The Two-Way
4:38 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

Syrian Rebels Say They No Longer Respect U.N.-Backed Truce

Syrian rebels said they are no longer holding their fire. Reuters reports that the rebels are walking away from the United-Nations-backed truce with the regime of Bashar Assad.

"We have decided to end our commitment to this (ceasefire)," Free Syrian Army spokesman Major Sami al-Kurdi told Reuters. "We have resumed our attacks but we are doing defensive attacks which means we are only attacking checkpoints in the cities."

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American Dreams: Then And Now
3:54 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

After The Housing Bust, Revisiting Homeownership

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 7:44 pm

For generations, owning a home has been a key part of the lifestyle most Americans aspire to. But when the mortgage crisis exploded in 2007, it brought down the U.S. housing market — and the entire economy along with it.

The ensuing recession was an assault on the American dream of homeownership itself. The tidal wave of foreclosures, the crash in home prices and tighter lending standards have left some Americans unable or simply too nervous to buy a house.

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It's All Politics
3:51 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

California's Top-Two Primary System Faces First Statewide Test

Credit Spencer Platt / Getty Images
Abel Maldonado, a former California state senator and current congressional candidate, pushed for the change to the top-two primary system. He says he thinks the system will lead to "more open-minded and more reasonable" officials.

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 5:45 pm

When voters go to the polls in California's primary on Tuesday, instead of only being able to vote for candidates in their own party, they will be able to vote for anyone they please.

Tuesday will be the first statewide test of California's new open primary system, where the top two candidates move on to the general election, regardless of party. Backers hope this system will favor moderates.

In California, there aren't very many purple areas. The state has strongly Democratic regions and strongly Republican regions — and the Democrats dominate.

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Shots - Health Blog
3:48 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

Potty Talk For The Greater Good

Credit John W. Poole / NPR
A makeshift latrine hangs over the water at the edge of Cite de Dieu, a slum in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

How do you get people interested in the difference something as simple as a toilet can make for health?

If you're the head of the World Toilet Organization (yes, there is one), or the author of a page-turner about sanitation, or you're part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, you talk toilets up. A lot.

And, it turns out, if you're in Seattle, which considers itself the home for new ideas on global health, talking about poop and toilets will pack an 842-seat theater on a Friday night.

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It's All Politics
3:33 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

Supreme Court Backs Secret Service Agents In Dick Cheney Case

Credit Jason Hunt / AP
Vice President Dick Cheney speaks at a 2006 Republican rally in Idaho.

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 6:36 pm

In a case involving then-Vice President Dick Cheney's Secret Service detail, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that agents accused of a politically motivated arrest are immune from suit. But the court's unanimous ruling did little more than resolve this particular case.

The decision stems from an incident in 2006 in the Colorado resort town of Beaver Creek, where Cheney was shaking hands at a shopping mall. Steven Howards got in line and when his turn came, he told the vice president that the Bush administration's Iraq policies were "disgusting."

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All Tech Considered
3:22 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

Do These Pants Make Me Look ... ? Body Scans For A Better Fit

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 7:44 pm

The Two-Way
3:13 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

This Past May Is The First Since 2005 Without A Tornado Fatality

This tweet from Justin Kenney, of the Pew Environment Group, caught our attention:

"This was the first May without a #tornado fatality in US since 2005"

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The Two-Way
2:43 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

Report: Facebook Weighing Access For The Under 13 Crowd

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 3:14 pm

Perhaps in a effort to widen its reach, Facebook is exploring ways in which to officially open up its services to kids younger than 13.

That's what The Wall Street Journal reported today adding that Facebook is already used by millions of kids who lie about their age.

The Journal reports:

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The Two-Way
1:58 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

'Cricket Comes First,' India's Tendulkar Says After Joining Parliament

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 2:19 pm

Since we've followed cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar's heroics on the pitch, we should note that he's now a member of India's upper house of parliament.

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The Two-Way
1:14 pm
Mon June 4, 2012

A New Record: Cyclist Finishes 'Around The World' Ride In 92 Days

Credit Johnny Green / Barcroft Media /Landov
Mike Hall, 30, who hails from North Yorkshire, is one of nine cyclists competing in an epic unassisted race around the globe, beginning the challenge on February 18 from the Greenwich Meridian at the Royal Observatory in south-east London.

Originally published on Mon June 4, 2012 1:31 pm

As part of the World Cycle Racing, Mike Hall, 31, rode into the Greenwich royal observatory today 92 days after he left. The Guardian explains that to come full circle, he travelled 24,900 miles and biked 18,000 of them through "20 countries and four continents to raise money for the Newborn Vietnam charity."

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