As the 2012 campaign engages, NPR profiles a dozen possible Republican presidential candidates. Reporters will examine what first inspired their interest in politics and sparked their ambition -- from a father's campaign for governor to Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential bid; from a college Democrats meeting to Ronald Reagan's 1976 pursuit of the White House. The series airs on Morning Edition and All Things Considered beginning Monday, April 18.

The phones are ringing, volunteers are taking pledges of support, and KGOU is on track to reach our overall goal for the Spring Membership Drive. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by Friday afternoon, and at the time of this writing, listeners have pledged nearly $110,000.

The success of this drive is in the hands of KGOU listeners who value the service the station provides each day -- enough to make a financial committment to see it continue. If you are already contributing, thank you! If not, you can use our online pledge form or call 325-5468 or toll-free 1-866-533-2470.

At the end of the membership drive on Friday, we'll be giving away tickets to see An Evening with David Sedaris, coming to the Rose State Performing Arts Theatre on April 18, plus a KGOU tote bag full of his books, including his latest, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. Everyone can enter, either when you make your pledge, or by using our giveaway entry form.  

  

On the next episode of Radiolab, hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich steer us through a series of stories about getting lost, and ask how our brains, and our hearts, help us get home. They'll introduce us to a woman who has spent her entire life getting lost, and go to a military base in New Jersey to learn about some amazing feats of navigational wizardry. The final segment is a very different kind of lost and found: a love story about running into a terrifying, and unexpected, fork in the road. Tune in Sunday, April 17 at noon.

  

More than half of this year's record 39 Peabody Award winners work in public and/or non-profit media. NPR received three Peabody awards: one for its Pakistan coverage, one for an investigative series on the bail bonds system, and another for a series on college sexual assault. Also honored: Youth Radio's "Trafficked" series, co-produced and broadcast by All Things Considered, and Radiolab, produced by WNYC and distributed by NPR. The awards will be presented May 23 in New York City.

  

When Paul Simon sings and plays, many languages are spoken -- gospel, folk, soul, African, doo-wop, blues and American pop. But they're all synthesized into one of American music's most unmistakable voices. Hear Simon's new album, So Beautiful or So What, in its entirety until its release on April 12.

  

Beneath the thorny exterior, artichokes are richly flavored, nutritious and totally worth the trouble, according to Nicole Spiridakis for NPR's Kitchen Window. Recipes and how-to's are at NPR.org.