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The Two-Way
5:35 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

From Our Readers: English Only? Look To The Past

Many of our commenters look to America's rich history of immigration in order to form their opinion of the 'English-Only' debate. Interestingly enough, this approach facilitated conclusions on both sides of the issue.

"John G" believes that, "Society, not law, determines the specific language used."

He writes:

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Shots - Health Blog
5:33 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Experts Fear Whooping Cough Vaccine's Shield Is 'Waning'

Credit Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images
Pharmacist Kristy Hennessee administers a vaccination against whooping cough in Pasadena, Calif., in 2010. Vaccinations are the most powerful weapon for slowing the epidemic, but there are growing concerns that the current vaccine doesn't last as long as expected.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 8:29 pm

Whooping cough is getting a foothold once again in the U.S., and it seems to be getting stronger. More than 20,000 cases have been reported so far this year, compared with only about 8,500 last year, and Washington State has already declared a whooping cough epidemic.

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The Two-Way
5:30 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Paterno Family Will Appeal Sanctions; NCAA Rejects Attempt

Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images
Visitors gather around the statue of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno outside Beaver Stadium Saturday in State College, Pa.

The family of former Penn State coach Joe Paterno said it intends to appeal the sanctions issued by the NCAA against the university in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

In a letter to the organization, the family repeated its accusations that the sanctions were decided in haste and without due process.

The AP reports that the NCAA quickly responded that their sanctions weren't up for appeal.

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Money & Politics
5:06 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Not Always Clear Who's Funding Politics-Related Ads

Credit Uriel Sinai / Getty Images
Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, leave a speech by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Jerusalem on Sunday.

Originally published on Sat August 4, 2012 1:11 am

Prominent Jewish Republicans flew to Israel last weekend to join presidential candidate Mitt Romney on his overseas trip. Among them were casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam.

The Adelsons were in the audience Sunday when Romney gave a policy speech in Jerusaleum. And at a fundraising breakfast Monday, Sheldon Adelson sat by Romney's side.

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The Torch
4:49 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Saudi Arabia's First Female Olympian Makes History In Judo Match

Credit Quinn Rooney / Getty Images
Wojdan Shaherkani of Saudi Arabia (left) met Melissa Mojica in the women's +78 kg judo in London. Their match was short, but historic.

It's nearly time to set The Torch to "dim" for the night, but we must note something historic that happened today: Wojdan Shaherkani competed for Saudi Arabia in the Olympics, becoming the first woman ever to do so.

Shaherkani wasn't a threat to win her match against Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica. After all, Shaherkani is only 16, and her highest level of achievement in judo is a blue belt. Their match only lasted 1 minute and 22 seconds.

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The Two-Way
4:34 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman Is Headed Back To Jail

Credit Dave Martin / AP
Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman has been sentenced to 78 months in prison.

It means Siegelman is headed back to prison after he was freed to appeal his case. The AP gives us some background:

"Siegelman, 66, and former HealthSouth chief Richard Scrushy were convicted in 2006. They arranged $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a state lottery in exchange for the governor appointing Scrushy to an important hospital regulatory board.

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Movies
3:54 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Franchises Age, But Their Stars Stay Forever Young

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 5:06 pm

The Bourne Legacy, which opens in theaters this week, is the fourth thriller in the series, and the first without either Jason Bourne or the star playing him, Matt Damon. They're suddenly not necessary, even though the series is named for Bourne? Why am I not surprised?

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Health
3:53 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

New York Officials: Breast Milk May Be Best 'Formula'

Credit Courtesy of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
City leaders want to encourage more new moms to breast-feed their babies. One of several "Latch on NYC" posters promoting the initiative.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 5:06 pm

Starting next month, dozens of hospitals will participate in "Latch on NYC," an initiative aimed at encouraging new moms to breast-feed instead of using baby formula.

Health care professionals say breast-feeding is better for both mother and baby.

But critics — many of them mothers — say the city is inserting itself where it doesn't belong.

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Arts & Life
3:44 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Monroe's Legacy Is Making Fortune, But For Whom?

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 5:06 pm

Marilyn Monroe, a global symbol of beauty, glamour and sex, died on Aug. 5, 1962. Fifty years later, she's still in style — and making more money than ever. Monroe's come-hither expression is emblazoned on posters, T-shirts and refrigerator magnets. She's become a multimillion-dollar brand, but that may never have happened if not for the will she left behind, a document that reveals a much quieter — and more complicated — side to her legacy.

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The Torch
3:42 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Track Cyclist's Admitting To Intentional Crash Won't Bring Investigation

Credit Bryn Lennon / Getty Images
The British sprint team of Philip Hindes (front), Jason Kenny and Sir Chris Hoy won a gold medal Thursday, but remarks by Hindes caused concerns about athletes' ethics to resurface. The IOC says it will not investigate.

If one thing is clear at these London Games, it's that not doing one's best is not only uncool — it's not allowed. Witness the badminton-to-worstminton scandal that erupted earlier this week, when players turned the tournament structure into a "farce" by attempting to lose in order to manipulate their seeds in the next round.

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The Two-Way
2:46 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Reuters Says Its Website Was Hacked, Fake Syria Stories Posted

The wire service Reuters says its blogging service was compromised today. The people responsible, Reuters said, took the opportunity to post a fake news story about Syria.

Reuters reports:

"One of the false posts purported to be an interview with Riad al-Asaad, the head of the Free Syrian Army.

"'Reuters did not carry out such an interview and the posting has been deleted,' the Reuters statement said.

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The Two-Way
2:38 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Experts Find Ancient Mayans May Have Used Chocolate As Condiment

Credit Philippe Huguen / AFP/Getty Images
Chocolate.

Archaeologists have made a surprising discovery: They announced they found traces of 2,500-year-old chocolate on a plate as opposed to a cup.

The conclusion they make is that it means ancient Mayans not only drank chocolate but also used it as a condiment.

The AP reports the discovery was made public by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

The AP adds:

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The Torch
2:37 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Phelps And Franklin Add To Their Medal Totals, And A New Teen Phenom Emerges

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 4:08 pm

In one of the last showcase days for swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics, American athletes Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin hit the pool at London's aquatic center Friday. Each of them were on a mission to end their individual event schedules with gold medals.

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The Salt
2:03 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

If Almonds Bring You Joy, Enjoy More For Fewer Calories

Credit iStockphoto.com
Almonds may have 20 percent less calories than previously thought.

Originally published on Mon October 15, 2012 10:10 am

Scientists are starting to discover that the standard way of measuring calories, established more than 100 years ago, may not be terribly accurate when it comes to higher fat, high-fiber foods like nuts. But when it comes to almonds, the count may be off by a whole lot.

Food scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently published a new study that finds almonds have about 20 percent fewer calories than previously documented.

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Shots - Health Blog
1:51 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

More Cases Of New Swine Flu Virus Appear In Three States

Credit Rich Pedroncelli / AP
Colton Tucker gives water to a pig to be shown at the California State Fair in Sacramento in July. Federal health officials say most of the cases of a new flu virus in Indiana, Ohio and Hawaii after kids came in direct contact with pigs at agricultural fairs.

Federal health officials Friday reported a jump this summer in the number of people who have gotten infected with a new swine flu virus.

Sixteen cases of the new H3N2 swine flu have been confirmed in the last few weeks, including 12 in the last week alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Ten of last week's cases occurred in Ohio, while the two others were in Indiana and Hawaii.

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The Two-Way
1:31 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

'Entire World' Has Responded To The $500 Tip 'Last Wish,' Brother Says

Credit Facebook.com/AaronsLastWish
Aaron Collins, who wanted to leave a big tip.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 5:06 pm

  • Seth Collins on the outpouring of support
  • Seth Collins on what Aaron would think
The Torch
12:33 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

Going To The Games: A Spectator's View Of The London Olympics

To find out what the London Olympics are like for the average fan, we asked Morning Edition executive producer Madhulika Sikka — a Brit who's vacationing in London — to describe it for us. Sikka received tickets through the lottery.

Congratulations, you've secured tickets for an Olympic event, and London 2012 awaits you. So, what's it like to navigate a city that has been bracing itself for the throng of Olympic visitors?

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The Two-Way
12:23 pm
Fri August 3, 2012

After Aurora Shooting, A Couple Decides To Finish Watching 'Dark Knight'

Credit Joe Raedle / Getty Images
The Century 16 movie theatre is seen from a memorial setup across the street in Aurora, Colorado.

Jacqueline Keavney Lader and Don Lader survived the Aurora shooting. But the day after, the military couple did something courageous: They returned to an area theater to finish watching the latest Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises.

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'It's All Politics': NPR's Weekly News Roundup
11:53 am
Fri August 3, 2012

It's All Politics, Aug. 2, 2012

Credit Uriel Sinai / Getty Images
  • Listen to the Roundup

Holy mackerel, it's the holy site edition of the podcast. NPR's Ron Elving and Ken Rudin look back at the memorable — and controversial — moments of Mitt Romney's foreign trip, and then look ahead to the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions.

Also, a new Tea Party star is born in the Lone Star State.

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The Two-Way
11:39 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Same News, Different Spins: Check These Headlines About The Jobs Report

Credit FoxNews.com and NBCNews.com
Different takes on the same story.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 12:13 pm

Our headline all day has been "163,000 Jobs Added In July; Unemployment Rate Rose To 8.3 Percent."

But as is often the case, some other news outlets like to add a little bit of interpretation to their headlines:

-- Fox News says "Wrong-Way Growth: Jobless Jumps
In July as New Hiring Remains Slow
."

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Participation Nation
11:33 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Making Connections In Durham, N.C.

Credit Courtesy of PHC
People lend a hand to others at the Project Homeless Connection.

This month we are collecting your stories about the good things Americans are doing to make their community a better place. Some of your contributions will become blog posts and the project will end with a story that weaves together submissions to make a story of Americans by Americans for Americans.

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It's All Politics
11:27 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Latest Jobs Data Maintains Status Quo Of Obama-Romney Race

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 1:10 pm

(Revised @ 1:48 pm ET)

With only three monthly jobs reports left before Nov. 6, President Obama needs every piece of good economic news he can get to add to his argument for re-election.

Friday's employment report certainly provided some. The Labor Department reported that the economy added an unexpectedly strong 163,000 jobs in July. Forecasters had predicted that the economy would add as many as 100,000 jobs, so the report took most everyone by surprise.

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The Two-Way
11:22 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Report: Charity Founded By Jerry Sandusky Drops Investigation

Credit Genaro C. Armas / AP
A sign for The Second Mile charity is seen outside the organization's headquarters in State College, Pa., in November of 2011.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 4:06 pm

The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that Second Mile, the foundation set up by Jerry Sandusky, is dropping an expansive internal investigation.

The charity had decided to close up shop after Sandusky was convicted of 45 criminal counts related to the sexual abuse of young boys.

The Inquirer reports that chief executive David Woodle said the decision to close shop means there is no need for an extensive investigation.

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Shots - Health Blog
11:20 am
Fri August 3, 2012

The Science Behind Olympic Six-Pack Abs

Credit Leon Neal / AFP/Getty Images
Swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte deploy their muscles to win medals for the United States at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 3:27 pm

Every four years, we look forward to watching the jaw-dropping athleticism of the Summer Olympic Games. But — let's be frank — we also tune in to ogle the athletes' impressively toned physiques.

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The Torch
10:54 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Federer Wins Epic Semifinal, Taking More Than Four Hours To Do So

Credit Clive Brunskill / Getty Images
Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a shot against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina in their Olympic semifinal played at Wimbledon. Federer won the match, which took more than 4 hours to play.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 11:25 am

Swiss tennis star Roger Federer kept his Olympic dream alive Friday, when he won the longest tennis singles match in Olympic history. He defeated Juan Del Potro of Argentina, in a semifinal played on Wimbledon's Centre Court.

The final score of the three-set match, which lasted more than four hours and 20 minutes, was 3-6, 7-6, 19-17. Federer will next face the winner of Friday's semifinal between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in the final.

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Planet Money
10:37 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Actually, The U.S. Lost 1.2 Million Jobs Last Month

Originally published on Mon August 6, 2012 2:02 pm

Everyone (including us) is saying this morning that the U.S. economy gained 163,000 jobs last month. Strictly speaking, this is a lie.

In fact, the U.S. economy actually lost 1.2 million jobs last month. There were 134.1 million jobs in June, and 132.9 million jobs in July. (The numbers are in this PDF.)

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The Two-Way
10:11 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Stories Of The Colorado Victims: Thinking Of Alex Teves, 'You Smile'

Credit Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
In Aurora, Colo., last week, among the memorials to victims of the shooting was one for Alex Teves. It includes a photo of him with girlfriend Amanda Lindgren. Teves protected her with his body.

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 10:40 am

As they're being told, we're pointing to some of the stories about the 12 people who died and the 58 who were wounded when a gunman opened fire on July 20 at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Click here to see more. As you see others, please share the links in the comment threads.

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The Salt
9:59 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Canning History: When Propaganda Encouraged Patriotic Preserves

Originally published on Mon October 15, 2012 10:11 am

Recently, home canning has seen a rush in popularity, and even upscale retailers like Williams-Sonoma want a share of the idea that a pint of home-canned jam is a fun gift idea. But during both world wars, canning saw another surge, this time prompted by colorful propaganda sponsored by the United States government.

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The Torch
9:54 am
Fri August 3, 2012

Olympics Energize Britain's Patriots, Even (Perhaps) In Scotland

Credit Quinn Rooney / Getty Images
Great Britain, By Jingo!: Fans cheer Team GB at a rowing event in Windsor, England.

Any claim the British have to their fabled "stiff upper lip" is being destroyed by these Olympic Games. The Brits' lips are wobbling like jellies; their tears are flowing faster than the summer rain; their crowds are cheering themselves hoarse.

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Around the Nation
9:20 am
Fri August 3, 2012

A New Generation Of Vets Faces Challenges At Home

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 5:06 pm

Homeless veterans of the Vietnam War have been a face of American poverty for decades, and now some veterans of a younger generation are dealing with the same difficult issues.

"I had my apartment up until 2011," says Joshua, a 28-year-old Navy vet, who asked not to give his last name because of the stigma of being homeless. "[I] couldn't keep up with the rent; I did a little couch surfing and then ended up on the street for a while."

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