2:52pm

Fri May 24, 2013
The Two-Way

Google Reportedly Faces FTC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

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2:46pm

Fri May 24, 2013
The Salt

The Great Charcoal Debate: Briquettes Vs. Lumps?

Originally published on Fri May 24, 2013 4:30 pm

A lot of things about grilling can ignite a fight, including the meaning of "barbecue." And with the proliferation of fancy equipment — from gas grills to pellet smokers to ceramic charcoal cookers — amateur cooks are growing more knowledgeable, and opinionated, about how to best cook food outdoors.

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2:12pm

Fri May 24, 2013
The Two-Way

News Corp. Board Approves Company Split

Credit Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Media empire News Corp., parent of Fox and The Wall Street Journal, will be cleaved into two businesses starting June 28: a publishing arm and one for entertainment.

The plan was first announced a year ago. As we reported at the time:

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1:28pm

Fri May 24, 2013
The Two-Way

New Jersey Shore Is Ready For Visitors, Gov. Christie Says

Originally published on Fri May 24, 2013 1:40 pm

Credit Jeff Zelevansky / Getty Images

12:31pm

Fri May 24, 2013
Movie Reviews

Two New Stories With A New-Wave Vibe

Lately I've been re-watching vintage Truffaut movies, and I've been struck by the resurgent influence on American independent films of the French New Wave of the late '50s and '60s.

The Truffaut borrowings are fairly explicit in Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha, while Richard Linklater's Before Midnight takes its cues from Eric Rohmer's gentle but expansive talkfests. That's not a criticism: With mainstream movies seeming ever more machine-tooled nowadays, the impulse to reach back to an age of free-form filmmaking feels especially liberating.

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12:25pm

Fri May 24, 2013
The Two-Way

Amphibians' Population Decline Marked In New U.S. Study

Originally published on Fri May 24, 2013 1:37 pm

Credit Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images

Populations of frogs, salamanders and other amphibians are declining at an average rate of 3.7 percent each year, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study released this week. Researchers say the study is the first to calculate how quickly amphibians are disappearing in the United States.

"If the rate observed is representative and remains unchanged, these species would disappear from half of the habitats they currently occupy in about 20 years," according to the USGS.

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12:22pm

Fri May 24, 2013
The Two-Way

There's No Place For Sex Assaults In Military, Obama Says

Credit Larry Downing / Reuters /Landov

Saying that "those who commit sexual assaults are not only committing a crime, they threaten the trust and discipline that make our military strong," President Obama on Friday urged Naval Academy graduates to help bring an end to a disturbing series of such offenses.

"They've got no place in the greatest military on earth," Obama said during the commencement address he delivered at the academy's Annapolis, Md., campus.

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11:53am

Fri May 24, 2013
NPR Story

Tracking Killer Tornadoes

Originally published on Fri May 24, 2013 2:58 pm

Transcript

FLORA LICHTMAN, HOST:

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11:53am

Fri May 24, 2013
NPR Story

Tackling New Tech In The Golden Years

Originally published on Fri May 24, 2013 2:58 pm

Smartphones, tablets and computers could help seniors stay connected to their communities and families. But a hefty price tag, steep learning curves, and designs meant for younger eyes and hands could keep some older adults from logging on. Guests discuss the best ways for seniors to tackle new technology, and how devices can be adapted to accommodate older users.

11:53am

Fri May 24, 2013
NPR Story

Having a Dog May Mean Having Extra Microbes

Originally published on Fri May 24, 2013 2:57 pm

North Carolina State University biologist Rob Dunn and colleagues surveyed people's pillow cases, refrigerators, toilet seats, TV screens and other household spots, to learn about the microbes that dwell in our homes. Among the findings, reported in the journal PLoS One, homes with dogs had more diverse bacterial communities, and higher numbers of "dog-associated" bacteria.

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