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The Olympics bring out the most devoted collectors: scavengers who scoop up spent shotgun shells, lapel pin traders, and high rollers who shell out 100-thousand-dollars for a gold medal winner's swim trunks. At Sydney Olympic Park, just about anything with five rings or a connection to an Olympic athlete seems to be selling. NPR's Eric Weiner reports.

Euen Kerr of Minnesota Public Radio reports on the popularity of the 101 fiberglass statues of Snoopy that are spread around St. Paul. The city commissioned the representations of Charlie Brown's dog to celebrate the 50th anniversary of native son Charles Shultz's Peanuts comic strip. Many of the statues will be auctioned this weekend, with proceeds going to a Charles Shultz memorial scholarship fund.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports that although there are many similarities between America and Australia, language is not one of them. Aussie slang is a mix of British dialects, Aboriginal words, and a kind of code language spoken by 16th century criminals called " flash." That combination, and Australians' tendency to throw an "o" or and "e" at the end of certain words, can make Aussie English a bit confusing.

Susanne Sprague of member station KERA reports on the opening of the Women's Museum in Dallas, Texas. In addition to achievements, the exhibits tell about tragedy as well. The museum will feature a computer lab that will help young girls learn about possible careers. The museum is the largest of its kind in the nation. (6:13) Credits

Jody Becker of Chicago Public Radio reports on a thorny environmental case being heard next month by the U.S. Supreme Court. It involves the right of some Chicago suburbs to build a landfill on land that's being used by migratory birds. Some environmental activists warn that the court could use the case to gut the landmark Clean Water Act.

NPR's Tom Goldman reports from Sydney that five members of Romania's weightlifting team were reinstated at the Summer Olympics after a bizarre day of confusion over policy concerning drug tests. The athletes who did not fail any drug test were kicked out of the Olympics because two of their teammates tested positive.

NPR's Margot Adler reports that some psychologists are also starting to worry about the degree to which children are exposed to violence in tv ads for movies. They staged a protest last week outside of an advertising industry's awards ceremony. But the industry says many of their awards go towards public service announcements that encourage children not to engage in destructive behaviors such as smoking.

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.

NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports the latest developments on Sunday's Presidential elections in Yugoslavia. Yesterday, the Yugoslav Federal Electoral Commission announced that opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica failed to win the 50 percent needed for an outright victory. Kostunica won 48 percent of the vote and President Slobodan Milosevic won 40 percent.

NPR's John Burnett reports that as the bottom falls out of the Texas ranch economy, ranchers are turning to economic diversification -- such as ranch tourism -- to preserve their holdings. Tourism includes hosting mountain bike events or charging for admission to the bat cave. Some put a twist on the Tom Sawyer story by charging visitors to help with the ranch work.