State and National News

Some people believe competition is an art, others say it is a skill. A recent book suggests it's neither — and there's actually a science behind winning. Host Michel Martin speaks with authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman about their book, Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing (This interview originally aired on Feb. 25, 2013 on Tell Me More).

Forgiving someone who's done you wrong can be challenging, but learning how to do it can benefit your mind and body. Frederic Luskin of the Stanford Forgiveness Project writes about this in his book, Forgive For Good. He joins host Michel Martin to talk about why learning to forgive is worth it (This interview originally aired on Feb. 22, 2013 on Tell Me More).

You've probably heard that forgiveness reduces stress and can provide peace and closure. But Slate advice columnist Emily Yoffe says that's not always true. She tells host Michel Martin that sometimes it's better to cut ties, especially in the case of abusive parents. Psychiatrist Richard Friedman also joins the conversation (This interview originally aired on Mar. 11, 2013 on Tell Me More).

Former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo has been extradited to the United States, where he faces charges of laundering tens of millions of dollars through U.S. banks.

Portillo, who served as president from 2000 to 2004, was snatched from a hospital bed in Guatemala City, where he was recovering from liver surgery. He was placed on an airplane bound for New York, according to his lawyer, Mauricio Berreondo.

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

A lot of things about grilling can ignite a fight, including the meaning of "barbecue." And with the proliferation of fancy equipment — from gas grills to pellet smokers to ceramic charcoal cookers — amateur cooks are growing more knowledgeable, and opinionated, about how to best cook food outdoors.

Media empire News Corp., parent of Fox and The Wall Street Journal, will be cleaved into two businesses starting June 28: a publishing arm and one for entertainment.

The plan was first announced a year ago. As we reported at the time:

Host Jessica Harris speaks with Mick Mountz, founder of Kiva Systems, a mobile robotics company that automates the warehouse fulfillment process. Kiva robots deliver inventory shelves to stationary human operators who then pick and pack the product.

Harris also speaks with Peter Thiel, co-founder and former CEO of PayPal.

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Pablo Helguera is a New York-based artist working with sculpture, drawing, photography and performance. His new book is Helguera's Artunes. You can see more of his work atArtworld Salon and on his own site.