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The Federal Reserve, home of the Beige Book.

The 'Ask Your Uncle' Approach To Economics

The Beige Book — a big, official report — is mostly a bunch of stories gathered by talking to businesses around the country.

Four decades after James "Whitey" Bulger first rose to power, "Southie" is not what it used to be. The once blue-collar, Irish-Catholic neighborhood is now an ethnic melting pot that has been invaded by young urban professionals who have gentrified the area and smoothed out its once-rough edges.

South Boston Transformed In Whitey Bulger's Absence

The neighborhood that reputed mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger is accused of terrorizing with murders and extortion is now a destination.

William von Schneidau, who owns the BB Ranch butcher shop at Pike Place Market in Seattle, has made prosciutto from pigs fed marijuana.

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Despite its name, the "pot pig" experiment isn't an attempt to develop a new meaty treat for stoners. Instead, a Seattle butcher is feeding marijuana seeds, stems and root bulbs to swine as a cheeky money-saving measure.

Wendell Pierce On 'Making Groceries' In The Big Easy

New Orleans might be famous for its culinary legacy, but the Big Easy also has neighborhoods without access to fresh, healthy food. Now actor Wendell Pierce is bringing grocery stores to some neglected parts of his home town. Host Michel Martin speaks with Pierce about his new grocery chain, Sterling Farms.

Kurdish Province Struggles To Cope With Waves Of Iraqi Refugees

Farhad Atrushi, the governor of the Iraqi province of Duhok, joins Robert Siegel to speak about the refugees now flooding his predominantly Kurdish city.

Whisked bakery founder Jenna Huntsberger (right) and baker's assistant Lauren Moore prepare pies in Union Kitchen, a food incubator in Washington, D.C. Huntsberger says the shared kitchen space and the business know-how she's honed there have played a big part in her success.

For Food Startups, Incubators Help Dish Up Success

Demand for specialty and artisanal foods is booming, and new entrepreneurs want to get in on the action. Incubators can provide shared commercial kitchen space and tips on sales and distribution.

A crew of volunteer "aunties" weed and harvest basil at the ComCrop rooftop farm, set high above Singapore's Orchard Road.

Urban Farms Build Resilience Within Singapore's Fragile Food System

Tiny Singapore imports almost all of its food. From gardens on deserted car parks to vertical farms in the vanishing countryside, a movement is afoot to help boost its agricultural production.

A Syrian woman carries a ration of bread on her head in the northern city of Aleppo. The Syrian opposition now runs local councils in many cities, particularly in the north. They often face major challenges in providing basics likes food, water and electricity.

Amid Food Shortages, Syrian Opposition Now Runs Many Towns

The Syrian opposition is running many local councils, particularly in the north of the country. They face urgent challenges, such as providing food, and are counting on increased international assistance to help them function.

Relentless Syrian Violence Drains Hope For Solution

There were reports of explosions in Damascus Monday, where international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi was due to meet with Syrian leaders. He's there at a time of heavy bloodshed as government forces battle rebel fighters, and civilians continue to perish in large numbers.

Many members of the Jewish community in Bello, Colombia, were raised as Christians. They believe their ancestors were Jews who fled the Spanish Inquisition, and so they are now Orthodox Jews. Here, a boy reaches out to the 120-year-old Torah that was written in Amsterdam and acquired by the community five years ago.

'Lost Jews' Of Colombia Say They've Found Their Roots

Raised as Christians, they say their ancestors were Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain more than 500 years ago; they now practice Orthodox Judaism. Similar cases have turned up in other countries in recent years.

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