tea leaf salad with crunchy fried nuts.
Credit Ben de la Cruz / NPR
Myat Thu owns Aiya, a restaurant in Mae Sot, Thailand.
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Originally published on Mon November 26, 2012 12:53 pm

Early in life, Myat Thu knew that his destiny as a cook lay in salads. Not the light, leafy green salads that are so common in American restaurants, but heavy, hearty Burmese salads.

Myat Thu grew up in Burma, also known as Myanmar. He was just 14 when his mother placed him in charge of making dinner. Unsure of what to prepare, he studied the salad vendors on the streets of Rangoon.

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Author Interviews
2:23 am
Mon November 19, 2012

Anne Lamott Distills Prayer Into 'Help, Thanks, Wow'

Credit Sam Lamott / Riverhead Books
Anne Lamott is the best-selling author of Some Assembly Required, Grace (Eventually), Plan B and Traveling Mercies.
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Originally published on Tue November 20, 2012 9:44 am

As Thanksgiving draws near, many of us are thinking about what we're thankful for — taking time to consider how best to appreciate what we have in our lives. This year, novelist and memoirist Anne Lamott has focused on using prayer to help express our thanks. Many of her books explore how individuals can transform their lives — how one moves from being troubled to feeling whole. In Lamott's case, she suffered from alcoholism and drug abuse; after hitting rock bottom, she found her faith.

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Politics
4:25 pm
Sun November 18, 2012

Debt Talks A 'Roosevelt Moment' For Obama

Credit Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
President Obama leaves the White House Saturday for a trip to Southeast Asia.
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Originally published on Sun November 18, 2012 4:53 pm

President Obama is now about to enter into a series of difficult talks on the so-called debt ceiling and the impending fiscal cliff. Lawmakers have until Dec. 31 to come up with a deal to prevent $700 billion from being cut from the federal budget.

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Around the Nation
4:02 pm
Sun November 18, 2012

Sandy's Other Victim: Art Galleries

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Originally published on Sun November 18, 2012 4:53 pm

Art galleries in Chelsea were devastated by the flooding in New York City during Hurricane Sandy. According to just one insurer, the cost to Chelsea exceeds $40 million in lost or damaged work.

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