The Two-Way
7:27 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Was There A Coverup? Report On Penn State Scandal May Tell Us

Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky being led away from court after his conviction last month.

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 4:36 pm

  • NPR's Tom Goldman on what's expected in the Freeh report

In a scathing report that takes to task former head football coach Joe Paterno and other top Penn State officials, an independent report from investigators led by former FBI director Louis Freeh says there was a "total disregard for the safety and welfare" of Jerry Sandusky's child victims "by the most senior leaders" at the school.

That is "our most saddening and sobering finding," Freeh concludes about his investigation into the scandal that rocked the school last year.

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Research News
5:40 am
Thu July 12, 2012

U.S. Feel Less Guilt About Environmental Choices

Originally published on Fri July 13, 2012 8:56 am

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

You might think that Americans, renowned for consuming a disproportionate share of the Earth's resources, would feel the most guilty about using up those resources. Not so, according to a new study. NPR's Richard Harris reports on the latest findings from a National Geographic project called Greendex.

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Middle East
3:09 am
Thu July 12, 2012

For Syrian-American Doctors, A Painful Homecoming

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 8:30 pm

The Turkish border is a key link for the revolt in neighboring Syria. Turkish ambulances are stationed at border crossings to cope with the flood of injured Syrians, often as many as 30 a day. And now, Syrian-American doctors are volunteering in a humanitarian effort to help the wounded and to bring crucial medicines for field hospitals inside Syria.

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All Tech Considered
3:08 am
Thu July 12, 2012

New Online Users Have A Longer Timeline

Credit iStockphoto.com
More older adults are using the Internet, thanks in part to introductory classes offered offline.

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 1:50 pm

Facebook started as a social network for college students. But now that anyone can join, here's a status update: Many of its newest members are senior citizens.

At 101 years old, Florence Detlor is one of the oldest people on Facebook. She says she's always been someone who wants to keep up on the cutting edge of technology.

"Because that's what makes one time different from another," she says.

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The Salt
3:08 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Nightly Glass Of Wine May Protect Boomer Women's Bones

Credit / iStockphoto.com
Cheers! Moderate drinking might slow age-related bone loss in women.

Originally published on Fri July 13, 2012 10:00 am

It's well-known that exercise is good for our bones, even as we age, but how about that nightly glass of wine?

A new study of women in their 50s and early 60s finds that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent bone loss. The women in the study consumed about 1 1/2 drinks per day.

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Africa
3:07 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Al-Qaida Arm In Yemen Flexes Its Muscles In Nigeria

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:25 pm

An unusual terrorism case started in Nigeria late last week. Prosecutors in the capital city of Abuja accused two local men of being members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. They were charged with accepting thousands of dollars from the group to recruit potential terrorists inside Nigeria and then send them to Yemen. Olaniyi Lawal, 31, and Luqman Babatunde, 30, have pleaded not guilty.

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AIDS: A Turning Point
3:06 am
Thu July 12, 2012

'Treatment As Prevention' Rises As Cry In HIV Fight

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

AIDS researchers, policymakers and advocates are increasingly convinced that treating HIV is one of the best ways of preventing its spread.

The rallying cry is "treatment as prevention," and it's the overarching theme of this month's International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

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Around the Nation
3:05 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Waste Not, Want Not: Town To Tap Sewers For Energy

Credit Conrad Wilson for NPR
Brainerd Public Utilities' Scott Sjolund at a sewer site. Sewers around the city were monitored to gauge the amount of potential energy flowing through the system.

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 12:21 pm

Most Americans use electricity, gas or oil to heat and cool their homes. But the small city of Brainerd, Minn., is turning to something a bit less conventional: the sewer.

As it turns out, a sewer — the place where a city's hot showers, dishwashing water and organic matter end up — is a pretty warm place. That heat can generate energy — meaning a city's sewer system can hold tremendous potential for heating and cooling.

It's just that unexpected energy source that Brainerd hopes to exploit.

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Law
3:04 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Fake Pot Is A Real Problem For Regulators

Originally published on Thu July 12, 2012 1:09 pm

This week, President Obama signed a law banning synthetic marijuana and other synthetic drugs. Dozens of states and local governments have already tried to outlaw fake marijuana, which has been blamed for hundreds of emergency room visits and a handful of fatalities.

But the bans have proved largely ineffective, and there are fears that the federal law won't be any different.

Synthetic marijuana looks a bit like dried grass clippings. It's readily available on the Internet and in convenience stores and smoke shops, where it's sold as herbal incense or potpourri.

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The Two-Way
6:59 pm
Wed July 11, 2012

From Our Readers: A Tale of Two Cities

In San Bernardino, Calif. the city government is suddenly seeking bankruptcy, while in Scranton, Pa. city workers have seen their salaries reduced to minimum wage. One of our readers disparages San Bernardino's actions while another advocates bankruptcy for Scranton.

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