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4:47 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

A 'Wake-Up Call' To Protect Vulnerable Workers From Abuse

Credit John Schultz/Quad-City Times / ZUMAPRESS.com
For decades, Hill County Farms, also known as Henry's Turkey Service, housed a group of mentally disabled men in squalor in this former schoolhouse in Atalissa, Iowa. The EEOC won a judgment against the company for exploiting the men.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 1:35 pm

Four years ago, 21 men with intellectual disabilities were emancipated from a bright blue, century-old schoolhouse in Atalissa, Iowa. They ranged in age from their 40s to their 60s, and for most of their adult lives they had worked for next to nothing and lived in dangerously unsanitary conditions.

Earlier this month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission won a massive judgment against the turkey-processing company at which the men worked. The civil suit involved severe physical and emotional abuse of men with intellectual disabilities.

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Shots - Health News
4:14 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

A Small Shock To The System May Help Brain With Math

Credit iStockphoto.com
Ever get stuck on these?

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 10:59 am

Stimulating the brain with a very small electrical current through the forehead could boost a student's ability to learn and remember basic mathematics, a provocative experiment suggests.

The work, published online Thursday by the journal Current Biology, could help those who struggle with mental arithmetic. But the study was small and the long-term effect wasn't profound.

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Parallels
3:51 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Underground Tunnels Feed Gaza's Hankering For KFC

Credit Wissam Nassar / Xinhua /Landov
KFC is delivered in one of the many underground smuggling tunnels connecting Egypt to the Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

Originally published on Sun May 19, 2013 10:38 am

Hundreds of underground passageways wind like a maze beneath the Egypt-Gaza border, providing a way for Gazans to maneuver around the 2007 Israeli-led economic blockade that took effect after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip.

And while subterranean tunnels may seem like something out of a thrilling spy movie, the reality and practicality of these channels is somehow not surprising.

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The Two-Way
3:40 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Pope Francis Denounces 'Cult Of Money'

Credit Vincenzo Pinto / AFP/Getty Images
Pope Francis adjusts his pellegrina during his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 5:05 pm

Pope Francis has demanded that financial and political leaders reform the global money system to make it more equitable.

"Money has to serve, not to rule!" the pontiff declared.

As The Associated Press writes:

"It's a message Francis delivered on many occasions when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, and it's one that was frequently stressed by retired Pope Benedict XVI.

"Francis, who has made clear the poor are his priority, made the comments as he greeted his first group of new ambassadors accredited to the Holy See."

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Parallels
3:39 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

From The Heart Of Egypt's Revolt, The Pulse Of Artistic Life

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 8:34 pm

Egypt's capital, Cairo, is now synonymous with protests and sometimes violence. Late at night, the once-bustling downtown streets are largely empty these days. People worry about getting mugged or caught up in a mob.

But the recent Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival is an attempt to revitalize the area with music, art and culture in the old and forgotten venues of downtown Cairo, like the Qasr El Nil Theater.

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Shots - Health News
3:12 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Swell Of Goodwill For First Medicare Chief Confirmed Since 2004

Credit Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
Presenting Marilyn Tavenner, the first official official in charge of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in years.

When the Senate voted Tuesday to make Marilyn Tavenner the official administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, it was the first time the world's greatest deliberative body had approved someone to head the huge health agency since 2004.

That's right, you have to go way back to the Bush administration to find Dr. Mark McClellan, the last person to be officially put in the post.

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The Two-Way
3:09 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

U.S. Airlines Forecast a Sunnier Summer

Credit David McNew / Getty Images
More passengers are expected to fly on U.S. airlines this summer, an industry group said Thursday.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 4:53 pm

After a long bumpy ride that started five years ago, the domestic airline industry seems to be pulling up and smoothing out.

The number of passengers planning to fly this summer will tick up 1 percent from 2012, climbing back to the highest level since 2008, an industry group said Thursday.

The airlines' profit outlook is also brighter, as jet fuel prices have settled down a bit. Passenger complaints are quieting down, too.

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All Tech Considered
2:45 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Google's Privacy Shift Powers New Customized Maps

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 11:15 am

This week, Google, already a leader in mapping, created more space between itself and its competitors by more deeply mining the data users provide the company when using its various services.

At the Google developers' conference in San Francisco on Wednesday, Daniel Graf, director of Google Maps, crowed about the company's mapping app for the iPhone — and couldn't quite stop himself from taking a dig at Apple.

"People called it sleek, simple, beautiful, and let's not forget, accurate," he said.

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U.S.
1:59 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Managing The $30 Million 'One Fund' To Aid Boston Victims

Days after the marathon bombing, officials established the One Fund for Boston to assist victims and their families. Attorney Ken Feinberg, who managed similar funds after Sept. 11 and Virginia Tech and is managing this fund, says there's no easy way to decide who gets how much of the $30 million that's been donated.

The Two-Way
1:27 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Obama: 'I Certainly Did Not Know' What The IRS Was Doing

Credit Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images
Rain fell Thursday during part of President Obama's joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 7:39 pm

Update at 5:38 p.m. ET. One More IRS Official To Leave

Another official is out at the embattled agency.

The Associated Press reports that Joseph Grant, commissioner of the IRS' tax exempt and government entities division, will retire June 3. The division scrutinized Tea Party groups when the applied for tax-exempt status.

Update at 4:45 p.m. ET. Obama Names New IRS Acting Chief

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The Salt
1:15 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

How Trace Amounts of Arsenic End Up In Grocery Store Meat

Credit iStockphoto
Roxarsone, a drug linked to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic in chicken meat, is no longer used in broiler chicken farming, producers say. But another arsenic-based drug is still used to raise turkeys.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 11:18 am

A study published online recently in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives documented slightly elevated levels of arsenic in samples of chicken purchased at grocery stores in 10 cities in the U.S.

So how did trace amounts of this toxin end up in supermarket poultry?

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Shots - Health News
1:04 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Everybody In The Pool! But Please Leave The Poop Behind

Credit iStockphoto.com
Is it safe? The water in many public pools is contaminated with E. coli, a study finds.

Originally published on Fri May 17, 2013 12:53 pm

Perhaps you've noticed a toddler's sagging swim diaper and wondered if it's really keeping the poop out of your neighborhood pool.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the answer for you: no.

Last summer, researchers at the federal public health agency collected 161 filter samples from public swimming pools in the Atlanta area. More than half of those samples, 58 percent, were contaminated with E. coli.

That, the CDC reported today, "signifies that swimmers introduced fecal matter into pool water."

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The Two-Way
12:37 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

After Daughter Is Taken, Mother Rams Abduction Suspect's Car

Credit Albuquerque Police
Police in Albuquerque say they want to question David Jesus Hernandez, 31, about the brief abduction of a little girl Wednesday.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 3:41 pm

Police in Albuquerque, N.M., are interviewing a man they say is a "person of interest" in the abduction of a five-year-old girl. After the girl was taken Wednesday evening, her mother chased down and rammed the car she had been in; a suspect fled on foot. Authorities say the girl is safe; she was pushed out of the car shortly after being taken.

Update at 3:30 p.m. ET. 'Person Of Interest' Found:

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Parallels
12:26 pm
Thu May 16, 2013

Women In Combat: Some Lessons From Israel's Military

Originally published on Sun May 19, 2013 10:39 am

As the U.S. moves to open up combat positions to women, it's catching up with other countries that have been doing it for years.

But the experience in these countries, including Israel, suggests that access to combat jobs doesn't lead directly to equal treatment within the ranks.

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Shots - Health News
11:52 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Humans Scent Is Even Sweeter For Malaria Mosquitoes

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 1:13 pm

People smell yummy to mosquitoes.

So yummy, in fact, that our scent is a big way the pesky insects track us down.

But just how much mosquitoes like Eau de Human may not be entirely up to the bugs.

Mosquitoes are more attracted to human odors when they're infected with the malaria parasite, scientists reported Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE.

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The Two-Way
11:48 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Almost Nerd Wars: 'Doctor Who' & 'Star Wars' Fans Have Spat

Credit Lewis Whyld/Andrew Matthews / PA Photos/Landov
Darth Vader or The Doctor? Pick your champion.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 4:20 pm

Some stories are indeed too good to be true.

This BBC headline had us punching the Two-Way control board to go to light speed in pursuit of appropriate puns:

"Star Wars and Doctor Who fans clash at Norwich convention"

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The Two-Way
11:17 am
Thu May 16, 2013

David Beckham Retires From Soccer, Ending Storied Career

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 1:37 pm

David Beckham, who starred for Manchester United, Real Madrid and England's national team before heading to the United States and Paris, is retiring. The news was confirmed Thursday by England's Football Association.

The midfielder played his first game for Manchester United in 1992 and eventually rose to become captain of England's international team for more than 50 games, including several World Cup tournaments. He appeared in 115 matches for the squad.

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The Two-Way
10:53 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Berkshire Hathaway's Credit Rating Knocked Down A Notch

Credit Donald Bowers / Getty Images for Fortune
Warren Buffett.

Billionaire investment legend Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has had its credit rating lowered from AA+ to AA by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.

In a statement, S&P says that even though Berkshire Hathaway has an "excellent business profile," the lower credit rating "better reflects our view of BRK's dependence on its core insurance operations for most of its dividend income." (S&P's statement is posted on its website, but you have to register to view it.)

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The Two-Way
9:49 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Hiring Julie Hermann, Rutgers Seeks A New Era In Athletics

Credit Mel Evans / AP
Rutgers athletics director Julie Hermann takes a question as university President Robert Barchi looks on Wednesday. Hermann' hire comes a month after the school fired its basketball coach over a video of abusive practices.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 10:18 am

Rutgers University officials are welcoming the arrival of new athletic director Julie Hermann as the beginning of a new era, as the school seeks to rebound from the turmoil that recently engulfed its athletics department.

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The Two-Way
9:47 am
Thu May 16, 2013

Reports: Note Found In Boat Where Boston Suspect Hid

Credit Darren McCollester / Getty Images
April 20 in Watertown, Mass.: Investigators work in and around the boat in which Boston bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found hiding.

Originally published on Thu May 16, 2013 12:10 pm

In a message written on a wall of the boat where he was found hiding, Boston bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was motivated by anger over the Afghan and Iraq wars, sources familiar with what was found have told CBS News correspondent John Miller.

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