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NASA has decided to take advantage of the next landing opportunity on Mars and put two robotic rovers on the planet's surface. NPR's Christopher Joyce reports on what will be the the first-ever "twin-rover" expedition to explore the surface, and the first touchdown since last December's crash landing of the ill-fated Mars Polar Lander mission.

In the 1980s, Dungeons and Dragons inspired millions of kids to spend their spare time pretending to be wizards and dwarves. A new version of the D&D rule book comes out tonight, and the designers are betting it will lure today's kids away from video and computer games.

Linda and Noah read from the All Things Considered listener mailbag, including reactions to commentator Carol Wasserman's Aug. 8 essay on the realities of aging.

Actor, singer and drag queen Ru Paul. The six-foot seven entertainer is even taller in heels and has fashioned for himself a supermodel persona. He attributes his mainstream appeal to his non-threatening sexuality and his "non-bitchy" drag queen personality. Ru Paul is appearing out of drag in the new comedy But I'm A Cheerleader. He plays an ex-gay rehab counselor. Ru Paul's other films include Crooklyn, The Brady Bunch Movie, and Wigstock the Movie.

NPR's Andy Bowers reports from Long Beach, California, where the Reform Party convention has split in two. Supporters of Pat Buchanan control the convention hall. Yesterday they refused entrance to delegates for John Hagelin, so Hagelin's supporters moved to another site, at a theater next door. It now appears there will be two different Reform Party presidential candidates.

NPR's Steve Inskeep reports that Republican Presidential candidate George W. Bush is campaigning today with Senator John McCain on the West Coast.

The Reform Party opened its national convention in Long Beach California today, still divided over the official standing of presidential candidate Pat Buchanan. Supporters of the firebrand conservative insist he has won a mail-in primary for the Reform nomination, while other party members say he has been disqualified. Buchanan supporters had the upper hand in the convention hall, so the dissenters walked out. NPR's Andy Bowers talks to Noah live from Long Beach.

Noah talks with Sam Norris a biologist with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and a former president of the West Virginia Mycological Association. He says it's been an unusually good year for mushrooms due almost daily warm rains in the highlands of West Virginia. They've collected large amounts and rare varieties including one mushroom which changes to the color blue when picked.

Alan Cheuse reviews Alice Lichtenstein's first novel called, Genius of the World, about an American family in turmoil. The publisher is Zoland.

NPR's David Welna reports as Chicago works to improve its public housing some suburban mayors fear the city's just transferring the problems and people into their struggling neighborhoods. Chicago is tearing down its high-rise public housing and the residents are reconcentrating in predominantly black suburbs. Not so fast, say the suburbs.