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CALM is an acronym for a new law that takes effect Thursday. It stands for the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, and it means you won't have to jump for your TV remote the second commercials air. The law says the volume of commercials needs to be the same as the programs they're coming out of.

Scholars in Denmark believe they have found a new tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It's a short story, called "The Tallow Candle."

Congress isn't sitting around quietly while commercials get louder. It's actually illegal now for commercials to blast into your ears more loudly than programming. But why stop there? We've got suggested ordinances to reduce noise from construction, bagpipes, and snowblowers.

Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said President Obama is making a "serious effort" to work with Republicans. Just 32 percent said Republicans are making a serious effort to work with the Democratic president.

Many people earning more than $250,000 a year — the 2 percent — admit they can afford to pay more in taxes. However, they don't necessarily like the idea, especially when they're made to feel like skinflints even though they're already sending significant sums to Washington.

Think the apps your kids download are harmless? A federal government report says that may not be true. The investigation found that hundreds of popular mobile device apps have been collecting and sharing data about children. Host Michel Martin talks with Rey Junco of the Harvard Berkman Center, about how best to protect your kids' digital privacy.

Maysoon Zayid is a Palestinian Muslim with cerebral palsy. She's turned that identity into a tool for laughter, performing stand-up around the world. She says she doesn't apologize to anyone for her very political and personal jokes. Host Michel Martin talks to Zayid about her comedy and a program she runs in the West Bank.

A holiday reminder of how generous many Americans are: More than 64 million people volunteered through a formal organization in 2011, a new report shows. That was up from the year before and part of a trend.

M75 fragrances for men and women get their name from rockets fired from Gaza into Israel in November. Sales have been soaring, shopkeepers say. No, they don't smell like rocket fuel. They're citrus-scented.

In 2013 and 2014, there will be a number of substantial realignments in the NCAA conferences. Some believe that the realignment process will ultimately result in the creation of four "super conferences." NPR's Mike Pesca talks about how conference shifts could effect the future of college athletics.