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Commentator David Fleischaker says we're facing high prices and a shortage of natural gas, with fewer rigs drilling, new fields less productive than old ones, and an explosion of demand. Natural gas has become the clean fuel of choice for consumers, industry, and the electric utility industry. The solution, he says, lies in balancing fuel development and the environment -- and learning to consume less.

The US women's softball team won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics Tuesday in the hardest possible fashion. As NPR's Tom Goldman reports, the team was considered unbeatable after a two-year winning streak of 112 games. But it lost three straight games in the early round of competition, nearly putting it out of medal contention. The US then fought back and swept the three teams -- China, Australia and Japan -- it lost to earlier in the tournament.

NPR's John Ydstie reports that a new study by the Census Bureau shows the number of Americans living in poverty has dropped to the lowest level in two decades. The study also shows that approximately 17 percent of American children are growing up in poverty.

NPR's Cheryl Corley reports on the beginning of televised Presidential debates. In 1960, then Vice-President Richard Nixon faced off with Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy at CBS affiliate WBBM in Chicago. Some of the people involved in the debate, including moderator Howard K. Smith and debate director Don Hewitt, spoke last night in Chicago about the event.

When bees infested her house, Commentator Elissa Ely called apon an exterminator with a philosophical bent.

Page two of the New York Times today contains an article acknowledging that the paper could have improved its coverage of the Wen Ho Lee case. Among its admissions: the Times says it made the mistake of taking on the tone of some of the government's positions in the investigation of Wen Ho Lee. Robert Siegel discusses the article with Sandy Padwe, Former Deputy Sports Editor for the New York Times, now a professor at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis Freeh laid out their case against Wen Ho Lee before two Senate committees today. Reno said Lee is a felon, not a victim of government persecution. Freeh described Lee's alleged duplicating and deleting of restricted nuclear weapons information, and the FBI director said Lee's actions showed criminal intent. NPR's Barbara Bradley reports on the hearing, and talks with a spokesman for a scientists' group about whether the testimony shows Lee was, or intended to be, a spy.

NPR's Peter Kenyon has a roundup of the legislative activity in Congress, as members try to conclude business, so they can return home and campaign for the election.

NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports that lawmakers on Capitol Hill are holding another hearing today on violence in TV and video games. Earlier this month the Federal Trade Commission, issued a report stating that the entertainment industry was peddling inappropriate materials to children. The FTC also said it was encouraged to see the industry was paying attention to the call for improved self-regulation.

Host Mike Shuster talks to Minnesota Governor, and author, Jesse Ventura. Today, Ventura releases an essay of a fictional press conference, where he asks all the questions...and muckraking reporters have to provide all the answers. (3:51) The essay can be found on our website, www.npr.org

Two stories on the Presidential campaign: NPR's Anthony Brooks reports on Democratic nominee Al Gore's appearance last night on MTV's Choose or Lose program, where he answered questions from college students. NPR's Andy Bowers reports on Republican nominee George W. Bush's appearance on CNN with Larry King. Host Larry King interviewed Governor Bush and his wife, Laura.

Mary Winn — a teacher for 60 years in Clinton, Iowa — loves to make quilts, crochet, journal, tell jokes and travel.