On today’s show: Boston Globe language columnist Ben Zimmer discusses the best—and worst—words of 2012, including “selfie,” “YOLO,” and “Romnesia.” Jon Wiener helps us understand how the Cold War is being remembered—or forgotten—across the country. Chris Ware talks about a new box set that collects a decades worth of his acclaimed Building Stories comics. And historian Richard Lingeman looks at how the late 1940s set the stage for the Korean War and the Red Scare.

Morning Edition is your perfect morning companion: gentle, but straightforward, explaining the vagaries of international diplomacy, reporting weather and even recommending the best film in town.

Tonight's star-studded Sandy benefit has prompted questions about the legality and economics of ticket scalping. Plus: A new report on fish mislabeling; city Health Commissioner Thomas Farley explains the good news for childhood obesity and infant mortality rates in NYC; Foreign Affairs' Jonathan Tepperman on U.S.-China foreign policy; and contemporary Mayan culture.

Fresh Air is one of the most popular programs on public radio, breaking the "talk show" mold, and Gross is known for her fearless and insightful interviews with prominent figures in American arts, politics, and popular culture.

Reporters scour the globe for the most direct and compelling information, from the spread of AIDS in India to the inexplicable fluctuations of the Brazilian economy.

Reporters scour the globe for the most direct and compelling information, from the spread of AIDS in India to the inexplicable fluctuations of the Brazilian economy.

Today on Soundcheck, we remember the iconic musical career of Ravi Shankar, the Grammy-winning sitar master who died Tuesday at the age of 92. Author Tom Fletcher delves into the outsize influence of the British rock band The Smiths. And singer-songwriter Sophie Auster plays in the Soundcheck studio.

Tonight's show is a remembrance of Ravi Shankar, who died yesterday at the age of 92.  Listen to excerpts from his in-studio appearances and live performances, from his first appearance in our New Sounds studios in the 1980's to when he brought his then 15-year old daughter, Anoushka Shankar in 1996.  Along the way, Ravi explains his instrument, mentions his association with George Harrison and the hippies, and celebrates every audience as a way of keeping his music new.  Also, hear a classic Deutsche Grammophon recording of Raga Gara, and more.